Opening at The William Vale from the team behind 12 Chairs Café, LIBA is centered around an open kitchen that brings guests into the action, anchored by an 800-degree brick oven and an in-house dry-aging program. The ingredient-driven menu draws on contemporary Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cooking, with nearly everything made from scratch in-house — from breads and sauces to pickles and desserts.
LIBA also introduces the group’s vision of “New Kosher” — an approach where sourcing, technique and ingredients lead the experience, while kosher traditions provide the framework.
For more than two decades, 12 Chairs Café has been one of New York’s beloved neighborhood restaurants. At LIBA, Culinary Director Chef Maayan Glass, who has spent more than a decade shaping the culinary direction of 12 Chairs Group, steps into his most ambitious chapter yet.
Named after the Hebrew word for “core,” LIBA is rooted in the idea that so many of our most lasting memories begin around the table. The menu draws from family recipes, traditions, Shabbats and shared meals, as well as Glass’ own experiences and Mediterranean and Middle Eastern roots, interpreted through classical French technique and a deep focus on exceptional ingredients.
Highlights from the menu include:
Highlights from the menu include:
- Brick Oven Bread – baked in the restaurant’s signature 800-degree brick oven and served with LIBA’s olive oil “butter,” Egyptian dukkah and grilled peppers, introducing guests to the ingredient-first philosophy that defines the restaurant.
- Tartlet de Tunis – a single-bite layering bluefin tuna tartare with house-made harissa, preserved lemon and dehydrated Tassos olives inside crisp phyllo.
- Steak Tartare Sando – Chef Glass’ Mediterranean take on the Japanese wagyu sando, pairing hand-cut beef tartare with toasted challah, mustard aioli, capers, horseradish and sweet pickled mustard seeds.
- Steak Frites – showcasing the restaurant’s in-house dry-aging program with a center-cut ribeye, tempura onion rings, Persian lemon and a peppercorn wine sauce.
- Kebab Napoleon – the restaurant’s signature dish, layering traditional kebab with lamb fat and beef chuck before grilling it on a hot steel skewer, de-skewered tableside and served over tahini with lemony bitter greens.
The beverage program follows the same philosophy, with cocktails like the Green Tomato Martini, finished with green tomato brine and za’atar olive oil, and the Carrot Sour, blending rye whiskey, fresh carrot and smoked paprika.
Let me know your thoughts on the opening – Menus here and photos here. (Photo credit: Nick Johnson)
