Onur Safak Is Redefining the Modern Mediterranean Restaurant Scene with ZOI
There are restaurateurs who open spaces, and then there are those who create worlds. Onur Safak falls into the latter category. With ZOI NoMad, the sultry Ten 11 Lounge tucked beneath it, and the refined expansion of ZOI on the Upper East Side, Safak has built something more than restaurants; he’s built an experience that feels intentional from the first cocktail to the final song.
ZOI NoMad glows. The marble bar radiates warmth, the shelves of wine feel curated rather than crowded, and the green tufted banquettes invite you to stay longer than planned. Early in the evening, the atmosphere feels intimate and composed. As the night unfolds, the energy shifts, conversations deepen, music rises slightly, and the room begins to hum with downtown electricity.
The menu mirrors that layered design philosophy. Mediterranean flavors are treated with respect but presented with polish. Pristine seafood, vibrant herbs, shareable plates that feel elevated rather than heavy. It’s the kind of food that encourages lingering, branzino prepared with restraint, bright seasonal vegetables, and cocktails that lean citrus-forward and herbaceous, balanced without being flashy.
Downstairs, Ten 11 Lounge becomes ZOI’s alter ego. The lighting softens, the mood deepens, and DJs guide the evening forward. Rather than ending the night after dinner, Safak designed continuity. Guests drift naturally from table to velvet banquette. From seafood towers to mezcal-forward cocktails. From conversation to celebration.
It feels distinctly European in philosophy; dining and nightlife woven together, not separated. That seamless transition is part of Safak’s instinctive understanding of how New York wants to move at night.
The Upper East Side location carries the same Mediterranean DNA but adapts it thoughtfully to its neighborhood. Here, power lunches ease into elegant dinners. The atmosphere remains warm and sculptural, but the tempo is steadier, more tailored. It signals something important: this isn’t a fleeting downtown moment. It’s the foundation of a growing brand.
What separates Onur Safak from the crowded hospitality landscape is his understanding that modern luxury is immersive. It’s not loud, it’s atmospheric. It’s how you feel when you walk in, how the lighting changes as the evening unfolds, and how effortlessly the night carries you forward.
In a city constantly chasing what’s next, Safak is building something more enduring. ZOI isn’t just a restaurant. It’s a lifestyle, one that moves from NoMad glamour to Upper East Side polish without losing its soul.
ZOI: https://www.instagram.com/zoi.nomad/
Images Courtesy of Zoi
Tearsheets by Daniel López, Art Director, PhotoBook Magazine
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