Sakura to Debut New Express Concept in Lakeland

A popular Japanese restaurant with three locations in the Memphis area is planning a new concept in Lakeland .

According to The Daily Memphian , Sakura will soon open a 2,200-square-foot express eatery called Sakura x Subarashi at 3665 Canada Rd , in the former site of McDonald’s. Co-owner Victor Chin said the restaurant will share the space with the existing Mobil gas station and convenience store.

Sakura is known for its premium quality sushi, hibachi meals, and bento boxes, offering a wide range of Japanese dishes. The original Germantown location debuted two decades ago, followed by sites in Collierville and East Memphis.

Chin’s group also owns Subarashi , a boba milk tea spot near the University of Memphis. The new Lakeland location will be the first to combine the two concepts.

Due to the smaller size of the new restaurant, the owners plan to scale down the menu (hence the term ‘express’) while adding milk tea. However, the popular hibachi meals will still be available.

“We like the Lakeland area a lot,” Chin told The Daily Memphian . “We have many customers currently coming from Lakeland, so we’ve been thinking of Lakeland for a while.”

Chin said he hopes to open the new eatery sometime this fall.

Keep up with What Now Memphis’s restaurant, retail, and real estate scoop by subscribing to our newsletter , liking us on Facebook , and following us on Twitter . Opening a restaurant? Browse our Preferred Partners .