Mayfair has no shortage of restaurants that want to make an entrance. MA/NA, the latest opening from the Thesleff Group, is doing something slightly different: it wants dinner to be just the beginning.
Located on Upper Grosvenor Street, the Japanese restaurant and late-night bar is the latest project from the group behind Los Mochis, JUNO Omakase, LUNA Omakase and Sale e Pepe. It brings together Japanese cooking, cocktails, wine and sake under one distinctly atmospheric roof, with the restaurant gradually shifting from dinner destination to late-night drinking spot as the evening goes on.
The name comes from the Japanese concept of ‘mana’, described by MA/NA as the unseen life force that exists beneath all things. The idea runs through the restaurant, from its ingredient-led cooking to the design and the way the atmosphere changes as the night progresses.
The Food
At the centre of MA/NA is Executive Chef Leonard Tanyag, whose menu takes traditional Japanese techniques and gives them a distinctly contemporary treatment. The result is an expansive menu of sushi, sashimi, robata, small plates and larger dishes, with plenty designed for sharing.
There’s plenty to choose from, but the O-Toro Tartare is an obvious place to start. Fatty Bluefin tuna comes with avocado, truffle soy, kaiware, tobiko, daikon, fresh wasabi, shallots and crisp rice crackers. It’s rich without being completely over the top, with the freshness of the tuna and wasabi cutting through the more indulgent elements.
Then there’s the Avocado Aburi, one of the restaurant’s more theatrical signatures. A whole avocado is grilled and served with Japanese teriyaki mushrooms, asparagus, spicy aioli, spring onion and sesame, with the dish arriving at the table flaming. It sounds like pure Mayfair theatre, but this dish was outstanding delivering incredible flavour as well as presentation, potentially one of the best veggie dishes I have had in London!
The small plates are worth exploring too. Iwa-Ebi Wasabi, featuring rock shrimp tempura with wasabi mayonnaise, tobiko, spring onion and sesame, is one of the dishes that is just a staple but the wasabi flavour is strong and more present than the usual which forces you to really take your time with this dish! The Nasu brings buttery miso aubergine for something softer and more savoury. There’s also scallop maki, yellowtail and a selection of sashimi for those wanting to keep things closer to traditional Japanese dining. Come Hungry for the Robata
The menu gets considerably more indulgent once you reach the robata grill. One dish that’s particularly worth saving room for is the truffle-fried rice. Rich, earthy and packed with garlic, butter, onion, chives, black sesame and Japanese mountain vegetables, it has it all.
For anyone who would rather let the restaurant take control, there’s a 10-course tasting menu for £145 per person, with a vegetarian alternative available for £120. The tasting menu brings together many of the kitchen’s signatures, making it arguably the easiest way to experience the breadth of Tanyag’s menu in one sitting.
If you arent a night owl there, MA/NA has also introduced a weekend lunch offering, opening its doors from midday on Saturdays and Sundays. Expect the same contemporary Japanese menu, with dishes spanning delicate sashimi, robata-grilled favourites and premium seafood, alongside cocktails and sake. It’s a chance to experience the restaurant at a more leisurely pace, whether you’re planning a long lunch or looking to bring a little indulgence to the weekend.
Interestingly, MA/NA is also entirely gluten-free, rather than simply offering a separate gluten-free menu, giving the restaurant an added point of difference for diners with dietary requirements.
The Drinks
This is where MA/NA separates itself from a traditional Japanese restaurant. As dinner winds down, the restaurant shifts towards its second identity as a late-night cocktail bar. The drinks programme is overseen by Pietro Collina, Thesleff Group Bar Director and a key figure behind Viajante87, with previous experience at venues including NoMad, Side Hustle and Eleven Madison Park.
The cocktail list is built around three ideas: precision, rhythm and heat. The Noble Martini combines Grey Goose Altius vodka, dry vermouth and Château d’Yquem, finished with lemon. The Goya Sour brings together Haku vodka, Yuntaku Japanese amaro, pineapple, peach and passion fruit, while the Bamboo Piña Colada takes Bacardi Ocho, pineapple and charred coconut cream and gives the classic tropical cocktail a Japanese-inspired twist.
There is also an extensive sake and wine offering, meaning the meal can move seamlessly from delicate Japanese pours to more playful cocktails once the plates have been cleared.
As the night progresses, resident DJs take over and the restaurant becomes considerably more lively. It’s a format that feels increasingly familiar in London, but the combination of high-end Japanese food and a serious cocktail programme makes MA/NA particularly suited to an evening that doesn’t end when dinner does.
The Interiors
The design comes courtesy of Los Angeles-based studio OV&CO, drawing on two contrasting sides of Japan.
There’s the quieter, more considered feel of Kyoto, combined with the energy and glamour of Tokyo after dark. Dark timber, warm lighting and sculptural details give the restaurant an intimate feel, while the centrepiece is a dramatic dragon-shaped banquette that winds through the space.
A handblown Magma lighting installation by EWE Studio provides another focal point, while a private dining room offers space for intimate celebrations and group occasions.
The result is a room designed to change with the evening. Early dinner feels more restaurant-led; later on, the lighting, music and cocktails take over.
The TONE Take
MA/NA is designed for all a night of all occasions and there is something for everyone!
Start with the O-Toro Tartare, get involved with the flaming avocado, order the Wagyu and truffle rice for the table, move onto sake or wine, then switch to cocktails once the DJs arrive.
It’s less about a quick dinner and more about building an entire evening around one address. And that’s probably the biggest draw. In a part of London where luxury restaurants can sometimes feel overly formal, MA/NA is trying to make the experience feel more fluid. The food is serious, but there’s plenty of theatre; the cocktails have been given equal attention; and the room is designed to encourage you to stay.
MA/NA, 30 Upper Grosvenor Street, London W1K 7PH. Book MA/NA Mayfair here
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