MAAI by Nikita

The first thing you taste at MAAI by Nikita doesn't come from the chef. Before you’ve even glanced at the menu, Nikita Pathakji’s mother, Rima, arrives with a bowl of puffed lotus seeds. It’s a fitting welcome. ‘Maai’ means ‘mother,’ after all. Soon after, cocktails created by Nikita’s sister, Isha, land at the table. Her chemical engineering degree explains a euphoric Salted Melon Daiquiri: fresh, gently saline, packing enough punch to compete with the lively modern European cooking to come. MAAI, clearly, is a full family endeavour - even Dexter, the family dog, has earned a spot on the terrace.

The dining room is as charming as the people who run it: bright, spacious, softened by French panelling, walnut finishes, and deep blue banquettes. Shelves, meanwhile, display family photos and cookbooks, alongside trophies and miniature cauldrons from Nikita’s winning Great British Menu 2026 dish: ‘A Draft of Living Death.’

That too has made the TV-to-restaurant move with astonishing ease. Swapping potions and dry ice for elegant plating, a bronzed tranche of halibut arrives atop silky aubergine and crunchy fried okra. Aromatic Malaysian fish curry sauce balances a spoonful of fresh, firefly sambal, teamed with addictive green chillies clad in feather-light tempura, and stuffed with potato, coconut and Thai basil. Altogether, still a winner.

Beyond the famous fish (fortunately, available both à la carte and as a tasting menu supplement), Nikita has more to show off. Takoyaki-inspired doughnuts trade octopus for squid, capped with a thatch of bonito flakes - a clever foil to the light, sweet dough. Cured sea bream, jewel-like with daikon and green apple, arrives dressed in kalamansi ponzu. Even before we get to the meat, it’s a tour de force.

When we do, it’s staggering. Rima warned us that the lamb is epic; she’s right. Blushing tenderloin slices arrive draped over a mound of slow-braised shoulder. Beneath is a blanket of sweet green peas mingling with curry leaf and a rich, deftly spiced jus.

Dessert borrows from Magnolia Bakery’s viral banana pudding, amping up the original with more banana and great slabs of buttery cake. Generous but never heavy, it’s a stratospheric finish, particularly with Isha’s toasty Buttered Popcorn Old Fashioned in hand.

Restaurants often promise you’ll be welcomed as family. At MAAI, it’s quite literally the lifeblood: serving drinks, delivering joy, powering Nikita’s astounding talent, and wandering around the terrace on four legs (Dexter, we mean). The trophies tell you what Nikita’s achieved; MAAI shows us where she’s going. Wherever that might be, more awards will follow.

MAAI is a modern British restaurant in Clapham from chef Nikita Pathakji, created alongside her mother Rima and sister Isha. The project builds on years of hosting sold-out supper clubs at home, translating that intimate, generous style of cooking into a permanent restaurant on Abbeville Road. The name ‘MAAI’ means ‘mum’, a reference to Rima and the central role family plays in the restaurant’s approach to food and hospitality.

The menu reflects Nikita’s classical training, paired with a more instinctive, personal style of cooking. Seasonal British produce underpins the offering, while flavours draw inspiration from her heritage and wider global influences. Dishes are designed for sharing, encouraging a relaxed but thoughtful way of eating. Smaller plates sit alongside more substantial dishes, creating a flexible menu suited to both casual meals and longer occasions.

Menu highlights include chaat-inspired snacks, seafood dishes paired with bright, citrus-led dressings, and signature plates that have followed Nikita from her time on MasterChef: The Professionals through to her supper club days. Larger dishes showcase confident use of spice and technique, with vegetarian options integrated throughout. Guests can choose to dine à la carte or opt for a tasting menu, with a dedicated vegetarian tasting menu also available. A shorter set menu offers an accessible introduction to the kitchen’s style.

Drinks are led by a cocktail list created by Isha, designed to be playful and approachable while showing technical flair. The wine list focuses on small, family-run producers whose ethos mirrors MAAI’s values.

The dining room features deep green tones, walnut furnishings and soft neutral linens, with subtle references to Indian design woven throughout. The result is a space that feels settled and welcoming, equally suited to long lunches and relaxed evening meals.