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The Mandrake launches YOPO Zaytoun as signature restaurant with Eastern Mediterranean focus

The Mandrake launches YOPO Zaytoun as signature restaurant with Eastern Mediterranean focus
The Mandrake launches YOPO Zaytoun as signature restaurant with Eastern Mediterranean focus

Five-star hotel The Mandrake, in Fitzrovia, will relaunch its signature restaurant on 14th May under the new name YOPO Zaytoun, taking its title from the Arabic word for “olive”. The reopening will coincide with the return of the hotel’s Jurema Terrace, marking a shift in the property’s food and beverage offering towards Eastern Mediterranean cuisine.

The relaunch is being overseen by Eljesa Saciri, with creative direction from the hotel’s founder, Rami Fustok. Director of food and beverage Tim Lang will lead the operation alongside head chef Viktor Yordanov, who previously worked at Mazi in Notting Hill. The kitchen’s approach will draw on Levantine flavours, with an emphasis on seasonal, locally sourced ingredients and sharing plates.

Menu items will include harissa-glazed ribeye steak, yellowtail with preserved lemon, green chilli and olive oil, a Mandrake Shakshuka and native oysters with a citrus gremolata. For desserts there are indulgences like pistachio mille-feuille and olive oil ice cream. Manahi olive oil, sourced from Cyprus, is a key ingredient throughout. A revised wine list will accompany the menu, with selections from producers such as Bruno Paillard, Pontet-Canet and Château de Beaucastel.

The restaurant has also commissioned an aesthetic collaboration with London-based fashion designer Leo Prothmann, a London College of Fashion graduate whose work is rooted in equestrian-inspired aesthetics. Prothmann’s leather house, which he describes as “stable glam”, explores themes including “protection and sensuality, control and instinct, and rural heritage and urban precision”. A bespoke soundscape will bring further ambience to the space.

A weekend brunch service will also be introduced, with dishes such as watermelon with mint, pistachio and halloumi, as well as date pancakes with sesame caramel and a shakshuka.

The Jurema Terrace, which has gained recognition in the industry, will reopen the same day. In a hanging garden blooming with jasmine and passionflower, the outdoor space will offer a cocktail menu developed by head of bars and mixology Anas El Bahhaj. The list will include a new signature Zaytoun Martini made with olive oil-washed Bombay Gin, fortified bergamot, preserved lemon brine and a bespoke vermouth.

The Mandrake, founded by entrepreneur and art collector Fustok, comprises 33 rooms and suites along with a penthouse. The hotel’s other food and drink venues include Waeska Bar, which specialises in ethnobotanical cocktails.

Food Desk

YOPO Zaytoun opens on 14th May 2026 at The Mandrake, 20-21 Newman Street, London W1T 1PG. For further information or to book a table, visit the restaurant’s website here.

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