Food & Wine: Best New Chefs

Chef's Pick: Kaia

Kaia offers a modern, free-spirited take on Greek cuisine from executive chef Felipe Gonçalves and culinary director Brendan Pelley. Inside, concrete textures and soothing tones set the mood, while the open kitchen gives a glimpse into the creative energy fueling the food. The menu leans seasonal and unexpected — think fermented squash juice with raw fish, or a barley and sea urchin terrine that defies expectations. And the wine list is long and varied. If you like funky orange wines, you’re in luck. If you like leathery, figgy reds, you’re also in luck. The list is a testament to Aegean winemaking traditions.

“You’re washed in concrete and calming hues — it’s warm, airy, and instantly transports you to the Aegean.” - George Mendes

George's Perfect Order

Yellowtail

If available, try this surprising play of tangy, vegetal brightness and clean ocean flavor, combining dry-aged hiramasa and fermented squash juice.

Sea Urchin and Barley Terrine

The briny creaminess of uni meets the gentle chew of barley in a terrine that feels both rustic and refined: it pairs beautifully with a Cretan rosé.

Turnips

An earthy mash of vibrant spring produce that shows off Gonçalves’ care and delicate touch as well as any other dish on the menu? Correct.

Whole Grilled Branzino

Crisp-skinned and boneless save for the head and tail, this whole fish is finished with herbs snipped tableside and draped in a sauce that’s sweet, briny, and impossible to forget.