Our Review Of Noreen: Middle Eastern Food And Cocktails In Marylebone

I had a stomach-related purpose as I swam through the sea of Soho on a Friday night, huddling my way down the narrow alley leading to St Christopher’s Place. I was visiting Noreen, a Middle Eastern restaurant that had opened back in June 2025, with chef Mehdi Hani at the helm (whose CV includes being head chef at Harrods for the past four years), and a bespoke cocktail menu from Ryan Chetiyawardana’s Mr Lyan Studio.

As a Mr Lyan fan (who should honestly start a club at this point, the number of times I’ve been to his bars), I was lured in by my love for an obscure cocktail.

The interiors of Noreen featured elements of Bedouin Sadu textile.

DesignMyNight's Review Of Noreen In Marylebone 

It was good to see that the restaurant was as busy as the streets outside, and it had a very welcoming air to it. Inside, the interiors were gorgeous, mixing Middle Eastern accents, evident in brightly coloured, arching lampshades, with a modern flair and warm earth tones. The dining room was split into sections, with endearing low arches that created intimate alcoves and curved banquettes with design elements nodding to traditional Bedouin Sadu textile.

My partner and I sat at a candle-lit table in the centre of the room, which was in the heart of the action to its detriment, as we found ourselves often swerving to let people pass. We settled in all the same and began by ordering a drink each.

I fancied something refreshing, so I opted for the Chilled Shai (£12), made up of a Noreen tea blend, cold brewed with seasonal fruits and sumac, and blanco tequila, which was absolutely delicious. A little smoky and herbaceous, it was hard not to sip recklessly through a straw. My partner's Barberry Negroni (£15) was contrasting, and a lot sweeter thanks to the addition of orange blossom gin, and Noreen’s own barberry vermouth.

The fattoush salad and badenjan (pictured right) from Noreen.

For dinner, we were presented with a selection of Noreen’s most popular dishes, selected by our eager-to-please waiter. With two baskets of khubuz (£3.50 each), which included a mix of flatbread and pitta, and two dips in the form of feta harra (£10.50) and badenjan (£11), there was plenty of mopping up to be had, much to my delight.

Admittedly, I wasn’t a big fan of the former - it just felt like something was missing. The whipped feta was pleasantly airy, but I felt it could’ve benefited from the addition of honey or something sweet to lift it, as the spiced crisps and Aleppo oil toppings only offered more saltiness. The aubergine puree-based badenjan, however, was so moreish. You could taste the earthiness and sweetness of the pomegranate tahini, as well as umami notes from the miso-roasted aubergine.

After a slightly too tart and vinegary fattoush salad (£10), featuring mint, parsley, and marinated cucumber and tomato, some uber crispy and warm falafels (£11) were a welcome change, and the cool miso tahini dip gave the fragrant balls a lovely, creamy pool to dance in before being eagerly inhaled.

I enjoyed how tender the garlic and thyme chicken tawook (£21) was, and it was rich in flavour thanks to a smidgen of chilli-cumin crisp and a pistachio bakhsam, but the seabass tahini (£22) was more of a visual treat. It came on a bed of citrus tahini, which added a little zing to the dish, and the crispy samphire gave a fun texture.

The seabass tahini (pictured right) was visually very pretty.

Before we ordered dessert, we decided to get two of the same cocktails I had to begin with, as I enjoyed them so much.

However, we ended up watching them sit at the bar for 15 minutes. When they arrived, they tasted and had been prepared differently, including adding apple slices and not having any tequila. Perhaps under the impression that we just wanted the cocktails stronger, our waiter took them back to the bar, where they were topped up with an unmeasured amount of tequila rather than being remade correctly. We did get a complimentary shot by way of apology, which I could see the humour and good intention in, but when you have a prestigious name, such as Mr Lyan, overseeing the drinks menu, you expect them to be served as he intended.

Fortunately, the desserts were terrifically indulgent and just what we’d been craving - a good end to a varied evening. The kunafa’s (£12) flaky katafi pastry crunched satisfyingly under my spoon, and the pistachio cremeaux and akkawi cheese filling was tangy and rich, marrying the drizzle of hibiscus orange blossom syrup well.

The tamur-o-harda (pictured left) and the kunafa (right).

It pleased my sweet tooth, but not as much as the tamur-o-harda (£10), consisting of warm sticky date cake, tahini parfait, yandoon, ma’amool biscuit, majdool dates, and Levant cream. This was treacly and caramel heaven - the sort of sugar fix you feel immediately in your veins and tingle your teeth. It was a brilliant send-off, as we departed the still very busy restaurant and back into the jungle of Oxford Circus.

Overall: Noreen

I had a nice time at Noreen, but I can’t help but feel I could’ve had a better one. It would have been lovely to sit in one of the alcoves, with a bit more privacy, and to have had a more efficient drinks experience. The majority of the food was tasty, and while nothing particularly stood out, I would still recommend the restaurant for those seeking good Middle Eastern food in central London. It had a buzzy atmosphere and no doubt, some of the issues I faced were just part of the teething phase - something a lot of exciting new restaurants go through.

For more, check out our guide to the best restaurants near Bond Street.