Sushi for Beginners:
What Should You Try First?

The world of sushi can be a little intimidating if you’ve never tried it before. There are rolls, sauces, chopsticks and words that feel like they belong to a different language. But enjoying sushi really doesn’t need to be complicated. Our range of fresh sushi options makes it easy to start with something familiar, try something new or order a little of both.

What is Sushi?

Put simply, sushi is made with seasoned rice combined with ingredients such as seafood, avocado and nori – which just means seaweed. And despite a common misconception, sushi isn’t always made with raw fish. Some types use fried prawns or vegetables, making them an easy place to start.

Here’s our guide to some of the best sushi for beginners.

Maki – the perfect first bite

Maki sushi is one of the easiest types to recognise. Rice and a filling are rolled in nori and sliced into bite-sized pieces. Our options include avocado maki, salmon maki and prawn maki, so you can choose how adventurous you want to be.

Start with avocado maki if you’d prefer vegetarian sushi, or try prawn or salmon when you’re ready to add seafood.

Beginner rating: 5/5

Prawn Tempura – the cooked sushi

Not ready for raw seafood? Our Prawn Tempura gives you that cooked, battered prawn flavour you know and love with a crispy finish. You’ll also find tempura options for some of our other types of sushi.

Prawn Tempura is a great bridge between familiar seafood and fresh sushi.

Beginner rating: 5/5

California Rolls – the crowd favourite

California Rolls are sometimes called “inside out rolls”, because they’re made with the rice on the outside and the nori wrapped around the filling on the inside. They’re soft, easy to eat and come with different fillings, including avocado, prawn and salmon. Plus, there are also crispy-fried tempura options if you prefer a bit of crunch.

If you’re wondering about the best sushi to try for the first time, California rolls are a strong contender.

Beginner rating: 4/5

Fashion Sandwiches – your next step

A Fashion Sandwich layers sushi rice and fillings into neat, satisfying pieces that look like triangular sandwiches. We offer avocado, prawn and salmon options, as well as crunchy tempura varieties.

If you’re wondering about the best sushi to try for the first time, California rolls are a strong contender.

Familiar ingredients and a generous filling-to-rice ratio make these a perfect second step on your sushi journey.

Beginner rating: 4/5

Salmon Roses – a more adventurous choice

Salmon Roses have sushi rice in the middle, with raw salmon wrapped around the outside. Their rich salmon flavour makes them a favourite among experienced sushi eaters. These have a generous amount of uncooked salmon in them, so maybe explore the rest of our sushi range before trying these ones.

Beginner rating: 3/5

Sushi Platters – try a bit of everything

The easiest way to find your favourite may be to try them all! A Sushi Platter lets you sample different combinations of Maki, Fashion Sandwiches, California Rolls, Tempura and Salmon Roses all in one order.

There’s no rule saying you need to know your sushi before you order it. Pick what looks good, share a platter or keep it all to yourself.