#InauguralReview #Leons by #Owners #NatalieJohnson and #NickAnderer also #ExecutiveChef #Italian #Egyptian #817Broadway at 12th Street #GreenwichVillage #Manhattan
Owner and Executive Chef Nick Anderer showcases the Italian Branzino
Everyone we tell you about is the best of the best, but there are some that are just a little bit better, like Nick Anderer! Way back in 2012 when he was a partner in Maialino, Nick worked with us and it has been far too long. Today, drumroll please, we'd like to introduce you to his newest restaurant baby (and there is an older restaurant sibling, stay tuned): Leon's!
From the moment we walked in, gracious hospitality was effervescent and Rosemary Focaccia welcomed us beautifully to the venue named after owner Natalie Johnson's great-grandfather Leon; Leon was born in Alexandria, Egypt and raised in Naples in Southern Italy. This concept is unique and intoxicatingly delicious; you will be amazed for days after dining at how such a singular sensation of Italian Egyptian combination has escaped everyone else in the world and be even more bowled over by exactly how they did it, particularly with the Brick Chicken Baharat. But let's not get ahead of ourselves.
Leon's opened in November 2024 at 817 Broadway at 12th Street in Greenwich Village, and we regret not going first two years ago. You'll discover 120 indoor seats and 24 outdoor seats, seasonally.
From every angle, the Frico Friulano with Garlic Chives are gorgeous, and the fragrant herbaceous Aperitivi is the last word in a literal warm welcome that hits the spot. The flavor combination is victorious and this is a must to start with any time of the year. Carpaccio di Funghi Trifolati, below, is skillfully sliced and a total bastion of sophisticated deliciousness and just smashing on a hot day to elevate your palate. Also as you see, it is artfully arranged.
Arugula San Marco is perfectly punctuated with stone fruit: namely, red plums and is lightly dressed with a perfect composition in both quality and proportion to each other of lemon juice, olive oil and aged balsamic. If you have read our other 31,000 posts, you know we nearly never want anyone to dress our salads because we want to taste the salad and not the dressing, however, in this case, we trust Nick to do it right and he did. It is more than okay to order this salad dressed.
There are six pasta selections on the current menu found under Primi, of course.
40% of the menu is signature and unchanged during the year, while the other 60% fluctuates seasonally. Leon's is the height of competitiveness in seasonal menus, changing it MONTHLY, as in twelve times a year! Can you hear Peachy applauding?! They are clearly in it to win it and are an obvious choice for the discriminating diner who is the last word in Manhattan sophistication who is easily bored by lesser places. Leon's is simply the least boring and most delicious place you haven't been to yet.
First, meet Spaghetti alla Nerano, above, inspired by the Amalfi coast. It's ideally al dente and if you don't eat meat or fish, this has your name all over it. Zucchini caramelized is the superstar here and it's a garden of glory.
If you are an avid reader, you know there is a Peachy's Pick that has clam in the name that has a commanding presence for this next dish in Manhattan history.
Leon's Linguine alle Vongole bianco is the most competitive we have seen anywhere next to this, and note you can also have it macchiato if your little heart so desires. This clam concoction is simply extraordinary from the sublime flavor to the clams themselves.
Note if you are new to us, you should know we never edit pictures.
You excel like Natalie and Nick, or we do not publish.
There's no need for filtering photos when you are as talented as Nick is, anyway!
The final pasta firework of our inaugural visit to Leon's was the Bucatini all'Amatriciana Estiva, which means summery fresh cherry tomato sauce! Guanciale joins the party upping the flavor for the carnivorous among us and the Shatta says enchante to your palate! It's an Egyptian style chili paste made on premises that you must add to your dining repertoire. Finally, Pecorino seals in the pasta perfection.
Branzino is offered in an Italian or Egyptian style, half or whole.
We had whole Italian: olive oil roasted with potatoes, delivered every day from the Mediterranean Sea. The freshness was brilliant and every bite was pure luxury. Usually it is joined by an arugula salad, however since Peachy already had one, Nick created a bespoke wild mustard and green mix with heirloom cherry tomatoes of both red and green, halved. If Peachy counted the best salads she had anywhere this season on one hand, this would be one finger.
Everyone knows we are not a one-trick pony and do not write on one discipline: we write on the concept of excellence. We also happen to write on sports and fashion and New York Yankees: do not let Nick's fashion sense escape you and you know where to go for dinner next.
Contorni, the side section, has five choices and the Market Greens Strascinati captured our attention.
You will not find all the usual suspects here: you find nuances you will be excited about.
When you discover their innate deliciousness, you will know that this is not a venue that is all hype and trend with no substance but rather a creative, proven, remarkable homage to real quality. Summer Cabbage captures this idea and it's the most elevated standalone vegetable you'll find in New York this season. We don't think we've been this excited about cabbage ever without Corned Beef, and never before in the summer.
We bet you've never had Brick Chicken Baharat before; we certainly hadn't.
You need to: it is the superstar here, tantalizing our tastebuds and the chicken is sourced from Snowdance Farm.
