Maai, the debut restaurant from Nikita Pathakji—winner of both Masterchef: The Professionals and Great British Menu’s Champion of Champions—is a family affair. The name 'Maai' means 'mum', and within minutes of stepping through the spacious front terrace into the smart but relaxed Clapham space, you’ll likely have met half the Pathakji clan.
Serious Cooking, Where Pleasure Is King
Mother Rima, overseeing front of house as chief of good vibes, runs the ship. Sister Isha, general manager and cocktail maestro, has created the bar menu. Visible through the pass, Nikita’s kitchen looks out onto walls adorned with snaps of the siblings as kids.
The space, Rima explains, has been modeled on their own house, fostering an easy atmosphere and welcoming hospitality that makes Maai feel like somewhere to make yourself at home—while simultaneously serving some of the most memorable plates you’ll find this side of the river.
This is fine dining without any pretence. Extraordinary flavours are presented casually, but don’t be fooled by the cheery tableside chatter: Maai’s menu offers serious cooking that fuses the familiar and the original into a genre-agnostic, high-low experience where traditional rules have no place and pleasure is king.
A Modern British Menu with Global Flair
Maai calls itself a 'modern British' restaurant and means it in the truest sense—the sort that sits at the heart of London. Raised in Derby, Pathakji’s cooking prioritises UK produce, taking influence from the family’s Indian heritage and mixing it with ideas cribbed from her global travels.
The idea of putting bonito-flaked, tako yaki-style cuttlefish doughnuts, as well as pillowy brioche and lime pickle butter, then stuffed tempura padron peppers on the same tasting menu might sound like a wild flavour clash, but Pathakji is the UN of chefs, bringing cuisines and cultures together in gorgeous harmony. A petite chaat tartlet takes the idea of poppadoms and chutneys and fuses them into a flirty two-bite morsel. Cuttlefish doughnuts balance sweet and savoury, their creamy filling strangely reminiscent of chicken pie.
Somewhere around our starters, Rima drops by with a bowl of spice-coated and puffed lotus seeds: moreish and popcorn-esque things you could happily shovel by the handful. Translucent slivers of impossibly pretty sea bream, dotted with gems of green apple and cured in kalamansi citrus ponzu, offer a mellower flavour but soon comes punchy, achaar-smothered apricots, roasted into submission and draped on a bed of whipped feta.
Spring lamb, served two ways—rich and pulled, and in delicate pink slices with fresh peas and coconut—is a fresh, seasonal delight, but the MVP is Maai’s halibut. Sat in a pool of rich, smoky Malay fish head curry, and spiked with crispy stars of okra and unctuous aubergine, it comes with those game-changing tempura padrons. Stuffed with coconut, potato, Thai basil and fragrant spices, then popped in the fryer until crisp, customers have already been petitioning for them to be separately available as a superlative bar snack.
Playful Cocktails and Comfort Desserts
The cocktail menu is full of playful riffs on the classics, including a buttered popcorn old fashioned and a lime pickle margarita that packs far more of a punch than its coupetini glass might suggest.
Meanwhile, a big splodge of banana pudding, served sharing style between two, is the ultimate elevated comfort dessert: a banoffee-flavoured bowl full of cake and custard that’s light yet indulgent, and utterly delicious. You can feel the love at Maai—for the food, for the space, for each other—and it’s contagious. Grab a seat at the Pathakji’s table for the greatest family dinner you’re likely to find.
The Vibe
Exemplary dining in a relaxed, family-run corner of Clapham.
The Food
A globe-trotting a la carte and tasting menu, mixing the familiar and the inspired.
The Drink
Playful cocktails and a thoughtful wine list to suit most price points.
Time Out Tip
Grab a seat by the patio doors. On a summer’s evening, it’s perfect.
