When Atomix opened in 2018, it was at the forefront of Korean fine dining in New York. Seven years later, it still holds remarkably strong. The two-Michelin-starred restaurant — named the best restaurant in North America by 50 Best — comes from Ellia and Junghyun “JP” Park, who also own Atoboy, Naro, and Seoul Salon.
The sleek restaurant is in an unlikely location: It occupies a portion of the ground floor and basement of a residential brownstone in Murray Hill. Even sleeker than the space is the food: Chef Park is serving a 10-course menu that’s personal, refined, and beautiful.
What to order
- Atomix has two dining options: the bar upstairs and the chef’s counter downstairs. Opt for the chef’s counter if you can snag one of the 28 nightly seats.
- The tasting menu ($450 in December, $385 other months) is based on seasonality, but on my recent visit, standout dishes included a fried abalone dish inspired by a Korean Chinese dish called tangsuyuk and local monkfish liver with squid and tangerine.
- I’m rarely blown away by dessert, but both sweet courses — a passionfruit ice with white lotus tea jelly and tapioca pudding, and a rice ice cream, soybean mousse, and honeycomb dish — were memorable and light.
The service
Atomix’s food is sophisticated and exciting, but the service is the best I’ve experienced in NYC. It’s attentive while not feeling stuffy — I had conversations ranging from Nathan Fielder to the best pizza in Jersey City. It’s no wonder they received the James Beard Award for Outstanding Hospitality this year.
Insider tip
At $110, the nonalcoholic and low-ABV beverage options are delightful. It includes teas, fermented drinks, and nonalcoholic wines.
