NEW YORK – In a small, well-stocked cellar on Manhattan’s Seventh Avenue, just a few blocks south of Central Park, beneath the sprawling, business-cozy Greek restaurant Molyvos, lies one of the greatest compilations of modern Greek wine.
The restaurant’s general manager, Kamal Kouiri, gathered and watches over each bottle, all of them available to be poured for diners. “New Yorkers like to taste something different and unique,” Kouiri says of his list, which transforms his restaurant into a stateside tour of Greece and its wines.
The backbone of Molyvos’ kitchen, Executive Chef Carlos Carreto has been with Molyvos since the beginning, joining the team in 1997. Proudly upholding the integrity of authentic Greek cooking techniques and flavors, Chef Carlos learned the art of Greek cuisine in-house from Founding Chef Jim Botsacos, according to Molyvo’s website.
Rising through the ranks, Chef Carlos worked side-by-side Chef Jim until he was hand-selected to succeed him to helm the restaurant. Now, Chef Carlos adds his own inflection to our traditional dishes as he executes the daily menus and develops new recipes.
ABOUT
Inspired by the traditions and heritage of the Greek islands and mainland, Molyvos has been one of New York’s most beloved Greek restaurants since its opening in 1997. Named after the seaside village on the Greek island of Lesvos where the Livanos family roots originate, Molyvos is known throughout Manhattan for its rustic Greek country cooking.
Executive Chef Carlos Carreto takes diners on a Grecian culinary journey through a variety of mezedes and appetizers, as well as hyper-local specialty Greek cheese and honey, fresh fish, wild greens and savory pies – all accompanied by the largest all-Greek wine list in the U.S.
Molyvos is proud to have won numerous awards, including Wine Enthusiast’s “100 Best Wine Restaurants” in 2015 and 2016 as well as making their “Five Best Wine Bars in New York City.”
Celebrating the lifestyle and food that represents the delicious, healthful way that people in Greece eat, Molyvos’ main goal is to bring filoxenia – the Greek style of hospitality – to the heart of New York City. The warm, friendly service makes guests feel as if they’re in a Greek home, and the food forms a paean to the variety and seasonality inherent in Greek cuisine.
Nestled in Manhattan’s Midtown West neighborhood, just a block away from Carnegie Hall, Molyvos was a pioneer when it first opened, bringing rustic Greek cuisine to a new level of elegance and sophistication amid décor inspired by Greece’s romantic seaside villages. It has held fast to that vision for nearly two decades, serving innovative but authentic Greek fare that continues to evolve today.
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