Founded by Emma Graveney in 2013

KIBOU first arrived in Cheltenham in 2013 as a small, basement restaurant with seating for just 24 guests. At the time, there were little to no Japanese restaurants operating in the Cotswolds, so, with KIBOU’s namesake at the heart of the operation (KIBOU means HOPE in Japanese), our first small restaurant burst onto the scene.

Inspired by a desire to share our love of Japanese food and drink (but in a vibrant, adventurous and inclusive way), we soon discovered that many in the area also shared our passion, and before long we had an avid core of guests who over the years became our loyal customers and our friends.

And so our adventure began, as more and more people visited our small restaurant (until we were bursting at the seams), and we decided to venture into new locations to help spread the KIBOU experience, and our love of Japanese food and drink. The fresh, simple ingredients, the tradition, skill and ceremony, and all those precious tales that go behind every dish.

Visit any of our restaurants today and you’ll be greeted by a menu that celebrates the very best of Japanese cuisine, and, more importantly, by a team who share the same passion and love for Japanese food that we had right from the start. It’s what makes our restaurants stand out from the rest, and makes them a special place for you to enjoy cherished times with your friends and family… whilst feeling completely at home with us.

You can now find our contemporary Japanese restaurants in Cheltenham, Battersea, Clifton, Solihull and Cambridge