Shuka NYC
Edited By Staff Writer, Halal Incorp
Situated in the heart of Manhattan’s Greenwich Village, Shuka is a vibrant Mediterranean restaurant known for its fresh, bold tasty food & lively atmosphere.
Led by Executive Chef Ayesha Nurdjaja, Shuka brings inspiration from the cuisines of Southern Europe, North Africa, as well as the Middle East, serving a colourful menu packed with seasonal ingredients & innovative dishes.
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Customers love the enticing, welcoming decor & great friendly service, making it a nice spot for everything ranging from casual brunches to festive dinners.
Reviews regularly complement Shuka for its tasty small plates & overall inviting vibe that captures the spirit of the Mediterranean.
Shuka NYC
About:
“Chef Ayesha Nurdjaja
2022 James Beard Award Finalist Nominee, (Best Chef: New York State) Ayesha Nurdjaja is the executive chef at Shuka, Vicki Freeman and Marc Meyer’s Eastern Mediterranean restaurant in New York City’s SoHo neighborhood, where she serves a menu of provocative dishes that highlight local, seasonal ingredients.
Born and raised in Brooklyn, Ayesha is the daughter of an Indonesian father and Italian mother. Growing up, she was always inspired by her father’s cooking and his use of exotic flavors, but her entrepreneurial spirit first lead her to pursue a business degree at Pace University. After graduating in 2000, she found herself hosting dinner parties for friends and realized that food is where her true passion lies, so she enrolled at the Institute of Culinary Education.
Ayesha graduated from culinary school in 2006 and, after watching chef Lidia Bastianich cook on PBS, walked into Lidia’s restaurant, Felidia, and asked for a job. They brought her on as a line cook and she worked her way up the ranks to become sous chef. Since then, Ayesha has helped lead the kitchen teams at Bar Artisanal and Michelin-starred Picholine under chef Terrance Brennan, and at Michelin-starred A Voce under chef Missy Robbins. She also spent time as executive chef at Il Bordello and most recently at Brooklyn neighborhood favorite Red Gravy, where for three years she offered her take on modern southern Italian cuisine.
In 2015, Ayesha met with restaurateurs Vicki Freeman and Marc Meyer, who were looking for a new chef at their restaurant Hundred Acres. Ayesha was drawn to their passion for creating a welcoming place with honest cooking and they hit it off immediately. Together, they created Shuka, opening in September 2017. At Shuka, Ayesha is excited about her new menu that draws on the rustic, vibrant flavors found throughout Italy, Morocco and Tunisia. Dishes such as Whipped Feta + Pistachio, Kefti + Egg Tagine with spiced lamb meatballs, tomato, and poached egg, and Fattoush Salad with halloumi and toasted pita chips showcase her penchant for updating classic dishes with flavorful ingredients.”
Shuka NYC
Rated: 4.5*
Address: 38 MacDougal St, New York, NY 10012, United States
Opening Hours:
| Sunday | 10:30 am–3:30 pm, 5–10 pm |
| Monday | 12–4 pm, 5–10 pm |
| Tuesday | 12–4 pm, 5–11 pm |
| Wednesday | 12–4 pm, 5–11 pm |
| Thursday | 12–4 pm, 5–11 pm |
| Friday | 12–4 pm, 5–11 pm |
| Saturday | 10:30 am–3:30 pm, 5–11 pm |
Phone: +1 212-475-7500
Shuka Menu:
Brunch: Click Here
Lunch: Click Here
Dinner: Click Here
10x Google Reviews
1] M. H
Rated: 5*
“Nailed every aspect of the dinner. We sat outside on a Friday night. The drinks came out as soon as the waiter went back inside. Food came out just as fast. The feta pistachio and fava dips are flavorful and light. Presentation was very colorful and fresh. Lamb kebabs and Ras El Hanout kebabs were both perfectly cooked, not dry not under done. Served with fresh greens. The spicy sauce is like a fresh Sambal, very nice. The frozen Liminata was not too sweet, very nice. Best meal I’ve had in a long time. Friday night chefs and service was on their A game.
Food: 5/5 | Service: 5/5 | Atmosphere: 5/5
Recommended dishes
Hummus, Dips
Recommendation for vegetarians
Highly recommend
Vegetarian offerings
Large vegetarian selection
Vegetarian options
Almost all of the dips and appetizers are vegetarian and quite filling.
Parking space
Not sure
Parking options
Free of charge street parking
Kid-friendliness
Probably fine
Wheelchair accessibility
Seems accessible”
Shuka NYC
2] V. Escrich
Rated: 4*
“I’d give it 5 stars, but it’s a bit overpriced for the portion sizes. The flavor was excellent. The calamari wasn’t fresh or unique, but the fried halloumi was incredible—I’d return just for it. The regular shakshuka was great; I don’t recommend the green one. Limited egg-free breakfast options. The espresso martini wasn’t worth the price; better to get a regular coffee. The shared table and morning atmosphere were too loud and chaotic. Dinner is a better option—reserve in advance for a good table. Overall, great food and attentive service.
Food: 4/5 | Service: 4/5 | Atmosphere: 3/5
Recommended dishes
Fried Halloumi
Recommendation for vegetarians
Highly recommend
Vegetarian offerings
Large vegetarian selection
Vegetarian options
not vegan friendly
Dietary restrictions
Not recommended if you are lactose or egg intolerant”
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3] R.K
Rated: 4*
“April 12, 2025 (Saturday) – In short, the food is warm and tasty, ambience is nice, service is quick and helpful. It was my first Middle-eastern brunch experience, and it’s worth another visit!
