Beyond Sushi Expands Rapidly to 5th Location

On Wednesday, New York City-based vegan sushi chain Beyond Sushi opened its fifth location in Manhattan’s Financial District. The brainchild of Israeli chef Guy Vaknin, Beyond Sushi opened its first location in the Union Square neighborhood in 2012 and has since expanded aggressively, opening its fourth location in the Midtown West neighborhood in May. While the flagship Union Square location is a mere 12-seater eatery not designed for lingering, Vaknin’s new locations are more accommodating to having a sit-down meal. “Over the years, we realized that people want to sit down and eat this food,” Vaknin said, “not just take it to go.” Beyond Sushi serves a creative selection of vegan sushi rolls—made with uncommon ingredients such as black rice, charred corn, and roasted tomato—along with specials including rice bowls, dumplings, and noodle salads. Vaknin assures that Beyond Sushi’s fifth location is “just the beginning” and has plans to open an additional five eateries by 2018.