By Katie Wilson
There are always new restaurants opening in London, but Leydi is one of the most talked about – and most aesthetically pleasing.
Set in the new Hyde hotel across the road from the Old Bailey, it’s within walking distance of sights like St Paul’s Cathedral, the Tate Modern, Somerset House and Covent Garden.
But with a separate entrance on Holborn Viaduct, Leydi has its own boho vibe away from the hotel.
The Boutique Handbook team were among the first to visit this special spot and were suitably impressed.
Leydi restaurant review
The first thing you notice is how incredibly beautiful Leydi restaurant is. Inspired by the neighbourhood restaurants of Istanbul, touches of pale pink, emerald green and gold adorn each corner of the room, from the artwork and lighting to the plant pots.
Through the scalloped archway, ruffled lamp shades float above the white-clothed tables. But there is nothing stuffy about the atmosphere.
Whether you get a window seat, sofa booth or buzzy table at the back near the pretty picture wall, you feel special just sitting here.
Unsurprisingly, given its name, the food here is Turkish, with a menu from acclaimed female chef and former Great British Menu winner Selin Kiazim.
Open from breakfast until late, the menu is divided into meze, sharing and mangal – Turkish for barbecue and cooked over charcoal embers. And they certainly don’t scrimp on portions.
Everything sound so good, if you can’t decide what to order let the Leydi team do it for you. For £50pp, you can opt for the Leydi Deluxe. This includes a selection of meze, sharers, shish köfte, chicken shish, Turkish breads, dips and salads followed by a showstopping seasonal fruit and sorbet dessert.
It’s really good value for what you get. And if you don’t eat everything, definitely take it home with you. For us, the favourites were the too moorish Potato Crisps, sprinkled with spices and served with a garlic, parsley and lemon yoghurt dip. We also loved the Hummus, Chicken Shish and Lahmacun, a thin sliced flatbread with lamb on. This was also fun to eat, as you can roll it up and cut it in half to share after a generous squeeze of lemon juice, or eat it as slices like a pizza.
One thing we can say for certain is, you won’t go hungry after a meal at Leydi. Visiting for lunch in the week? They do an Express Lunch menu priced at £24pp for two courses and £29pp for three.
We’re already eyeing up the breakfast menu that includes Smoked Bacon or Sucuk (Turkish spicy sausage) Lavash Rolls, Turkish Eggs, a Turkish Breakfast (their version of a full English) and traditional Turkish tea and coffee. Vegan and vegetarian options are available.
Best for: Turkish food in London, beautiful restaurant, sharing menus, birthdays
Leydi at 15 Old Bailey, London EC4M 7EF is open Monday to Thursday 7am to 11pm, Friday and Saturday 7am to midnight and Sunday 9am to 11pm
Starters (Meze) start from £6, while mains start from £20
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