Ilili NYC

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

Bold Lebanese Flavors at the Heart of New York City

Ilili has built a distinct presence in New York City by centering Mediterranean cuisine — specifically the bold, generous traditions of Lebanese cooking — within warm, elegantly designed spaces that feel genuinely hospitable rather than performative. With locations in NoMad and Midtown, the restaurant has earned recognition from Wine Spectator, which granted ilili its Best of Award of Excellence in 2025, a mark of the seriousness with which the kitchen and front-of-house approach the full dining experience.

A Space Designed for Gathering

The philosophy at ilili is rooted in sharing — shareable dishes, communal energy, and a setting calibrated to bring people together. The main dining room at the NoMad location anchors the experience, but the restaurant's architecture goes well beyond a single room. Four distinctive private dining spaces sit alongside the main floor, accommodating everything from an intimate chef's table dinner for ten to a full restaurant buyout for up to 240 seated guests.

Each space has its own character. The Mirrored Room, just off the main dining area, lets guests enjoy the restaurant's energy while still holding a conversation. The upstairs Tented Room offers banquette seating on three sides and a striking overhead view of the bar and lounge below — suited equally to a birthday dinner or a boardroom gathering. The Bar Room, with its rich woodwork and full bar, works for cocktail receptions, buffet dinners, or seated meals of up to 40. For larger occasions — weddings, galas, holiday parties, or even film shoots — a full buyout of both floors is available.

Mediterranean Hospitality at Scale

What distinguishes ilili's approach to events is the same thing that defines its everyday dining: attentive service wrapped around food that is meant to be passed around a table. The Mediterranean cuisine here draws on Lebanese traditions of abundance and conviviality, and that sensibility carries through whether you're booking a table for eight or planning a reception for hundreds. The kitchen's commitment to bold, refined flavors, recognized by Wine Spectator's wine program accolade, extends naturally into the private dining context, where menus are built around the same generous spirit.

For groups of 14 or fewer not requiring a private room, large-group reservations are handled separately, keeping the experience tailored regardless of party size.