After three years of fine-tuning at three pop-ups, seafood specialist Sachi is finally settling down. The team is putting the finishing touches on a 60-seat space at 179 Queen Street in the CBD and plans to open by early June.

“It’s time,” co-founder Reki Reinantha tells Broadsheet. “Pop-ups were great, but we were tired of moving. We needed a permanent home, somewhere we could grow, innovate and create something lasting.”

If you’ve followed Sachi’s journey, from its early days above Leonie Upstairs in Carlton, to a family-friendly stint in Hawthorn, and now briefly back to Leonie’s for three weeks, you know the concept has always been about serving the highest quality fish for the best price. The name itself nods to that: “sachi” means happiness in Japanese, but also comes from the phrase “umi no sachi”, or “treasures from the sea”.

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Those treasures take centrestage here, with an accessible approach to Japanese food and a menu that balances quality with approachability. “This all started when I had a life-changing chirashi don in Hakodate,” Reinantha says. “From that point, I knew I wanted to bring that joy to other people, without the formal white-tablecloth experience.”

While the final menu is still evolving, the lunchtime trade of his new venture will likely mirror the Leonie Upstairs offering, with a mix of raw fish, catch-of-the-day dishes and a new sushi omakase on the cards. Fan favourites, including the chirashi and the marlin hambagu, will return. “They’ve been with us since day one,” Reinantha says. “The chirashi is our cornerstone, and the hamburg [steak] really sums up who we are. It’s a fun, unexpected twist on the familiar.”

The new venue was designed with Brand Works and Minded Studio, and trades the timber-heavy minimalism of Leonie Upstairs for something a little more urban. “We were going for a Tokyo-after-sunset mood – warm reds, soft oranges, intimate lighting,” Reinantha says. “A space that feels modern, but still deeply personal.”

At the entrance, a dry-aged fish fridge is one of the first things you’ll see. (“We want you to see what we’re serving you.”) The long dining room and open kitchen are also designed with transparency in mind. “We want people to feel part of the action. Not just a guest, but a participant in the experience.”

While the CBD feels like a big leap from Sachi’s pop-up roots, Reinantha says it’s a natural progression. “We’ve matured. As people, as a team, as a business. The city is fast, energetic, and ready for what we’re doing.”

Key players in the next chapter include head chef Shinwoo Hong, formerly sous-chef, and venue manager Kaiya Yamaguchi, whose saké knowledge will inform the venue’s drinks program and regular tasting events. “This is a team that’s young, passionate and ambitious,” Reinantha says. “We’re building something for the long haul.”

Sachi will open at 179 Queen Street, Melbourne in June.

@sachi.melb