Coya

Coya brings the spirit of Latin America to Mayfair with no interest in whispering. The room moves around a ceviche counter, an open charcoal grill and a central kitchen, with the pisco bar and lounge giving the evening several different gears. Chef Sanjay Dwivedi's cooking is fresh, vibrant and rooted in the flavours of Peru, while the low-lit room, live music and steady movement make the restaurant feel like a place to settle in rather than simply eat and leave. The energy is purposeful, not accidental.

The menu travels happily from chilli, spice and smoke to lime, coconut and chocolate. Ceviche brings freshness and snap; the charcoal gives the deeper register a beautiful warmth; small plates encourage the table to share and compare. There is a useful sense of contrast throughout, with bright acidity keeping richer flavours in check and the grill providing the persuasive smell of food being cooked in real time. Nothing about the experience feels timid. Even the familiar is given enough heat, colour or texture to keep the meal lively.

Drinks are part of the same proposition. A rum list, 40 tequilas and a pisco library make the bar feel serious without turning it into a lecture. As the lights go down and the live music begins, Coya becomes something larger than a Mayfair restaurant: a social room with a clear culinary identity and a generous appetite for occasion. The cooking is not trying to be hushed or austere, and that is exactly its appeal. This is a confident, enthusiastic night out, with enough substance beneath the spectacle to keep the table engaged.