Design At Zaytinya New York Located at The Ritz-Carlton

July 20, 2023

Renovating a restaurant has always been one of my design dreams. Whether it’s a charming cafe in Los Angeles or a hidden gem in Paris, the allure of beautifully decorated dining spaces never fails to strike inspiration. So when I recently stepped foot into Zaytinya New York at The Ritz-Carlton, my dream found its spark again.

Back in June, I met up with my Director of Social Media, Jordyn. She lives in New Jersey so we decided to meet up in New York City while I was staying with my dear friend AM. I told her to pick a restaurant and she didn’t disappoint me with her choice. Zaytinya New York, the exquisitely designed restaurant opened in 2022 by visionary chef José Andrés at The Ritz-Carlton New York. Keep reading to learn about my dining experience.

Bar area photographed by Colette Shelton

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.

Anthropologie Cloche | Casablanca Set Coupe | Williams Sonoma Bubble Glasses

Silver Flatware | Waterfall Wine Glasses | Portuguese Dinner Plate

Small Handcrafted Serving Board | Williams Sonoma Vancouver Bowl | Denim Linen Napkin

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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.

A preview of the lunch menu.

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.

Here’s a look at what we ordered! Photography by Colette Shelton

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.