Dull, tedious, and monotonous chickens from many other venues look upon this gem with great envy, hoping one day they will be such a singular sensation.
A charred half heritage bird with tahina and shatta (sauce) is ready to light up your life if you just go to Leon's and order it. Its moistness is notable; it's marinated overnight in yogurt and a bespoke spice blend that yields tremendous flavor: paprika is dominant while allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg and clove in perfect proportion sing backup as backbone flavors. The result is pure genius and you have to have it.
You have to.
All the old paintings on the tombs
They do the sand dance don't you know?
...Foreign types with the hookah pipes say
Way-oh way-oh way-oh way-oh
Eat like an Italian Egyptian
(We're singing to you from our keyboard, especially you Susanna Hoffs who is nearly at the Carlyle.)
At Leon's!
We can't wait to see what Leon's does next as we are immensely impressed.
A final firework by Leon's wife, Natalie's great-grandmother: Grand-Mere Lucie's Tarte au Citron!
Lucie was born in Alexandria and her primary language is French.
Shortbread crust, lemon curd and toasted meringue seal the deal.
Their website tells us:
Our Story
Leon’s is a neighborhood Italian restaurant with French and Egyptian accents from Natalie Johnson and Nick Anderer (also of Anton’s in the West Village). The restaurant is inspired by Natalie’s heritage (named after her great grandfather, Leon Hakim) and the couple's travels together across the Mediterranean.
Leon’s spotlights Anderer’s deep passion for Italian cuisine, as well as his thoughtful interpretations of treasured Hakim family recipes and culinary traditions passed down by way of Egypt and France. The restaurant’s beverage program, helmed by Johnson, complements and enhances the culinary offerings, highlighting winemakers, brewers, and distillers the couple and their team admire. The restaurant’s lovely, transporting design evokes the quiet, weathered beauty of an Italian seaside town, celebrates natural light, and preserves key architectural details of our building (circa 1895). The duo spent years hand-selecting the furniture, fixtures, and art that adorn the space; a dining room awash in custom plaster walls inspired by a winemaker visit in Abruzzo (designed in collaboration with Fresco Decorative Arts), sculptural lights from Vincenzo Oste at Atelier Ines in Naples, and a striking oil painting from the talented French artist Roman Cochet.
We hope to welcome you soon!
Natalie & Nick
About Natalie & Nick
Nick Anderer (Executive Chef) and Natalie Johnson (Beverage Director) are husband-and-wife co-owners of Leon's and Anton's. In the spirit of its sibling Anton’s, Leon’s hopes to become a convivial gathering place for locals and visitors alike, open from early morning until late in the evening (serving continuously from breakfast through dinner). Leon’s arrival in November 2024 coincides with the fifth anniversary of Anton's opening (November 11, 2019).
The pair met while working together at Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group, Nick as Executive Chef and Managing Partner at both Maialino and Marta, and Natalie as a Sommelier. A native New Yorker, Nick began his culinary career working at The Water Club and Babbo, before spending a year cooking in Rome and Milan. From there, Nick joined the kitchen team of Gramercy Tavern where he served as Sous Chef to Tom Colicchio, and later Executive Sous Chef to Mike Anthony. Overall, Nick spent 15 notable years in leadership across Union Square Hospitality Group restaurants - Gramercy Tavern, Maialino, and Marta.
It was during his time at Gramercy Tavern that Nick’s deep appreciation for seasonal vegetables, and the farmers that grow them, took shape. From there, he went on to open two flagship Italian restaurants - Maialino (2009) and Marta (2014) - serving as Executive Chef and Managing Partner for both. Both restaurants separately garnered widespread praise, and each earned Two Stars from the New York Times under his leadership. In addition to numerous media accolades, Chef Nick is a two-time James Beard “Best Chef, New York City” semifinalist (2014, 2015), and has appeared as a guest chef and guest judge on various food television shows.
Natalie believes wine service should be accessible, relatable, and fun. At Leon's and Anton's, she facilitates tasting and discovery through meticulously-developed, incredibly-deep bottle lists and a truly inspired, generous by-the-glass program. Natalie oversees two distinct, thoughtfully-conceived cocktail programs that range in style from light, aromatic aperitivi, to spirit-forward riffs on classics, and a selection of playful shaken treats.
Natalie initially moved to NYC to pursue her love of restaurants as a line cook at Jim Lahey’s Co. in Chelsea. Prior to opening Anton’s, Natalie served as the Beverage Director of Loring Place, a beloved Greenwich Village restaurant from Chef Dan Kluger. Natalie created the opening wine list and later managed the entire Beverage operation for the restaurant, including the full Wine and Cocktail program. Natalie previously worked in the Front-of-House teams in several acclaimed restaurants with celebrated wine programs across the country, including Frasca (Boulder, CO), Sorella (NYC), Otto (NYC), and Marta (NYC). In 2019, Natalie was recognized as a “Rising Star Sommelier” by Star Chefs.
Natalie, Nick, and their young sons Raphael and Romeo live in the East Village, not far from where Nick grew up.
