Japanese restaurant Koi Toy launches at Pentridge on 21st February
Koi Toy opened at Pentridge Shopping Centre in Coburg on Saturday, 21st February. The Japanese restaurant introduces a bar-led dining format to Melbourne’s north. It trades seven days a week for lunch and dinner.
The 90-seat venue combines Japanese-inspired cuisine with a cocktail-focused drinks list. The restaurant includes outdoor dining and a private room that seats up to 20 people. It caters for everyday meals, group bookings and cinema visitors within the precinct.
Executive Chef Alex Meimetis created the menu with Head Chef Long Le. Their experience spans Chin Chin Club, Geelong, Claypots Evening Star, Bomba, Longrain and Yum Sing House. Together, they have shaped a menu that blends Japanese technique with broader influences.
“At Koi Toy, our aim is to offer delicious, rustic, and creative Japanese food with a twist. We’ve moved beyond the usual sushi and sashimi staples, presenting dishes that are infused with passion and innovation. Our food is made for everyday enjoyment – flavourful, satisfying, and crafted not for Instagram, but for a true degustation of taste and craftsmanship on every plate,” said Executive Chef Alex Meimetis.
The kitchen focuses on shareable plates suited to bar-style dining. Japanese flavours anchor the menu, and the chefs incorporate additional global ingredients. For instance, dishes feature cemen, smoked chorizo and pomegranate molasses.
The menu and design shape the Japanese restaurant
Menu highlights include Yagi Ragu Kyaseroo Roll Ups at $34. The dish pairs slow-cooked Hakkaku spiced goat with kinoko mushroom ragu and okonomiyaki thin pancakes. Angel Hair Tempura King Prawn at $23 combines wasabi-infused king prawn with watermelon ponzu emulsion and smoked chorizo. Meanwhile, Sake-cured Ocean Trout Cemen at $32 matches vanilla and sake-cured ocean trout with cemen and soy-cured egg yolk. Shiraru no Karaage at $23 delivers crunchy fried whitebait with yuzu tartare sauce and apple nori slaw.
Bartenders Danny Chen and Whale Kim from Golden Monkey created the cocktail list. The drinks selection includes Swipe In TanTan at $22, The French Rising Sun at $22 and Day & Night at $22. Each cocktail blends international spirits with fruit, citrus and bitters.
Studio Y designed the interiors, while Confetti Studio developed the branding. The team drew on traditional Japanese craftsmanship and contemporary urban references. Timber elements reference yakisugi, a method that preserves wood by charring.
“The design of Koi Toy is inspired by traditional Japanese craftsmanship, with materials like timber that nod to yakisugi, a method of preserving wood by charring. The overlapping neon signs evoke the iconic glow of Tokyo’s signage. The interior design works symbiotically with the branding by Confetti Studio to create a cohesive experience, while the sphere lighting adds a unique, conceptual touch,” said Brady Hallem and Tess Speldewinde from the design team.
“The ceiling and gantry lighting feature is a reference to Washi paper lanterns. The typical bamboo internal structure reinterpreted to the outside with the use of a rigid multilayer grid, which appears to be built around and supporting the feature spheres.”
Koi Toy operates seven days a week. Lunch runs from 12pm to 3pm and dinner runs from 6pm to 10pm.
Location: Pentridge Shopping Centre, T16, 1 Champ Street, Coburg
Opening hours: Lunch 12pm to 3pm, Dinner 6pm to 10pm
Website: www.koitoy.com.au