Jurema and Yopo Zaytoun at The Mandrake, London: A jungle-inspired terrace that dishes up cocktails with a bite

Ever been somewhere that promises to be a secret garden or an oasis in the city, only to get there and realise their definition of both consists solely of some outdoor furniture and a slightly sad looking festoon lighting?

*Pause as everyone collectively raises their hands*.

Well, The Mandrake Hotel’s Jurema terrace puts your flimsy balcony furniture and sad potted houseplant to shame, with a sprawling, multi-storey terrace tucked inwards away from the busyness of Soho, and an urban jungle to stare at whilst you sip.

WHERE IS IT?

an image of the Jurema Terrace at The Mandrake

Both the bar and the restaurant are tucked inside The Mandrake Hotel, just off Oxford Street in central London. It’s easily accessible whether you’re meeting friends scattered across the city or are looking for somewhere to pop into after work.

WHAT’S SPECIAL?

The terrace is the wow factor here; nestled in the terrace, you’ll be surrounded by tall wooden, slatted walls which give the impression that you’re posting snaps from an Indonesian bar or some kind of secluded, rainforest retreat rather than a bar in central London. Yopo’s restaurant is not to be overlooked either, though, with a quiet, classy spin on Middle Eastern-inspired fare.

WHAT'S NEW?

an image of a table of four at Yopo with different plates from the menu with four glasses of white wine at each place setting

Yopo has entered Spring/Summer 26 with a brand new, refreshed menu; rooted in the traditions of the Eastern Mediterranean, it has reimagined traditional dishes, leaning into the soul of the Levant.

WHO SHOULD YOU BRING?

London is one of those places where you can turn up to most places with any mix of friends / companions / acquaintances, and be alright. It’s the little black dress of cultural cities. Which is a long-winded way of saying you can come with whoever to Jurema and Yopo. It’s a mix of couples, friends, and a few work colleagues, depending on what time of day you’re heading there. It’s quiet enough to be able to actually hear your dining companion (see earlier on hidden oasis), so it’s a decent place to actually have a natter, without being devoid of a buzzy atmosphere.

an image of the new menu at Yopo Zaytoun on a table

WHAT SHOULD YOU WEAR?

It’s not the most casual spot given it’s central London and a classy hotel. However, your post-work threads won’t be out of place. Jeans won’t get sniffed at, but we’d recommend leaving the sliders at home, or rather, in your hotel room.

WHAT WILL YOU PAY?

A round of cocktails will set you back around £40 if you're ordering off their St Germain cocktail menu. We went up for a cocktail each on the terrace to enjoy the cooling summer evening and gawk at the leafery which we’d definitely recommend – the cocktails that is, the gawking is optional.

Heading down to Yopo, you’ll find a mix of dips, platters, and sides, with an average meal setting you back around £60 per person. To leave you feeling decently filled, you’ll probably want to get a mix of small plates and dips to start, with a meaty or fishy large plate and two sides between two of you.

WHAT SHOULD YOU DRINK?

The cocktails are great, and if you're in the mood to splurge it's fun to try out a couple. However, if you're heading straight to Yopo, you can skip them and go for a glass of wine instead.

As you’d expect from a restaurant with this calibre of hotel attached to it, there’s a pretty great wine list attached. It’s carefully curated to not overwhelm you with choices or long French terminology. There’s a thoughtful handful of different wines – red, white, rosès – which will pair well with whatever dishes you opt for. But if you’ve got any uncertainties about what exactly to pick you can always chat to the waiters who are happy to advise.

THREE MUST TRY DISHES?

It may have helped that we were absolutely starving upon arrival, but even if we weren’t, the dishes at Yopo would be gobbled in minutes. I’m not exactly sure what the average speed of eating is for a course at Yopo, but if we were anything to go by, it was cartoon character-esuqe.

The sharing platter may have all the components that you could find on Ocado (hummus, baba ghanoush, tzatziki, flatbread), but it is without a doubt worth it. In fact, it will ruin all supermarket dips and picky bits for the foreseeable. The baba ghanoush is smoky and grilled like the whole thing has been slowly flame-grilled, tasting more like a whole meal rather than an entree. Similarly, the tzatziki is almost enough to rival anything you'd find in a Greek taverna, bringing the garlicky, creamy, cucumbery freshness to centre stage.

When it comes to the large plates, the two we’d recommend are the Slow-roasted aubergine (with miso, sesame, and pomegranate) and the Braised beef short rib (with saffron couscous, parsley, and shallot salad). The former captures all the smoky seductiveness of the baba ganoush but in a show-stopping main form. It's topped with a sprinkle of pomegranate and a popped nut crunch, which elevates it from veg to main.

The beef has all the melt-in-the-mouth tenderness without losing any of the punchiness you'd want from a short rib. The couscous is pleasantly surprising, subtly complementing the richness of the beef without being too fragrant to distract you. Both mains are light – not in a 'not-enough-on-the-plate' but more in a 'you-won't-be-rolling-out-of-there' kind of feeling. Also, you'll have room for dessert, which is always a win.

GET ON THE GUESTLIST?

One of the main things that's good about Jurema and Yopo Zaytoun is that they ain't going anywhere. Unlike trendy pop-ups or short-lived chef residencies, The Mandrake Hotel's terrace bar and restaurant consistently offer great food, good drinks, and a great setting. It's the kind of place you'll want to be in the know about to have in your back pocket for when you're at a loss for where to go. Worth a visit for sure, even if it's just to sip on a glass of wine whilst feeling like the city is a million miles away as opposed to a couple of feet.

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Hermione Blandford is the Content Editor for Shortlist’s social media which means you can usually find her scrolling through Instagram and calling it work, or stopping random people in the street and accosting them with a mini mic. She has previously worked in food and drink PR for brands including Johnnie Walker, Tanqueray, Gordon's, The Singleton, Lagavulin and Don Julio which means she is a self confessed expert in spicy margaritas and pints, regularly popping into the pub in the name of research.