Dagon

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

From Somewhere in the Mediterranean

The name Dagon reaches back to Phoenician and Philistine mythology — the god of agriculture and earth — and the restaurant's founding story is equally evocative. Restaurateur Simon Oren and partner David Sasson drew their inspiration from MV Peace, a former Dutch cargo vessel that broadcast as an offshore radio station from the Middle East for two decades. Its motto, "from somewhere in the Mediterranean, we are the Voice of Peace," became the spirit of the room. Both men grew up listening to those broadcasts, and they wanted to carry that 1970s warmth and optimism to Broadway and 91st Street on the Upper West Side of Manhattan.

The dining room reflects that intention: vintage wallpapers, light wood tables and chairs, banquettes upholstered in ivory and chocolate — what the team describes as la dolce vita, Tel Aviv style.

The Kitchen

Executive Chef Ari Bokovza is both partner and the creative engine behind the menu. He grew up in Israel, where his Tunisian grandmother introduced him to new foods and exotic spices — a relationship that shaped everything that followed. He trained at Michelin-starred El Racó d'en Freixa in Barcelona before moving to New York, where he worked at Union Square Cafe, Picholine, The Standard Grill, and The Modern, earning three New York Times stars during his tenure there as chef de cuisine.

At Dagon, Bokovza channels that background into a Mediterranean menu rooted in the Levant. Highlights include Shishbarak — Lebanese mushroom-filled dumplings with warm yogurt, pine nuts, and spicy herb sauce — alongside Harissa BBQ Chicken, Whole Roasted Branzino over charcoal with preserved lemon butter and celery root, and the Sasso Chicken Liver with mustard seeds, date syrup, crispy shallot, and baharat. The lunch and brunch menus extend the range further, with dishes like Agu's Tunisian Cigar (ground lamb, potato, dill, amba), a Levantine "Caesar" built on tahini and anchovy tempura, and a Brisket/Short Rib Burger with harissa ketchup and Israeli pickled cucumbers.

The Drinks

Beverage Director Aviram Turgeman — who has held his WSET Diploma since 2009 and has been a member of the American Sommelier Association since 2003 — oversees a cocktail list that leans on Mediterranean fruit, herbs, and spices, alongside a wine list that earned Dagon a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence. The selection includes a range of kosher wines, a thoughtful touch given the restaurant's Israeli roots.

The NY Post named Dagon the best new NYC restaurant of the pandemic — a verdict that the Wine Spectator recognition and a steady following on the Upper West Side have done nothing to contradict.