Zaytinya
Mediterranean · Midtown South-Flatiron-Union Square, New York City
Restaurant in New York City, United States
Book with PearlThe Read
Eastern Mediterranean Mezze Format
Chef
Michael Costa
Dress
Smart Casual
Why go
Zaytinya is a practical NoMad pick for Mediterranean sharing, especially when dinner needs to run later than a standard early seating. Book it for mixed-preference groups, visiting friends, or a polished but not formal occasion; skip it if the night calls for a quiet tasting-menu format.
About Zaytinya
Is Zaytinya worth considering in New York City? Yes, if the goal is a Mediterranean meal with smart casual dress and broad daily hours. In a city where dining plans can vary widely, this is a useful option for a table that wants Mediterranean food in New York City.
The restaurant has received recognition from Opinionated About Dining in 2025 and again in 2026, which puts it on the radar for diners who track casual restaurant recommendations. That makes it a clearer choice when the group wants Mediterranean cuisine in New York City and a smart-casual setting.
Late dinner is the strongest use case
The smart move is dinner, especially when the plan needs to stretch later than a standard early reservation. Zaytinya is open until 10:30 PM most nights and until 11 PM on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, so it can be easier to fit into an evening plan than restaurants with shorter hours. Use it when the table wants Mediterranean food in New York City and the timing needs some range.
Chef Michael Costa gives the restaurant a clear culinary lane, but the decision point is not chef worship. It is whether Mediterranean cuisine is the right fit for the group.
Who should pick it, who should not
Pick this for a meal that needs a smart-casual New York City restaurant with Mediterranean cooking and enough flexibility in the schedule to handle morning, daytime, or evening plans. It is less compelling for diners who are not looking for Mediterranean cuisine. The value is in adaptability: daytime meal, later dinner, visitor-friendly New York City choice, or a group that needs one booking everyone can agree on.
Dress should land in smart casual territory unless the rest of the evening calls for more. Quick reference: choose dinner for evening plans, use the listed daytime hours for convenience, look to the later evening hours when the group wants Mediterranean food in New York City.
Useful New York context before you decide
For another point of comparison, consider Dear Margo. If the group is not locked into one style of meal, a wider New York shortlist can help you compare other New York City dining rooms without forcing the meal into the same category. For broader planning, use Our full New York City restaurants guide, Our full New York City hotels guide, Our full New York City bars guide, Our full New York City wineries guide, Our full New York City experiences guide.
Part of
José Andrés Group17 locations on PearlLocated inside
HotelNoMadFull hotel guidePlanning details
- Location
- 1185 Broadway Ground Floor, New York, NY 10001
- Reservations
- Book on OpenTable
- Website
- zaytinya.com/location/new-york
- Phone
- (212) 804-9070
The take
The Take
The Vibe
Zaytinya presents a cultivated, approachable energy that sits deliberately between fast-casual and fine dining. The room favors sociable, shareable mezze service rather than formal courses, and the kitchen’s discipline keeps that format focused and confident. Chef Michael Costa’s leadership and the restaurant’s recognition on Opinionated About Dining’s Casual list underscore a polished execution that doesn’t feel pretentious. In NoMad, the dining room draws hotel guests, office workers, and destination diners, producing a steady, conversational buzz. The overall effect is refined but relaxed — a place that feels thoughtfully composed without sacrificing the warmth and immediacy of communal Mediterranean dining.
Best For
Zaytinya works best for groups and social meals where plates are shared and conversation drives the pace. The mezze format naturally favors gatherings — from weekend brunches to evening dinners — and the operation is explicitly built to sustain both lunch and dinner services. The kitchen and front of house emphasize timing and sequencing, so the restaurant is also suitable for special occasions and business dinners where a polished, reliably managed experience matters. Travelers and local diners alike appreciate its NoMad location and the steady service rhythm that keeps a busy room feeling managed rather than chaotic.
Ordering Tips
Prioritize sharing and let the service team pace the meal: the mezze here is designed to arrive in waves, and the timing depends on the front-of-house reading the table. Ask your server to sequence plates rather than asking for everything at once, which preserves the conversational flow and avoids a pileup of dishes. For a representative meal, include a mix of vegetable and protein mezze and sample the kitchen’s signatures — Crispy Brussels Afelia, Hommus Ma Lahm, and Celebration Rice — so the table gets a range of textures and flavors. For groups, lean into variety and trust staff to space items thoughtfully.
Venue details
Ambiance
Bright, roomy space with pale color palette, vibrant splashes, light and cheery atmosphere.
