BROOKLYN – After more than a year in the making, the new Latin-Greek fusion restaurant Naxos Brooklyn, has officially opened its doors in Williamsburg.
Williamsburg, at 470 Driggs Avenue, is where you’ll find the brand-new restaurant which opened its doors on November 13, and consists of natural tones, dimmed lighting and Cycladic architecture.
Imagine five owners, all Dominican and Columbian, but there’s one thing they all have in common – their love for Greek cuisine, which drove them to find a way to blend it with their Latin American roots.
They decided to open Naxos Brooklyn on November 13.
In an interview with The National Herald, two of the restaurant’s partners, Katherin Rozo and Mike Cruz, revealed how the business idea came about and why they decided to merge the two cultures and cuisines.
“Naxos was born from a desire to match two different cultures, which is where we come from – South America, and of course, the elegance of the Greek culture,” Rozo told TNH.
“We wanted to build a place where people don’t just come in, to eat and drink, but they truly feel transported.”
“Our concept is inspired by Mediterranean culture. Our team is multicultural, but we focus on authenticity through culinary talent and design, not personal heritage, obviously, but I think we made some very great decisions from choosing our Executive Chef, our bartenders, cocktail programs, everything,” Cruz explained.
Despite not having a Greek business owner, Rozo and Cruz shared how their executive chef, Panayiotis Dalitsouris, who comes from Paleopanagia and Sparti in Laconia, brings 29 years of experience and talent to their kitchen, who worked closely with them to curate the restaurant’s menu.
The Menu
Rozo explained how when creating the menu and the unique offerings for the restaurant, she, and her business partners “wanted to create a menu that, of course, honors the tradition of Greek flavors and Latin ingredients, because it’s a fusion.”
“We have a lot of fish; we have a lot of meat as well. One of the best dishes that we have is the ‘Stifado’, which is basically short ribs with mole cipollini estofado, risotto, beans, and asparagus. “The mole cipollini is a sauce that contains a combination of around 100 ingredients, and it’s mainly from Mexico,” she explained.
“We also have the ‘Arni’, which is braised Colorado lamb shank, which has ancho chiles, cumin, garlic, baby carrot and evoo mangu. The ancho chiles is another traditional South American ingredient we use.”
Rozo added: “We have a few dishes that we kind of combine to fuse between both cultures.”
The Drinks
In addition to delicious food that blends the two different cultures, Naxos Brooklyn is also known for its carefully curated cocktail menu.
Rozo explained how the cocktail menu follows the same philosophy as their food.
“It’s very refined, it’s crafted with intention, and every drink has a story behind it,” she said.
You can find cocktails like the NYX Espresso Martini, which contains Herradura Reposado, Mastiha Liqueur, fresh espresso, agave syrup, and chocolate bitters, the Theseus Escape, which consists of white & dark rum El Dorado, fresh pineapple & lime juice, simple syrup, coconut yogurt, ouzo, and a pinch of salt, and also Eros’ Dart, which is a cocktail with Astral Blanco, Naranja Liqueur, passion fruit puree, lime juice and agave Aleppo-chili syrup.
Why the Greek-influence?
When asked why they wanted to focus on the Greek cuisine, Roza said;
“We wanted to combine the two cultures – the warmth of Latin hospitality, and the elegance and soul of Greek cuisine,” she said.
“Both regions are built on bold flavors and communal dining. They’re both vibrant cultures, so it’s like, why not – why not try to connect those traditions,” Cruz added.
The pair added how their influence also stemmed from more than 40 years of combined experience in the hospitality industry across all their partners, and how they all knew the industry and understood how important it is for guests to feel seen, celebrated, and taken care of.
“Honestly, we just feed off each other and our experiences together, and every time we go out, we try something and we’re like ‘oh my God – this amazing, I want to bring this to our neighborhood.”
The name Naxos.
As a Latin-Greek fusion restaurant, it’s no surprise the owners chose a name that stands out, and hints at the cuisine you can expect to find. When asked why the team behind the restaurant chose Naxos, Roza said;
“We know that Naxos is the most iconic island in Greece. Of course, it’s known for its beauty, it’s natural abundance and connections.” Naxos sounds like ‘Nexus’ which means connection, “so it’s the connection of two cultures,” Cruz expressed.
She says it’s about “when once you step into Naxos. The restaurant kind of represents that feeling, when everything shifts – the energy, the mood, the attitude, and we wanted the restaurant to embody that effort, effortlessly,” Roza added.
“We’ve been getting that feedback from many customers that have been to Naxos island, and they’re like, I just feel like you guys transported me back to that happy place, so we’re kind of happy that we achieved that — that’s what we wanted.”
Being open, finally.
The National Herald additionally asked Mike Cruz how he felt to finally open the restaurant, after a long time in the works.
“Honestly, I feel nervous and anxious, and happy and excited, like all at the same time. It’s really confusing right now,” Cruz expressed.
“It’s been in the works for about a year and a half, and now our goal is natural, organic growth – where locals come in pretty much every day, and it’s kind of like their go-to spot. If we can become that place and give people a place to come every single night, with quality products that’s really all we’re looking for.”
Where to find Naxos Brooklyn
Naxos Brooklyn is open Tuesday to Sunday, from 5 PM to 12 AM. To find out more, visit https://naxosbk.com.
