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About The Mediterranean Restaurant
In July 2022, Spanish-American chef, José Andrés debuted Zaytinya, a Mediterranean-inspired restaurant within The Ritz-Carlton New York. I was immediately impressed by the famed Rockwell Group’s modern-meets-Mediterranean interior design. The restaurant seats 140 people at street level.
The Bar Area Design
We walked in through the hotel entrance and we were greeted by a blue backlit screen behind the bar. It immediately made us feel like we were no longer in New York City. The bar features two-toned blue glass discs based on the Greek “evil eye” talisman. The screen curves towards the ceiling giving it a unique dimension that is a focal point of the restaurant. The bar counter is made of blue lava stone, while the surrounding floor tiles have an abstract theme of olives and leaves.
The Place Setting
The color scheme throughout the restaurant is inspired by the Mediterranean with splashes of blue, white, and natural tones. Every table has mezze-style blue and white patterned dishes styled with cohesive linen napkins and double old-fashioned glasses from Williams Sonoma.
Zaytinya New York Menu
Chef José Andrés has not one but two Michelin stars. The family-style menu is inspired by Turkish, Greek, Lebanese, and Italian cuisines combined into a unique and tasty symphony.
Here’s What We Ordered:
Drink: Two glasses of rosé
Appetizers: Hommus made with purée of chickpeas, garlic, and tahini.
Lunch: (Me) Shish Taouk – made with grilled chicken skewers, sumac, onions, garlic toum, and grilled tomatoes. (Jordyn) Seared Salmon – made with tahini sauce, roasted sweet peppers, tomato, and urfa pepper.
Side: Cirpsy Brussels Afelia – brussel sprouts, coriander seed, barberries, and garlic yogurt.
Dessert: Greek Yogurt with Apricots – Muscat-soaked apricots, delicious authentic vanilla yogurt cream, and pistachio powder
Our Review
Delicious! The family-style plates were more than enough food for the two of us. We almost didn’t even order dessert but our lovely waiter told us that the Greek yogurt is amazing. And we agree it was AMAZING! Highly recommend eating here for lunch or dinner or even just getting some tapas to share. If you love authentic Mediterranean food then you’ll love this restaurant.
Restaurant Design Details
The Mediterranean coast-inspired restaurant was designed by the Rockwell Group. Zaytinya New York takes up a 3,000-square-foot at the hotel’s corner, facing 28th Street and Broadway. The architecture consists of arches and tambou walls inspired by Greece. It’s only a few blocks away from the Empire State Building.
The linen lampshades were hand-painted by the arts non-profit, The Alpha Workshops.
What Does Zaytinya Mean?
Zaytinya means “olive oil” in Turkish
Have any of you eaten at Zaytinya? They also have a Washington D.C. location. Comment below if you’re heading to NYC anytime soon.
Xo,
Coco