The Best Greek restaurants in Manhattan, NY, redefine delicious Greek comfort food that "Yiayia" would be proud to put on her best festive table.

New York City's contemporary Greek restaurants have managed to combine an upscale, trendy, chic ambience with warm and friendly service and an emphasis on ingredients like olive oil, fresh veggies, herbs, olives and fish. Combine that with a solid work ethic, a genuine sense of hospitality and ingenuity in the kitchen, and Manhattan's Greek Restaurants are attracting crowds of discerning New Yorkers, tourists and respected food critics. 

Kellari Taverna - Midtown West, NY

Nicholas Poulmentis, executive chef at Kellari Taverna in Midtown Manhattan, brings a passion for cooking, a respect for Greek tradition and a creative approach to time-honored Greek recipes. Never afraid to take chances, this is one chef who just seems to "get it". When dining out, people want it to be a special occasion. Chef Nicholas and his team at Kellari Taverna provide a unique dining experience that is very upscale but with the comfort of home.

Hailing from the island of Kythria, Chef Nicholas grew up on fresh seafood. From a very young age, Nicholas knew that he wanted to cook for others and bring a smile to their faces. He learned form the best, having studied at S.T.E. Anvyssos, the leading culinary school in Greece as well as at Le Cordon Bleu in France.

At a young age, his career has already enjoyed many highlights, including the honor and privilege of preparing a meal for President Obama at the White House to celebrate Greek Independence Day.

At Kellari Taverna, fresh means making the time and distance any ingredient spends traveling from its source to your plate as short as possible. Chef Nicholas prepares traditional Greek dishes infused with his own personality and talent, and that's what makes all the difference.

At Kellari Taverna, the whole fish is grilled with lemon and olive oil. Entrees include "Solomos," char-grilled salmon over red organic beets, fingerling potatoes and saffron. Chef's Corfu shrimp is pan-seared and served over asparagus and oyster mushroom risotto. The "Kotopoulo" is juicy roasted, herbed natural chicken, accompanied with feta-infused mashed potatoes. "Horta", steamed wild greens, is kept time to tradition on your plate. The green kale side, excites your taste buds with a blend of tomatoes, feta and just a touch of garlic.

Kellari is Greek for cellar. Speaking of bountiful wine cellars, they have over 250 wines by the bottle, including the best from Greece's vineyards.

They also have some extremely intriguing special offers. When you join Kellari friends and family, you will receive a complimentary bottle of champagne every year to celebrate your birthday, anniversary or Greek Name Day. The house also offers a Prix Fixe Lunch (three courses for only $25.95) and a pre and post-theater menu, starting from $31.95.

The decor at Kellari is contemporary rustic, with warm polished wood floors. The individual tables are draped with white linen. There's even a long, communal table available should you want to dine family-style as they do in Greece. The sleek bar has empty wooden kegs or barrels overhead on a shelf. Most heartwarming of all is a sign that is placed above the bar, for all to see. The sign reads "Enter as Strangers but Leave as Friends." In a few simple words, it sums up what Kellari Taverna is all about.

Location & Hours

• Address: 19 West 44th Street, New York, N.Y. 10036
• Phone: (212) 221-0144
• Hours: Lunch: Monday to Sunday 11:30 AM-4:00 PM
• Dinner: Monday to Saturday 4:00 PM-Midnight
• Sundays 4:00 PM-11:00 PM

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Pylos Restaurant - New York

Among the ruins of ancient Greece were artifacts such as clay pots that were used in everyday life, especially in the old Hellenic kitchens. In Greek, Pylos is a word that means things of clay. Pylos, the restaurant, celebrates rustic Greek home cooking.

Proprietor Christos Valtzoglou has redefined Greek comfort food. Originally from Athens, Christos has been part of the New York restaurant scene since the seventies. Pylos is the culmination of Christos' dreams, hard work and experience. One of the most popular dishes here is the heavenly Moussaka, a delectable blend of layered eggplant, zucchini, meat, potatoes topped with bechamel sauce. It's all baked to luscious perfection in, what else... a clay pot.

Another dish that Pylos' regulars can't get enough of, is the tender grilled octopus. If you're in the mood for a meat dish, the never ever greasy baby lamb chops and lamb shank are more than satisfying.

Five-star appetizers include meatballs and grape leaves stuffed with rice, meat, herbs, raisins and pine nuts. If you are an afficianado of Greek cuisine, then you already know just how good avgolemono soup is. If not, get to know it at Pylos. Nobody does avgolemono better. It is a light egg-lemon soup with chicken stock and rice.

At Pylos, one of your dessert picks would have to be Christos Towering Galaktobourekakia. Yes, it is a mouthful but worth every bite. The only way to close out a Greek meal, Galaktobourekakia are buttery triangles of Phyllo dough filled with real custard and drizzled with cinnamon and honey imported from Greece.

