Maya

Doing a very good impression of a swanky New York rooftop restaurant, Maya offers impressive views and a ritzy menu of modern Mexican food.

You get the impression that everyone here has a certain smugness about securing a table, and Soho House – who aren’t known for doing things by halves – have worked their interiors magic on the dining room and terrace. Layers of signature textiles and muted tones have created a cosy, comfortable space that is simultaneous bright and airy.

Despite the menu being fairly short (smalls, greens, tacos, large plates and sides – you know the drill), there’s a good span of dishes that help to ensure a meal of meandering flavours and textures so nothing gets too samey. The guacamole cart churns out on-the-spot bowls of fresh, lively dip and both crudites and corn chips add crunch and colour.

Things like tacos and tostadas come in pairs with larger plates made for sharing. Highlights included a beautifully balanced seabass ceviche split with a bright herb oil and topped with pickled onions, lime, radishes and jalapenos. The fun and friendly staff are on hand to top up your corn chips and to ensure the tequila cocktails keep on coming, to keep you dipping and sipping throughout. A larger plate of perfectly cooked ribeye had that all important salty crust and came with grilled, spicy sweet potatoes with a good thwack of barbecue smoke.

As all serious diners know, there’s always room for dessert. Here that means cinnamon sugar dusted churros with a rich chocolate sauce. Crunchy edges with a fluffy centre, this is the stuff of childhood dreams.

The combination of a trendy east London crowd, some of the city’s best views and plush interiors make this a must visit for those looking to impress with inside knowledge. We reckon it won’t be long until it’ll be hard to get a table, so get in now before the crowds.

The Soho House group is no stranger to a hit hospitality offering. This world-wide set of members clubs are the people behind much-lauded restaurants like Cecconi’s and The Ned’s outlets, and have now added Maya to their portfolio.

This isn’t the first iteration of Maya however, as the brand has already proved popular across the pond. The original site was found at Soho House in West Hollywood, and Maya has hosted successful residencies across the world including time at Soho House in Berlin.

Maya’s new permeant home is found on top of The Hoxton hotel in Shoreditch, where its progressive menu of Mexican plates fit right in with the fashionable east London crowd. Chef Giacomo Pettinari is a Mexican food fanatic, taking his craft very seriously. Before opening, Pettinari spent more than a decade working in the kitchens of some of LA’s top restaurants, learning from Mexican cooks and religiously eating at Mexican restaurants and food trucks in the name of research.

Armed with this experience Pettinari has designed a menu that has a focus on coastal Baja-Mexican cuisine. This translates to dishes like spicy tuna tostadas with crispy leeks and chipotle aioli, and mushroom quesadillas with chipotle mayo. Top hitters from the West Hollywood site are also on the menu in London. These include barbacoa and a fun cart that roams the restaurant to make table-side guacamole for guests.

Aside from the food menu there has also been particular attention paid to the drinks list. Here you’ll find Mayan Negronis and a Verde Aztec among wines, softs and beers.

Interiors captured inside a glass structure that allows for plenty of natural light. At the centre of the room there’s a concrete and terrazzo bar, while banquettes and dining tables are mixed throughout the surrounding space for relaxed, laid-back dining. There’s also a large outdoor area, perfect for summer evenings.