Located in the City of London, the restaurant specialises in moreish mangals.
It’s lunchtime in the middle of the week, and Hyde London City’s new restaurant is buzzing with activity. Every table is filled, flames are rising in the open kitchen, and waiters are bringing big trays of mini mezes – each looking more tantalising than the next. Welcome to the terrific Turkish restaurant, Leydi.
Leydi has been created by Chef Consultant Selin Kiazim, and the kitchen is led by Head Chef Halil Simsek. The pair previously worked on Oklava, which was a critically acclaimed Turkish Cypriot restaurant in Shoreditch. Now, they have created an all-day dining concept, which aims to bring the taste of Istanbul to London.
Located on the Holborn Viaduct, Leydi is within walking distance of St Paul’s Cathedral and Old Bailey. The restaurant boasts a bright and breezy design with soft hues of beige, brown and pink, which are punctuated by potted plants. There’s a touch of the traditional with white tablecloths and Art Deco with curved architectural arches. Take your pick from banquettes, chairs and sofas – preferably closer to the kitchen, so you can watch the chefs at work.
Leydi’s lunch and dinner menu spans mezes, small and large plates, mangal, sides and desserts. The meze menu includes classic dips, from Hummus to Muhamarra. Atom is one of the most popular dips – and we can see why. The yoghurt is infused with garlic and spicy Urfa chilli oil, and the subtle spicy kick makes it marvellously moreish. Lap it up with the Turkish Bread Basket, which is wonderfully warm and filled with summon bread, turkak pide and wholewheat sourdough.
In Turkish, mangal translates to barbecue. The ever-popular post-pub kebab is given an upgrade and starts from £20. The meat is cooked over charcoal embers and served with grilled ezme, marinated peppers, an onion salad and pide. The mangals are served on a silver platter, which could look kitsch but feels traditionally Turkish. Take your pick from classic creations including Lamb Chops, Lamb Lions and Lamb Shish. We love the soft and spicy Chicken Shish, which pairs well with the Hand Cut Chips dripping in beef.
The dessert menu ranges from Pistachio Katmer’s Ice Cream Sandwich with goat’s milk and vanilla ice cream, to Kurabiye with caramelised apple, pistachio biscuits and tahini. The Kunefe is syrupy sweet and takes us back to the streets of Istanbul. The flaky puff pastry is stuffed with pistachio and kaymak, and comes with a hint of orange.
No trip to a Turkish restaurant is complete without ordering Turkish coffee – here it is served with a lokum. If you want to keep it authentic, order a Raki, which is commonly known among Turks as the lion’s milk. The cocktails draw inspiration from classics and range from The Prince’s Tea with bourbon to Turkish Delight with gin. Plus, the mocktails are fresh and flavourful, and we are fans of the Cinnamon and Rose with cinnamon, ginger beer and green tea.
Throughout our lunch at Leydi, the staff – many of whom hail from Türkiye – are professional and polite. The waiters are knowledgeable about the menu, from the popular to signature dishes. In London, high-end Turkish restaurants are few and far between, but Leydi looks set to change that. And, when we leave, there is still that buzz in the air.
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