Ilis

Is Ilis Worth Booking for a Special Occasion?

Yes; if you want a fine dining experience that diverges from Manhattan's French-leaning tasting menu circuit, Ilis is worth the trip to Greenpoint. Chef Mads Refslund's Nordic-American cooking, set inside a moody warehouse on Green Street, earned the #1 spot on Esquire's Leading New Restaurants list in 2023 and has since climbed to #61 on Opinionated About Dining's North America ranking in 2025. For a celebration dinner that doesn't feel like a repeat of everywhere else, this is a strong choice.

What to Expect at Ilis

The format is structured around choice at two levels: a four-course menu (Terra or Flora) or a seven-course menu, with optional add-ons including market vegetables, caviar, or tuna done two ways. The kitchen leans heavily on sourcing from nearby regions, which means what's on the plate shifts with the seasons. Dishes like Spanish mackerel, lobster, squab, duck represent the protein range, while grilled mushrooms with black garlic and a goat cheese yogurt with carrot granita illustrate the restrained, produce-driven approach that defines the cooking here. Flavor profiles tend toward earthy, clean, precise rather than rich or sauce-heavy; closer to what you'd expect from a Scandinavian kitchen than a New York tasting room.

Because the menu rotates with the market and seasonal sourcing, timing your visit matters. Autumn and early winter tend to favor game-forward dishes, squab and duck are more likely to appear during these months. Spring and summer shift the balance toward lighter proteins, shellfish, the Flora menu's vegetable-driven options. If you have a preference between the two menus, it's worth checking in with the restaurant closer to your booking date to understand what's currently anchoring each course. The seven-course format gives you the widest cross-section of the kitchen's range, for a special occasion, it's the better investment.

The dining room itself, a large, warehouse-scale space with an eco-conscious fit-out, is better suited to a celebratory dinner than an intimate date where proximity matters. The atmosphere is moody and deliberate, not loud and social. Wine is handled by Wine Director Steven Flores and Sommelier Jason Santiago, with a list of 885 selections and 2,800 bottles in inventory. The program covers Champagne, Burgundy, Germany, Italy, California at $$$ pricing, with a $75 corkage fee if you bring your own. For a special occasion pairing, the depth is there.

Ilis is open Tuesday through Saturday for dinner only (5:30–10 pm Tuesday through Thursday, 5:30–11 pm Friday and Saturday). Sunday and Monday are closed. Cuisine pricing sits at $$$, meaning a typical two-course meal runs $66 or more before beverages and tip. Budget accordingly for the seven-course with wine pairing, this is a full-evening commitment at fine dining prices.

Booking is rated Easy, meaning you don't need to plan months out the way you would for Atomix or Masa. That said, for weekend dinners and special occasions, reserve at least two to three weeks ahead.

If you're comparing Ilis against other Nordic-influenced or produce-driven destinations across the country, the closest analogues include Single Thread Farm in Healdsburg and Lazy Bear in San Francisco for the same commitment to regional sourcing and tasting menu structure. For more on dining in New York, see our full New York City restaurants guide.

Quick reference: Dinner only, Tue–Sat from 5:30 pm; $$$; 150 Green St, Brooklyn; booking is Easy; wine list 885 selections at $$$ pricing; $75 corkage.

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