A South Indian kitchen shaped by family in Williamsburg

Mythily is a new South Indian restaurant in Williamsburg, and the personal thread runs right through it. Chef Rasika Venkatesa has named the 45-seat space after her grandmother, Mythily Ramachandran, whose cooking first taught her about the link between food, family and tradition. The menu draws on family recipes and regional cooking from South India, while also reflecting techniques Venkatesa developed at The French Laundry and Mourad.

The room, designed by Venkatesa and co-founder Varun Kandadi with Demir Purisic of Studio Purisic, looks to the familiarity of a South Indian village. Deep reds, greens and warm neutrals nod to soil, forests and paddy fields, while Moroccan clay plaster, sapele wood and brass lighting bring texture. There’s a semi-open kitchen in red limewash and tile beneath a green-painted ceiling, plus a nine-seat bar topped with Moulin Rouge quartzite. Artwork explores family, especially the bond between grandmothers and grandchildren.

On the menu, South Indian flavours appear in unexpected forms: green apple and fennel with rasam and stracciatella; scallop with puli inji, Concord grapes and panakam granita; and a Benne Dosa inspired by Davangere in Karnataka. Larger plates include tilefish with Nagapattinam manga curry and short rib with plums, maitake and bone marrow kozhumbu. Drinks lean low-ABV, alongside non-alcoholic serves, Brooklyn beers and European wines. One for anyone who likes a restaurant with a strong point of view as well as dinner.

Our summary of a story from We Heart, published 5 October 2026. Read the original

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