Though Molyvos on W 43rd Street is the most recent creation of the Livanos family, who have a long legacy of operating fine Greek dining restaurants.
After John Livanos moved to the US from Greece in 1957, he worked his way up from washing dishes to running his own luncheonette in Manhattan, before moving to fine dining in White Plains and opening Livanos, now known as City Limits. Children Nick, Bill and Corina (as well as Nick’s children Enrico and Johnny) joined their father in business and helped to open Oceana, Ousia/Hudson West and the original Molyvos, located near Carnegie Hall.
Molyvos was named after John’s hometown on the Greek island of Lesbos, where the Livanos crew returns regularly to a family home retained through the years. Though the restaurant was forced to close its original location on 55th Street due to decreased foot traffic during pandemic shutdowns, Nick hopes that the eatery’s new home, surrounded by what he described as the joyfully “small town” atmosphere of Hell’s Kitchen, will be a permanent one.
In the weeks leading up to their opening, Nick said, “All I need to do is stand in front of the restaurant and — no exaggeration —person after person will stop and talk to me to ask, ‘When are you opening? We’re so excited! We’re so happy you’re here!’ I’ve never in my life experienced that neighborly of a welcome.”
For Enrico, what the Livanos family does best is focus on their well-honed Greek cuisine and cultivate a warm, intimate atmosphere, for which he believes the smaller space at the new Molyvos is the perfect fit. Another key feature of Molyvos’ new home on 43rd Street is its wine display, built to showcase the restaurant’s extensive beverage program.
“We have about 750 wines — possibly the largest Greek wine list in the world,” Nick said.
This story was adapted from the W42ST articles, "It’s Not Goodbye, It’s See You Down the Block!” — Hudson West Closes as Livanos Family Focus on Opening Molyvos" and "Yiamas! Greek Go-to Eatery Molyvos Opens in Hell’s Kitchen with 750 Wines from the Home Country."
