Adelaide’s iconic ‘Sushi Train’ restaurant, in Gouger St, is closing

It turned many local diners into sushi fanatics – now, Adelaide’s iconic Sushi Train in Central Market Arcade is closing its doors.

Adelaide’s iconic Sushi Train restaurant in Gouger St is closing after 18 years of operation.

The popular conveyor belt sushi restaurant was among the first two Sushi Trains to open in South Australia in 2004, joining the Grenfell St site.

Sushi Train Central Market is being forced out of its home due to the upcoming Adelaide Central Market Arcade redevelopment, which is due to begin at the end of June.

Owner Tokuro Nagai, who has worked at the Gouger St site since its opening, said he was sad to shut shop but was thankful for arcade development delays, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, which allowed him to stay longer than expected.

“The Central Market restaurant is very close to the customer because there is just one conveyor belt in between,” Mr Nagai said.

“I remember in 2004, not many people experience the sushi train. For some people it was the first time eating eel, tuna and fresh scallop. Now, everyone knows about the sushi train … and everyone is eating a lot of fresh ingredients.

“We have a lot of passion making sushi. This is a chance to say thank you to all our customers. We had a lot of customers supporting this restaurant in the pandemic. I’m kind of crying.”

Sushi Train restaurant in Grenfell St. Picture: File

Mr Nagai and some staff will relocate to the Plympton Sushi Train restaurant, which is among the seven that remain in SA. He hopes to open a new Sushi Train within, or near, the new development “in the near future”.

Sushi Train Central Market staff informed customers that the restaurant would close its doors on June 17, via Facebook.

“It’s very sad to inform, but unfortunately we have three weeks left until our door(s) close,” they wrote.

“We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to all the customers who have supported the Sushi Train Central Market Station since 2004. We will do our best to serve you until the end!”

The post attracted hundreds of comments. William Miller wrote: “Your store was the first time I had ever has (sic) a train experience. It was also the first place I had had fresh sushi that was still warm and it blew me away.”

The Sushi Train is among 38 traders that will need to close or relocate to make way for the $400m Central Market Arcade redevelopment. The existing building between the Central Market and the Hilton Adelaide is being demolished for what is known as Market Square. The joint venture between the Adelaide City Council and Melbourne-based company ICD Property includes expanding the market below two towers with offices, apartments and a boutique hotel.

Longstanding Chinese Restaurant, Ding Hao, will also close on June 13. It will reopen in nearby 36 Wright St, in mid-July.

The Arcade’s Coles and Liquorland have already closed.