The interior of Pylos is absolutely gorgeous. Clay pots adorn the ceiling, adding a rustic charm. The walls are brick interspersed with colorful blue racks holding bottles of wine. One side of the restaurant consists of a long banquet with tables and soft cushions on chairs and there is a warm yellow glow to the lighting.

Location & Hours

• Address: 128 East 7th Street, New York, N.Y. 10009
• Phone: (212) 473-0220
• Lunch: Wed-Sun 11:30 AM-4:00 PM
• Dinner: Sun-Thu 5:00 PM-Midnight
• Fri-Sat 5:00 PM-1:00 AM

Ammos Estiatorio - New York City

Just steps away from the hustle and bustle of Grand Central Station is a quiet, serene oasis of Greek food and hospitality, Ammos Estiatorio, where you can taste the sun-kissed flavors of Greece. Ammos is truly an island onto itself where life is lived to the fullest.

At Ammos, the atmosphere is so friendly and sunny, the fish so very fresh that you might just close your eyes and think that you are on the island of Santorini. After all, Ammos is Greek for sand.

The party starts with Ammos' famous Happy Hour with $6 house drinks in their beautiful bar and lounge area, from 3 PM until closing. Every Wednesday, ladies celebrate their very own Happy Hour featuring $6 martinis and delicious, refreshing champagne cocktails. On the last Friday of every month, dance to or clap along with the authentic Greek music provided by Fantasia. The bouzouki melody kicks off at 10 PM.

Aside from fun events and unbeatable relaxing ambience, owner Dimitris Nakos and executive chef Bruno Marino have got you covered when it comes to healthy, mouth-watering seafood selections and Greek classics.

Ammos specializes in giving you a wide selection of fish, flown in from around the world. Their Freska Psaria Imeras (Whole Fish) options include Dover Sole, Lavraki (a mild and moist lean fish imported from the Greek islands), Chilean sea Bass, black sea bass and the Greek delicacy, Fagri (White Snapper).

Ammos does some fantastic pasta dishes. Makaronia Tis Yiayias is Grandma's Pasta with meat sauce. Their Makaronia Thalasinon is a feast of linguine with shrimp, scallops, steamed mussels, little neck clams, fennel and ouzo broth. 

As they do in Greece, you may want to order several appetizers for the table to share with family and friends. Why decide between fresh-cut oregano fries, roasted lemon potatoes, gigantes (lima beans in dill, onions, crumbled feta, tomato sauce) or Loukaniko (grilled sausage with leek), when you can sample them all?

Ammos has a plate of dips, served with pita, that is a must! Pikilia (the dips) consists of Tzatziki, Taramasalata, Melitzanosalata and Skordalia. Pour a glass of Greek wine with that plate and you are good to go.

Ammos imports many of their ingredients, like sea salt, dried oregano, extra virgin olive oil and capers, directly from the land of Aristotle. So you know you're getting an authentic meal. And, of course, many of their veggies and fruits are local, so some of the dishes on the menu change with the season. Whenever possible, Ammos buys organic.

Location & Hours

• 52 Vanderbilt Ave., New York, N.Y. 10017
• Phone: (212) 922-999
• Monday - Friday 7:30 am - 11:30 pm
• Saturday 11:30 am - 11:30 pm
• Sunday available for private events

Nerai Restaurant - New York City

Inside an elegant townhouse, on Manhattan's chic East Side, the art of Greek cuisine is being re-invented at Nerai. Whatever your preconceived notions about Greek food are, prepare to open your mind and expand your horizons at Nerai.

Executive chef Chris Christou has been taking chances all his life and has made them pay off big time. Young, wet behind the ears and just out of culinary school, the South African born Chris found himself in London, pounding the pavement, or we should say cobblestones, while looking for work. On a whim, Chris walked into Gordon Ramsey's Savory Grill and asked for a job. Chef Ramsey was so impressed by the young man's nerve that he actually hired Chris as a sous chef.

Chris went on to rock the NYC restaurant scene, accumulating accolades at Perse, Dovetail, Aifiori and Buddakan. In 2013, owners Dinos Gourmos, Constantine Youssis and Spiro Menegatos invited the trend-setting chef Chris to join them at Nerai. Since then, Chef Chris and his team have worked hard to elevate New Yorkers perception of Greek cuisine.

One of their signature dishes is the succulent lobster orzotto. This dish is one full pound of butter poached lobster over slow simmered Orzo in a smooth as silk saffron lobster bisque. By the way, Orzo is a delicious light pasta that goes with everything from seafood to lamb and veal. Orzo is not that well-known outside of Greek households and restaurants, but it should be.  

Chef Chris' Chips Nerai is thinly sliced zucchini and eggplant in a light bread crumb coating. The veggies are fried but not at all heavy or greasy. A generous portion of tzatzki is placed on your table, for dipping.

