9 East Street
Boston, MA 02111
617-654-9900
Located in a 100-year-old fire station in Boston's historic Leather District, o ya offers contemporary Japanese dining in a comfortable setting.
The intimate 37-seat restaurant, which was named the #1 new restaurant in the United States by New York Times food critic, Frank Bruni in 2008, consists of ten tables and a 17-seat chef's counter, where guests can watch the chefs preparing the dishes.
Chef Owner Tim Cushman, who won the 2012 James Beard award for Best Chef Northeast, offers an Omakase, or Chef's tasting menu as well as an extensive a la carte menu of creative nigiri, sashimi, vegetable, Wagyu beef, Kurobuta pork and poulet rouge chicken dishes. Nancy Cushman, Sake Sommelier, curates an extensive premium sake list.
What’s New for LifeSavor 2013
For the 2013 edition of their annual fundraiser, Community Servings moves LifeSavor to the Westin Boston Waterfront for the evening.
O Ya’s Spring Sake School
Sake sommeliers Nancy Cushman and Alyssa DiPasquale share some of their expertise with the sake-curious at two upcoming classes at ...
All for One
The city’s top culinary talent have banded together in support of The One Fund, donating a percent of their ...

A Boston native, chef Cushman earned a Bachelor's Degree in Jazz & Classical Guitar from Berklee School of Music in Boston, then moved to California in the early 1980's to pursue the music business. Cushman took a job in a restaurant, as many aspiring musicians do. That was the start of what would become a culinary adventure around the world.
He has spent years cooking around the world in Japan, France, Thailand, Italy, Germany, Hong Kong, Mexico and Taiwan. In that time, he also served for seven years as a Corporate Chef with Lettuce Entertain You in Chicago, where he developed menus for the group's new concepts.
In 1994, Cushman launched his own consulting business, Ideas in Taste, and developed menus for a variety of restaurateurs, from independents to large operators.
Presently, Cushman and his wife, Nancy, are Co-Proprietors of o ya, an award-winning, contemporary Japanese restaurant in Boston. Since opening, he and o ya have received numerous accolades, including a 2011 James Beard Nomination for Best Chef Northeast and being named by New York Times food critic, Frank Bruni, as the #1 new restaurant in the United States in 2008.
Since its opening, the accolades have been piling up - o ya was awarded a 29 food rating in the 2011/12 Zagat Guide. Cushman was also picked as a Best New Chef 2008 by Food & Wine, which also selected o ya as one of the top 10 new restaurants in the world. Bon Appetit and Details magazines have recognized o ya as one of the top 10 sushi restaurants in the United States. Boston Magazine named o ya as the #1 restaurant in Boston in 2009, and Best of Boston for four consecutive years.
