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. Co-founder Reno Christou resume spans Milos, Avra, Periyali, and Limani. He’s teamed up with and James Ragonese of LDV Hospitality, who knows a thing about scene. So right 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, so it is a nice touch they integrated the name with the restaurant design.
The design, by Kondylis NYC Design House, speaks a more feminine design. Throughout, there’s a terra-cotta and peach/pinkish Hugh, 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 vibe. The room is full with a Kyma-consisent crowd, for which Selene is a destination.
Food + Beverage
The menu, helmed by Chef Christos Bisiotis, is built around the right philosophy of traditional Greek food. There’s whole grilled fish finished with lemon and oil, charcoal-grilled octopus, chilled crudos and my favorite, the signature fried zucchini. You can tell there’s a lot of care put into the elevated Greek classics. In my opinion, 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.
However 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 the Milos level. I also 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.
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. 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. That isn’t to say though 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 though 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.
