Barbounia

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

A Gramercy Institution Built on Mediterranean Roots

Restaurateurs Simon Oren and Dudi Sasson founded Barbounia with a clear sense of place and purpose. Drawing on their Israeli roots, they built a warm, vibrant space at 250 Park Avenue South where the pleasures of the Mediterranean — Greece, Southern France, Morocco, Southern Italy — converge in a single, high-ceilinged room. The Michelin Guide captured it well: "The welcome is warm, the ceilings are notably high, and the floor-to-ceiling bar is considerably stocked. The rustic, satiating fare is ideal for sharing."

The Kitchen: Market-Driven and Taboon-Fired

Executive Chef and partner Amitzur Mor arrived in New York via Tadmor Culinary School in Israel and went on to work under David Bouley, Tom Colicchio, and François Payard at houses like Bouley, Gramercy Tavern, and Payard. Most mornings he is at the local market sourcing the day's proteins and produce. That discipline shows on the plate: a rotating selection of mezze — labneh with marinated Israeli cucumbers and zaatar, hummus with baby green chickpea stew, fire-roasted eggplant with green tahini and zchug — anchors every meal alongside house-baked taboon flatbread. Signatures from the custom taboon oven include whole branzino with preserved lemon and salsa verde, and the Slow Roasted Lamb "Terracotta," a dramatic presentation under a flatbread dome with chickpeas, sumac, and pine nuts. Both the classic shakshuka and the merguez version with homemade lamb sausage have become guest favorites across lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch alike.

Executive Pastry Chef Juan C. Pardo, whose background spans Picholine and Gotham Bar & Grill, rounds out the experience with desserts built on fresh, seasonal ingredients.

The Room and the Wine List

General Manager and partner Vladimir Kolotyan, a WSET diploma holder, has shaped Barbounia's beverage program into one of the city's most carefully curated. The wine list earned a Best of Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator, a recognition that reflects the depth and range on offer alongside one of Gramercy's more serious spirits selections. Zagat described the atmosphere as "stylish and upbeat," with vaulted ceilings and a bar scene that draws a loyal crowd from the neighborhood and beyond.

The result is a Mediterranean restaurant that works equally well for a weekday lunch, a convivial family-style dinner, or a festive weekend brunch — consistent in quality, grounded in genuine hospitality.