Tags
Vibe
Best For
Experience
At the Table
- Dress Code
- Smart Casual
- Noise Level
- Lively
- Service Style
- Upscale Casual
- Meal Pacing
- Leisurely
- Capacity
- Large
Signature Dishes
- Crispy Brussels Afelia
- Hommus Ma Lahm
- Celebration Rice
Planning details
Location
1185 Broadway Ground Floor, New York, NY 10001 · Directions
Recognition and awards
Also consider
Where to book if this does not fit
Book Dear Margo if Mediterranean is non-negotiable but the group wants a different New York room. Choose Nomad Bar if the night is more about cocktails, bar energy, New American food than a shared Mediterranean dinner.
Restaurant context
How it compares for Mediterranean and late-night-ish New York plans
Compared with The Bazaar, Zaytinya is the easier recommendation when the table wants Mediterranean range without making the meal feel like a production. The Bazaar is the better fit for diners chasing a bigger-deal night; Zaytinya is better for groups that care more about flexibility, later dinner utility, a less formal rhythm.
Dear Margo and Sofra are the more direct Mediterranean cross-shops. Choose Zaytinya when NoMad location and broad group appeal matter; choose Dear Margo when the plan is specifically Mediterranean but the group wants a different room and neighborhood feel. Sofra is out-of-metro, so it is not a like-for-like Manhattan substitute, but it works as a reference point for diners comparing Mediterranean meals across cities.
Nomad Bar is the better choice when drinks and New American bar food are the center of the night. Mamazul is a stronger pivot if the group wants a different cuisine mood entirely. For ease of booking, Zaytinya has the advantage: it is listed as easy, which makes it more useful for practical New York planning than venues that require tighter reservation strategy.
Explore New York City
Around this place
Discover more on Pearl
Unlock the full Zaytinya guide in Pearl, including awards, comparisons, FAQs, planning details, and nearby places.
Compare Zaytinya
| Venue | Location | Cuisine | Awards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zaytinya | New York City | Mediterranean | 2026 OAD Casual in North America Recommended2026 Wine Spectator Award of Excellence2025 OAD Casual in North America |
| The Bazaar | New York City | 2026 World's Best Steaks 101 Best Steak Restaurants · #71Star Wine Lists 20262026 Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence2025 World's Best Steaks 50 Best Steakhouses in North America · #182025 World's Best Steaks 101 Best Steak Restaurants · #60 | ; |
| Mamazul | New York City | No published awards | ; |
| Nomad Bar | New York City | New American | No published awards |
| Dear Margo | New York City | Mediterranean | No published awards |
| Sofra | Cambridge | Mediterranean | 2025 OAD Casual in North America Ranked · #779 |
How Zaytinya NYC compares with similar nearby venues.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Zaytinya good for a special occasion?
Yes, if you want a Mediterranean meal in a smart-casual setting. The New York City restaurant has OAD recognition for 2025 and 2026, which gives it a clear point of distinction. It is a strong pick when the group wants Mediterranean food and flexible daily hours.
How far ahead should I book Zaytinya?
If you have a specific dinner time in mind, especially on a night when Zaytinya runs later, it is sensible to plan ahead. The hours extend to 10:30 PM most nights and to 11 PM on Thursday, Friday, Saturday. If your timing is flexible, use the posted hours to choose the part of the day that fits your plans.
Is lunch or dinner better at Zaytinya?
Dinner is the better bet for most people seeking an evening out, since the hours run through 10:30 PM most nights and later on Thursday, Friday, Saturday. The listed daytime hours can also work if you want a lower-friction meal in New York City, but dinner makes more sense for a later evening plan.
What should a first-timer know about Zaytinya?
Start with the fact that this is a Mediterranean restaurant in New York City, led by chef Michael Costa. The long daily hours make it easier to fit into a morning, daytime, or evening plan, which is useful if the group's timing is flexible. If the goal is Mediterranean food in a smart-casual setting, this is the right lane.
What should I wear to Zaytinya?
Aim for smart casual dress. Zaytinya is a Mediterranean restaurant in New York City, the dress code is smart casual. For dinner, polished basics are the safest choice.
What are alternatives to Zaytinya?
For other reference points, consider Dear Margo, The Bazaar, Sofra, Nomad Bar, Mamazul depending on the kind of meal the group wants. Use them as comparison points alongside Zaytinya rather than assuming they all serve the same purpose.
Does Zaytinya handle dietary restrictions?
If anyone in the group has allergies or dietary restrictions, contact Zaytinya directly before booking or note the restrictions when making the reservation.
