Soraya is now open at 96 George Street in Marylebone.
The concept originated in Abu Dhabi and celebrates traditional Persian flavours.
The menu features kabobs, ghormeh sabzi, homemade breads, dips and Persian-inspired desserts.
The Persian restaurant from Pachamama Group has made the journey from the Middle East to Marylebone.
Persian cuisine continues to make its mark on London, and one of Abu Dhabi’s best-known Iranian restaurants has joined the capital’s dining scene. Soraya is now open in Marylebone, marking the restaurant’s first international expansion following its launch in the UAE.
Located at 96 George Street, the new Soraya London accommodates 190 diners. The opening makes it the largest restaurant in the Pachamama Group portfolio, which also includes Zephyr in Notting Hill, Bottarga in Chelsea, Nina in Marylebone and Lagana in Shoreditch.
The arrival is well timed. London’s appetite for Persian cooking has grown significantly in recent years, with restaurants such as Berenjak helping familiarise diners with charcoal-grilled meats, fragrant rice dishes, herbs, pickles and generous sharing plates. Soraya enters the market with a similar emphasis on convivial dining while drawing inspiration from the flavours and traditions of Iran.
The restaurant originally opened at Yas Mall in Abu Dhabi, where its menu centres on dishes designed for sharing around the table. While the full London menu has yet to be revealed, Soraya’s UAE offering gives an indication of the culinary direction.
Meat cooked over fire plays a prominent role. The Abu Dhabi menu features smoky kabobs of marinated meat and vegetables alongside mixed grill platters. More comforting dishes include ghormeh sabzi, a herb and kidney bean stew served with lamb shank, and laban immo, combining lamb meatballs and lamb shank with yoghurt and dried mint.
Seafood also features, including grilled prawn ghalieh with tomato and tamarind sauce. Elsewhere, salads, pickles, dips and spreads are designed to accompany freshly baked bread, creating the kind of abundant table associated with family-style dining across the region.
Those saving room for something sweet will find plenty of inspiration in Soraya’s Abu Dhabi dessert selection. Highlights include faloodeh, made with lime and rose granita, saffron ice cream and frozen sweet melon, alongside a baklava ice cream sandwich and golden burnt cheesecake.
Drinks range from freshly squeezed juices and lemonade to regional favourites such as doogh, the refreshing Persian yoghurt drink flavoured with mint, as well as lemon mint and homemade laban.
With its sizeable Marylebone setting and a menu rooted in Persian flavours, Soraya adds another major name to London’s increasingly diverse Middle Eastern dining landscape.
Where: Soraya, 96 George Street, Marylebone, London
Contact: www.soraya.london