Review: LEYLA on the UWS is a Turkish Dining Delight

People who enjoy fine Mediterranean cuisine have found the perfect home. We highly recommend Leyla, a stylish Turkish bistro on the Upper West Side. The restaurant, tucked into a charming neighborhood on 74th Street, offers on premises dining, take-out, and efficient delivery to a broad area. It is an outstanding spot that does everything right. Delicious dishes are beautifully presented, with top-notch service, and a beverage program that is sure to impress.

Leyla is a restaurant concept by Huseyin Ozer and his business partner Berna Erbilgin Gundogdu. The two of them have successfully brought the taste of their homeland to the city employing the abundant talent of their Executive Chef Met Kaba. The wonderfully curated Turkish and Mediterranean comfort food inspired dishes have guests returning again and again.

We enjoyed a take-out dinner and started our meal with Pide, a Turkish flatbread made in Leyla's special ceramic oven. The Vegetarian Pide is excellent topped with broccoli rabe, bok choy, spinach, leek, charred bell pepper, and halloumi cheese. Other tempting choices include their Slow Cooked Short Rib Pide with an eggplant spread and kashar cheese.

You will want to order from their Mezze selection with a marvelous selection for all tastes that are ideal table shares. A unique starter is the Shaved Zucchini and Asparagus Salad with goat cheese, baby arugula complemented by a light lemon olive oil dressing. Mezze Trio is a house favorite with hummus, muhammara, pomegranate molasses, walnut, red pepper paste and olive oil, and fava spreads. Or savor the Spinach Yarma with lebne, barley, garlic, black sesame, and za'tar. If you prefer, hot starters include Falafel with tahini sauce and a go-to dish, Karides Güveç with shrimps, bell pepper, cherry tomato, and shiitake mushrooms.

Relish one of the stand-out entrees. If you're familiar with Turkish specialties, don't miss the Manti. These delicate Turkish dumplings are stuffed with eggplant puree in a creamy yogurt sauce with just the right touch of garlic. The Chicken Tarator is a go-to dish that features a tender oven roasted thigh over chickpeas with hazelnut, parsley and pastirma stew. Leyla specializes in lamb dishes that include their Cop Sis with grilled cubes of lamb, served over naan bread and tender Lamb Chops artichoke confit and green peas. Guest will appreciate that the full menu has options for all dietary preferences.

Dessert lovers will not be disappointed. There are traditional choices like Maras Dondurma, a mastic ice cream from Maras in Turkey. We opted for Baklava layered with chopped nuts and sweetened with syrup. During November, Leyla is offering a Thanksgiving special called Pumpkin Candy, which consists of roasted pumpkins with cinnamon, star anise and sugar, drizzled with tahini syrup and topped with shredded almonds. All desserts are accompanied by a complimentary Turkish Tea for a real meal finale!

Whether you're dining in, taking out, or accepting a delivery, you can also order beverages. Expertaly prepared cocktails include Duman with bourbon, mescal, ginger and honey or Botanists with gin, elderflower, lime, cucumber and rosemary. Leyla also presents a fine selection of wine, beer and spirits.

If you're looking for a brunch destination or brunch dishes to enjoy at home, Leyla has you covered with a distinctive menu for weekenders. Highlights include traditional Turkish dishes such as Mihlama, a breakfast staple in Turkey's northern Black Sea region featuring decadent cheese and cornmeal; Breakfast Pide topped with quail eggs and sujuk; Croque Hanim a waffled croque with smoked turkey, beef bacon, kashar cheese, bechamel sauce and a sunny side up egg placed on top.

Guests can feel very confident about dining indoors. The dining room features MERV 13 filters, UV lighting and glass partitions. The space resembles a friendly neighborhood apartment with Turkish accents scattered throughout. Expertly spaced out wooden tables and chairs give guests the opportunity to see all the action in the open kitchen. Tables of two are also set up with blue velvet chairs as one continues through the space with Ikat textiles from Turkey aligning the walls.

Be delighted and indulge in Leyla's dining experience. It is an adventure into the culinary arts, Turkish style!

Leyla is located at 108 West 74th Street, New York, NY 10023. You can follow them on Instagram @leylanycity. Dinner is served Monday to Sunday from 5:00 pm to 10:00 pm. Brunch is offered on Saturday and Sunday from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm. There are currently 16 seats available for indoor dining and no bar seating. Take-out and delivery is available through their website and also from GrubHub, DoorDash and UberEats. For more information, visit https://www.leylanyc.com/ or call 347.334.7939.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Leyla

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