The short rib Youvetsi is a traditional stew but on the lighter side. This dish consists of slow-braised beef, Orzo and tomato confit. They also do amazing crab cakes and branzino at Nerai. You can enjoy your meal in one of two elegantly appointed dining rooms. The White Room has 25-foot-high vaulted ceilings with white washed walls. The ceiling is draped with a billowing white canopy. The Midnight Room is lined by white-pillowed banquets, while dark wood sets a tranquil scene. Above is a bamboo ceiling. There is also a nice nautical feel to the ambience. It's all very upscale but not intimidating or stuffy.

Nerai is a restaurant that works on so many different levels: as a romantic date-night spot, for a business lunch, birthday celebration or friends getting together after work for cocktails and mezzes at the bar.

At Nerai, Chef Chris Christou is raising the bar when it comes to fine dining, one dish at a time.

 Location & Hours

• Nerai: 55 East 54th Street, New York, N.Y. 10022
• Phone: (212) 759-5554
• Hours: Lunch Monday-Friday 11:30 AM-3:30 PM
• Dinner Monday-Sat. 5 PM-10:30 PM
• Sunday 5 PM-9:30 PM 

Limani - NYC Restaurant, New York, NY

Just around the corner from Radio City Music Hall is Rockefeller Center's newest crown jewel of a Greek restaurant, Limani. Rockefeller Center is one of the most iconic and upscale neighborhoods in the world. If you make your mark here, you can make it anywhere. Rockefeller Center is New York, New York! This area is all about the finest stores and restaurants. It is the home of NBC Television and The Today Show. Not to mention the centers' world famous outdoor skating ring.

The atmosphere at Limani recalls the sun-kissed beach of Myconos and the clean blue waters of the Mediterranean.

In so many ways, dining at Limani is like taking a two-hour vacation in Greece. The incredibly delicious food, fresh fish, warm, impeccable service and ambience bring to mind a five-star seaside resort in the Greek Islands.

And, like the Greek people, Limani evokes drama. This huge, 8,000-square-foot restaurant is quite a sight to behold. White marble and curtains are everywhere. The center of the room holds a simply stunning white-onyx reflecting pool. The LED panels are programmed to subtly change the restaurant's lighting tones throughout the day. Call it mood-swing lighting; call it whatever you like, this game-changing decor scheme works.

Another fun part of the Limani experience is their open "fish market," which features the chef's daily selections. Mediterranean fish is flown in for your dining pleasure. If you love fish, there's no need to go anyplace else.

Their fish is sold at market price, by the pound and can be prepared to your taste in a sea salt crust, oven baked, or grilled. This is the Mediterranean diet, healthy eating at its best. At this fish market you may select Fagri, Dorado, Turbot, Sole, Sfryrida, Pompano, Black Sea Bass or Red Snapper. Limani's chef does a very inventive take on that Italian standby, calamari. The stuffed calamari is grilled and then filled with feta, manouri and kefalogravera cheeses. Limani's scallops are served grilled on a skewer, with bell peppers and vidalia onions.

The raw bar includes Little Neck clams, oysters, Grey Mullet Roe along with organic salmon and lavraki, infused with lime and fresh herbs (Mediterranean ceviche). Limanis' kitchen prepares shrimp in several tasty styles. But do treat yourself to their shrimp sagannaki, which is sauteed jumbo shrimp in a light tomato and feta sauce, served with couscous.

The kitchen also makes meat-lovers feel right at home. Let your dining companions enjoy their fish while you go for the 10-oz. tenderloin filet mignon, the Cowboy (a 30-day dry-aged 26-oz. bone-in rib eye), or the 16-oz. milk-fed organic veal chop.

 
At Limani the sides are well worth your attention. The Horta is almost like a warm salad, with a colorful mix of red, white and gold Swiss chard, escarole, spinach and of course dandelions. The potato side consists of Yukon Gold potatoes tossed with shallots, oregano, olive oil and lemon. New-Age lemon potatoes, anyone? The restaurant offers a $24.95 Prix-fixe Lunch, which gives you three-courses of delicious Greek culinary decadence.

Limani also has a very special Pre-and-Post theater menu, served daily. For the very comfortable price of $46.50, you get four wonderful courses. Some of the choice selections from Limani’s regular menu are included in this pre fixe offering. Dishes include grilled octopus, Scottish salmon, grilled fresh-cut lamb chops, Loup de Mer (Sea Bass) and deserts like Baklava or Karidopita, served with honey lavender ice cream!

This beautiful tribute to the art of Greek cooking and hospitality seats 200 people. Yes, that’s a lot of room, but, the buzz centered around Executive chef M.J. Alam’s menu is making tables hard to find, so call ahead for reservations.

For years, the Limani family has catered to discerning Roslyn, Long Island, residents with the best seafood restaurant on the Island. And now, in 2015, all of the wonderful food and service that the Limani name is famous for is available to you at their Rockefeller Center location.

Location & Hours

• Limani: 45 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, N.Y. 10111
• Phone: (212) 858-9200
• Hours: Sunday-Wednesday 12 PM-3 PM & 5 PM-10 PM
• Thursday-Friday 12 PM-3 PM & 5 PM-11 PM 
• Saturday 5 PM-12 AM