The background 

Standing proudly on the sixth floor of 1 Warwick in London’s Piccadilly, Yasmin is the Istanbul-inspired rooftop restaurant for bouji lunches and chic all-nighters. We visited just after Yasmin celebrated its first birthday in April. With a relaxed menu created by chef Tom Cenci – who also oversees the kitchen at 1 Warwick’s ground-floor restaurant Nessa – it’s a feast for the eyes as well as the taste buds.

The space

By day, Yasmin’s floor-to-ceiling windows and wraparound terrace ensure natural light wherever you’re seated. Inside, the bar area is watched over by giant rattan pendants, the bar stools are in comfortable pink velvet and the marble tabletops add a touch of elegance. We sat on the terrace during our visit, despite the sprinkling April showers. The restaurant’s Riviera-style retractable awnings protected us from above and the outdoor heaters and plush orange blankets kept us warm – it was such a delight.

The food

Chef Cenci has created a selection of small plates, making choosing what to have a little easier – we ordered a bit of everything, including our waiter Rio’s recommendation of whipped sheep’s cheese with hot honey, which was so good, we used it as a dip for our baharat duck skewer. The latter comes with its own delicious orange and saffron mayo, which was also a great accompaniment to the chicken shish we ordered. Topped off with the must-order lamb shawarma croquettes (we ordered more of these after tasting them), it was a real mix-and-match lunch that delivered on taste in ways we were not expecting.

Despite the early afternoon hour, we sampled a couple of Yasmin’s refreshing cocktails, sipping on a mash mash (Palmaráe gin, nectarine, apricot, berbere spice), although luckily we left the restaurant feeling more happy happy than mash mash.

The bill

Sharing plates and cocktails for two for lunch comes to approximately £90

The verdict

Fun, relaxed, stylish and friendly is the general vibe oozing from Yasmin. The staff are great and luckily the food is incredible. A strong recommendation from us. Maybe we’ll see you there!

Yasmin, 1 Warwick Street, London W1B 5LR; yasminsoho.com