There’s nothing not to like about Greek food, which is the 10,000 square foot bet that the team from Kyma just made in Soho. This is more of a calculated bet though, as they certainly have the pedigree to make it work. Co-founder Reno Christou’s resume spans Milos, Avra, Periyali, and Limani. He’s teamed up with and James Ragonese of LDV Hospitality, who knows a thing or two about scene. So straight off the bat, the right people are in this conversation. From the first look at Selene, the crowd that packs the house every night agrees. This is our take on whether Selene deserves a spot as a top Greek restaurant in NYC.

Atmosphere

This is where Selene earns 75% of the points it’s going to get in my book. The restaurant spans nearly 10,000 square feet which unfolds through multiple dining rooms, a garden terrace and a retractable-roof atrium. Its name, Selene, is a nod to the Greek goddess of the moon and ties into this open air view of the sky above.

The design by Kondylis NYC Design House speaks a more elegant feminine versus the traditional white-washed Greek taverna. Throughout, there’s a terra-cotta and peach/pinkish hue theme, draped ivory linen ceilings, travertine stone, and Cycladic-inspired arches. While I found the ground floor a little strange with the private dining room, the main floor is a beautiful vibe. The room is full with the familiar type of Kyma crowd, for which Selene in Soho has become a destination.

Food + Beverage

The menu, helmed by Chef Christos Bisiotis, is built around the right philosophy of traditional, fresh, Greek food. There’s the requisite simply prepared whole fish with lemon and olive oil, charcoal-grilled octopus, chilled crudos and my favorite, the signature fried zucchini. You can tell there’s a lot of care and thought put into the elevated Greek classics on the menu. With that said, it wasn’t ground-breaking, nor do I think it was meant to be a new take on Greek cuisine. Instead, it seems like they wanted to achieve a higher-end Kyma, more in the tier of Milos or Avra Uptown.

So, the question is: does Selene achieve the goal?  I’ll say that while the food was nice, it wasn’t at the level of Milos or Avra Uptown. It is much cooler though, by virtue of its Soho location, so maybe the food doesn’t need to be at that tier. If I’m also being really honest, I didn’t feel like they were doing anything above the level of Kyma. I like Kyma, but if I really want to eat Greek, it’s not where I would choose to go for food. Instead, I would go for more of the scene, so the culinary experience at Selene is consistent with its sister restaurant.

The nutshell is this: I think they shine the most with appetizers. This is the kind of place you could go with friends and order all the crudos, a seafood tower, saganaki, and the Greek chips and call it a night.

Service

Service is the other aspect of Selene that works in its favor. There is a bouncer outside, but what there isn’t is any of that early aughts bad attitude. He’s more there to keep order than to size you up. In general, what’s in its place across the board is a team that knows that service is the foundation. The staff is warm, the welcome is genuine, and the room has the energy of a team that believes in what it’s doing. But that isn’t to say that there aren’t bumps. On a full night, the pacing can be inconsistent on the food and at times, you are sitting with empty drinks. The knowledge of the menu, particularly the wine list, is inconsistent from server to server. I wouldn’t characterize the team as career servers, but then again, Selene isn’t that kind of place. Overall, service is strong and intentions are good.

Overall: 7.5/10

I would come here more for the energy of the room and a younger scene than Milos or Avra.

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FAQs

Q: Where is Selene NYC located?

A: Selene by Kyma is located at 23 Grand Street, New York, NY 10013, in SoHo, within the ModernHaus SoHo Hotel.

Q: What kind of food does Selene NYC serve?

A: Selene serves contemporary coastal Greek cuisine centered on pristine seafood, whole grilled fish, charcoal-kissed octopus, handmade coastal pastas, crudos, lamb chops, and seasonal Mediterranean vegetables — ingredient-driven cooking shaped by sea, land, and flame.

Q: What makes Selene different from other Greek restaurants in New York?

A: The scale and design are unlike anything the city’s Greek dining scene has produced — 10,000 square feet across three floors with a retractable roof atrium, interiors entirely custom-made in Greece, and an evolving soundscape that shifts the room’s energy as the night progresses. The culinary team has serious pedigree, and the menu has a clear coastal Greek identity that doesn’t rely on cliché. The kitchen is still finding its consistency at volume, but the foundation is strong enough that Selene is already one of the most interesting new rooms in New York.