Reservations open for MA/NA, a new Japanese restaurant and cocktail bar in Mayfair

A new Japanese dining and cocktail destination called MA/NA is due to launch this May in Mayfair – and Thesleff Group, the London-based hospitality operator behind Los Mochis, Viajante87 and Sale e Pepe, has just opened reservations. 

The restaurant takes its name and guiding concept from the Japanese notion of mana – the belief that every ingredient carries an invisible power shaped by nature and the people who handle it. That philosophy informs both the food and drinks programmes, as well as the overall structure of the evening, which is designed to transition from a formal dining experience into a late-night cocktail bar as the night progresses.

Executive chef Leo Tanyag leads the kitchen with a menu that draws from across Japan’s culinary traditions while incorporating contemporary technique. Signature dishes include O-Toro Tartare, made with fatty Bluefin tuna, avocado, truffle soy, kaiware, tobiko, daikon, fresh wasabi, shallot and rice crisps; Avocado Aburi, featuring grilled avocado with Japanese teriyaki mushrooms, spicy aioli, spring onion and sesame; and A5 Wagyu Ishiyaki, a tenderloin seared tableside on a Himalayan stone, served with garlic ponzu and Asian leaves.

MA/NA is among a small number of London restaurants to hold official certification to serve Kobe beef, which under Japanese regulations can only come from the Tajima strain of Japanese Black cattle raised in Hyōgo Prefecture.

The cocktail programme is overseen by Pietro Collina, previously of Nomad, Side Hustle and Eleven Madison Park, and bar director at Thesleff Group. He is a figure associated with Viajante87, which features in the World’s 50 Best Bars list. His programme at MA/NA is built around three stated pillars – precision, rhythm and heat – and draws on the traditions of Japanese bartending with what the group describes as a 1970s Tokyo aesthetic.

Signature cocktails include the Noble Martini (combining Grey Goose Altius vodka, dry Vermouth, Château d’Yquem and a lemon twist), the Goya Sour (made with Haku vodka, Yuntaku Japanese amaro, pineapple, peach and passion fruit) and the Bamboo Piña Colada (featuring Bacardi Ocho, pineapple, charred coconut cream and Panda). Resident DJs will accompany the transition into the late-night portion of the evening.

The interiors for MA/NA were designed by Los Angeles-based studio Ov&Co, with a brief described as balancing the calm warmth of a Kyoto autumn with the energy of Tokyo after dark. A dragon-shaped banquette runs through the main dining room, while a handblown Magma lighting installation by EWE Studio serves as a central design feature. A private dining room accommodating up to 20 guests is also available for private events and celebrations.

The new restaurant marks what the group describes as its most significant project to date, bringing a concept rooted in Japanese culinary philosophy to one of London’s most competitive dining postcodes.

Food Desk

MA/NA opens on 6^th May 2026 at 30 Upper Grosvenor Street, London W1K 7PH. For further information or to book a table, visit the restaurant’s website here.