Nōema, Mykonos’ contemporary Greek restaurant opens for the new season on Friday, 19 May with new star dishes for 2023 and a fresh menu that’s mostly based on zero-waste. Hidden in the historic lanes of Mykonos town, Nōema is an ode to the culinary heritage of this storied Greek island. Formerly an open-air cinema, Nōema is a hybrid space that shape-shifts as the night unfolds: as in a typical Cycladic home, social life is centred around the Avli, a hidden courtyard with loosely defined areas for dining, drinking, and dancing. Nōema also offers a private dining space; a feature that’s unique to the island.
In Nōema’s open kitchen, Culinary Director Athinagoras Kostakos pioneers a new Cycladic cuisine, rooted in simplicity, seasonality, and community. Athinagoras has blazed a trail for modern Greek food and has a unique cooking style which uses depth of flavour to surprise guests.
The menu shines a spotlight on both land and sea, with ingredients cured, fermented, sun-dried and flame-grilled using time-honoured traditions, but composed in unexpected ways that yield surprising depths of flavour. The menu is also based on zero waste, with dishes such as the Calamarata Mavro made using leftovers from the Cycladic Squid, Smoked Taramas incorporating sourdough bread from the previous day and Greek Carob Tiramisu comprised of leftovers from the coffee used at Nōema. There’s even a selection of delicious zero waste cocktails, including the Kyano & Gaia cocktail using leftover beetroot, the Filoxenia cocktail using leftover peppers from the kitchen and the Forager non-alcoholic cocktail, with surplus herbs.
All dishes are designed for sharing with new dishes for 2023 including Aioli Bakaliaros served with crisped lagana bread, Slow-roast Dolmades with beef and rice, served with dill-infused Greek yogurt and Caramela made with baked cream delicately infused with lemon and star anise. Dishes are cooked over an open fire and served at the table, taverna-style.
This experimental attitude carries through to the outdoor bar, where organic elixirs and cocktails are infused with foraged herbs and Greek spirits such as tsipouro, kitro, and prickly pear liqueur. Sip on an exotic Prometheus cocktail – a blend of mezcal and pineapple juice cooked with celery, oxymel, cardamon and lemon peel or a warm Likofos cocktail that combines a variety of rums, Greek brandy and local botanical liquer slow cooked with tropical fruit, aromatic bitters and spices. Nōema’s extensive wine list incorporates the finest wine from both global and local regions, including Bordeaux, Burgundy and indigenous grapes of Greece.
Drinks are accompanied by exclusive DJ sets and laid-back, relaxed acoustic sessions and collaborations. This year guests will also be able to experience the ‘Nōema band’ – exclusive to the restaurant, who will perform live, as well as renowned DJs and bands throughout the season from the opening weekend. After midnight, spontaneous celebrations move into the Salon, an indoor space with a bar ideal for intimate gatherings. The Patio is a quiet refuge for striking up conversations and discovering new inspirations in an enclosed outdoor space – the perfect location to host an event in a contemporary, fresh, Mykonian paradise.
Launched in May 2021 and owned by British restaurateur Richard Caring, Nōema creates an authentic gathering place that reflects the generous, carefree spirit of the Cyclades. An unpretentious setting where evenings evolve in true Mykonos style — easy-going, spirited and unscripted.
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