We wanted to have an early breakfast and decided against Shuka as it wasn’t opening until 10.30am. However, as fate would have it, we were late to get ready, the other place we had planned to go (12 Chairs Cafe) was already full, and Shuka happened to be just one block away from it. So we came here, and I’m glad we did!
We reached Shuka just around 10.35am as a group of 4. We immediately got seated, but as we didn’t have a reservation we were told we’ll have to wrap up in 1 hour which was plenty of time. We had the following, SOIT stands for `Somebody ordered, I tasted’.
1. Coffee (SOIT) – It arrived almost instantly, a cup of decoction with a small cup of accompanying milk. The coffee decoction was bottomless, my friends got a refill. It tasted very watery to me, I’m not a big fan of coffee though.
2. Falafel (SOIT) – It was wam, not oily, green inside, and soft. The accompanying tahini was delicious. It’s shape and size was pleasing—more like a South Indian ‘masal vadai’ than like ‘tater tots’, it’s a must-try.
3. Malawach – A big chola poori-style bread with accompanying yummy betroot hummus and not-so-yummy marinated feta cheese. I thoroughly enjoyed it, warm, soft, and filling.
4. Fried Halloumi (SOIT) – Deep fried Halloumi cheese cubes, crisp exterior and a soft interior in a fatty-fat bite, and satisfying to eat.
5. Shakshuka (SOIT) — Rich tomato gravy/paste/sauce with some Feta cheese thrown in, served in a wide open pan with an egg-omlette place on top in the centre.
The tomator gravy with the feta cheese went very well with the malawach bread.
6. Pita (SOIT) — My friends complimented that the Pita bread was very well-fermented with it’s airy bubbles. I liked it.
7. Parsnip `ganoush’ — A pale creamy dip/dish that looked like babaganoush but tasted of parsnips. This inspires to make a South Indian chutney variant of this.
Overall it was ~100 USD for 4 members, reasonable.
Food: 5/5
Recommended dishes
Malawach”
4] U. Vora
Rated: 5*
“Was walking around the neighborhood and decided to walk up and were lucky enough to find a seat at the bar. Got a couple of dishes including falafel and the halloumi salad and everything was incredible! Flavors were spot and and great portions. Some of the best Mediterranean food I’ve had in the city so far. Highly recommend checking out. Staff and service were great and very attentive.
Food: 5/5 | Service: 5/5 | Atmosphere: 5/5
Recommended dishes
Fried Halloumi, Hummus
Recommendation for vegetarians
Somewhat recommend
Vegetarian offerings
Large vegetarian selection
Vegetarian options
Plenty of vegetarian options!”
Shuka NYC
5] J. Broder
Rated: 4*
“Solid brunch spot. You definitely want to make a reservation. It’s a pretty large space and looks like they can accommodate large groups. The shakshuka is very good. I only wish the egg white was a little bit more cooked. The dips are delicious, rich, and good for sharing. We had some mix ups but the staff were very responsive and focused on making things right and doing them well. I’ll definitely go back and suggest to friends.
Food: 4/5 | Service: 5/5 | Atmosphere: 4/5″
6] D. Halliu
Rated: 5*
“Great spot for brunch – good food, great atmosphere, and really enjoyed our service.
We came in on Saturday about 30min after opening and immediately got a table. The standouts for us were their dips, which included fresh baked pita. They were excellent for sharing, and surprisingly filling.
Will definitely be back to try the rest of their menu!
Food: 5/5 | Service: 5/5 | Atmosphere: 5/5″
7] S. Simms
Rated: 5*
“I recently visited Shuka for my best friend’s birthday lunch. She’s a vegetarian, and we found plenty of great options for her.
Everything was delicious! The service was fantastic, making it a memorable experience!
Food: 5/5 | Service: 5/5 | Atmosphere: 5/5
Recommendation for vegetarians
Highly recommend
Vegetarian offerings
Large vegetarian selection”
8] M. Sawant
Rated: 5*
“Came in with it a reservation on Saturday afternoon. We were seated pretty immediately at the bar which we were okay with. It was a very busy restaurant. The food was incredible! The babka french toast was the best I’ve had and I cannot stop thinking about it! Great shakshuka, friend halloumi, and the platter. Cannot wait to come back!
Food: 5/5 | Service: 5/5 | Atmosphere: 5/5
Recommended dishes
Green Shakshuka, Fried Halloumi, French Toast, Shawarma, Chocolate Babka French Toast, Dips”
9] G. Kaur
Rated: 5*
“Delicious Mediterranean spot in SoHo! This restaurant has such a cute atmosphere and is great for larger groups as well! The menu was a fusion of tapas like dishes with the mezzes and some full sized meals but you may need to order more than one item per person if you show up hungry! I got the chicken shawarma which was delicious and a good portion so I’d definitely recommend. I also got to try some the lamb kebab which was so tender but I do wish it was served with rice instead of pita! Overall, a great spot and I would recommend!
Food: 5/5 | Service: 5/5 | Atmosphere: 5/5
Recommended dishes
Shawarma”
Shuka NYC
10] P. Rai
Rated: 5*
“Went with my bestie for a brunch. The food was amazing. Fried halloumi was to die for. Everything else was delish even the salad. The drinks were delicious too. Loved our bartender, so friendly. Would love to go back again to try rest of the menu.
Food: 5/5 | Service: 5/5 | Atmosphere: 5/5
Recommended dishes
Shawarma”
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Disclaimer: Always Do Your Own Due Diligence, check opening times before travelling and restaurant may serve alcohol. The images used in this article are stock images.