Eolo, Italian for Aeolus, is ruler of the wind. According to mythology, Eolo lived on a small, volcanic island off the coast of Sicily and was a favorite among the Greek gods. He gave Odysseus a wine bag filled with wind to speed his historic voyage home. Nearly there, Odysseus’s curious crew opened the bag, the winds escaped and their ship was pulled back to the Sicilian archipelago.
From the beginning, Sicily has been a cultural crossroads, inhabited by the Greeks, Phoenicians, Arabs, Romans, Jews, Normans, Bourbons and beyond. Sicily has kept several elements of these cultures and incorporated them into its own.
At Eolo, food is thought to be a source of great pleasure as well as an insight into the culture and history of Sicily.
A note from Melissa, Eolo’s founder, about the name…
Beyond the mythological tale of Aeolus, I chose to name my Sicilian restaurant after the ruler of the wind when brainstorming about my sensory memories of childhood summers spent in Sicily. The first thoughts that came to mind were about the scorching sun, the shooting stars of mid-August, the taste of the salt when swimming in the Mediterranean Sea, and especially the wind, which carries the hot scirocco breeze from Africa in those warmer months. That wind used to visit me in my room like a long-awaited visitor during the desert-like hot summers. After devouring our daily mid-day pranzo of pasta, meat, salad, fruit, and dessert, I often followed the custom of retiring to bed for a nap before heading off to the beach or countryside. The sweet warm breeze carried the scents of bread baking at the nearby panificio, dried grass being burned to fertilize the soil, and garlic and herbs from my neighbors’ kitchens. All of these smells arrived at my balcony window with the help of my imaginary friend, Eolo.
~ Melissa
Enjoy a meal at Eolo and experience Melissa’s love letter to the region of Sicily.
Dear Chris,
Sincere thanks for your comment. We are so happy that you enjoyed your food and overall experience at Eolo. It is so fulfilling to hear your kind words.
Regards,
Melissa & Tarek
I just dined here on Tuesday April 23rd. The food was simply spectacular. I had a cocoa pasta with rabbit that was simply perfect. The wine list is tremendous and there are some great values too. The riccota doughnuts could be one of the best desserts ever made. Mellissa and her husband were truly first class. I am looking forward to reading the book and I will be back to have it signed. I am also planning on eating at their other restaurant next time I am in New York.
Thanks for your note, Mr. Weinmann.
We look forward to serving you and to making your sister’s celebration party at Eolo a memorable experience.
See you on Saturday evening!
Kind Regards,
Melissa – On Behalf of the Eolo Staff
My sister Lisa is a fine artist who’s work will be on display at the Pleiades gallery in Chelsea. Roughly 12 of us from Virginia, New Jersey, and Long Island will be dining with you Saturday evening in celebration of my sister and her work. We should be arriving around 7:00. I understand that your restaurant is fantastic and has a warm, familial, personal touch. The reservation may be under Lisa Tureson or Dr Mendelssohn. We look forward to dining with you and making my sister feel special.
Grazi,
Ed
Hello Mr. Levin,
Thanks for your inquiry. I’m not sure about other venues, but we hold a feast of the Seven Fishes at Eolo every Christmas Eve. Our menu for this year will be posted on our website by Thanksgiving. If you are interested to reserve with us, you can call 646.225.6606 or reserve via this website.
Kind Regards,
Melissa
Looking to partake of The Feast of the Seven Fishes while in New York City December of 2012. Can you please suggest any resutrants or venues that offer this experience. Is anyone event better than the rest?
Sincerely,
Stephen Lee Levin
Dear Anonymous (Sept. 16, 2011) I’m Italian… grew up in up state New York and have since retuned to Italy. The Jews did indeed inhabit Sicily, and there is plenty of historical evidence to back it up. They were expelled by decree in 1492 and fled to Calabria on the main land. It’s a very easy topic to Google… I’ve never had the pleasure of dining at Eolo, but the photographs look absolutely mouthwatering. I will make it a point to stop in when I visit family back in New York.
Thank you for your note! So glad you found Eolo and gave us a try. Look forward to meeting you next time you dine with us.
My husband and I live in the neighborhood and decided to walk around to find a new spot to eat. To our surprise we found Eolo around the corner from our home. The service was impeccable, the live music was a real treat, and the food….the food was incredible. The bruschetta with ricotta and honey and pistachios was “like dessert”, in the words of my husband. And contrary to most places in NY, the mains were fresh, tasty and just the right portion size. We’ll definitely be back, as regulars!
Not only was the food authentic, the atmosphere was warm and welcoming. I brought my mother here because she is Silician and thought she would enjoy it. Not only did she enjoy it, she had tears of happiness.
First, the menu is written in her dialect, which made her smile and remember her native tongue. The food was perfect, authentic but with a twist. We loved every bite – i highly recommend the octopus salad! The highlight of the evening was more of a personal one. Melissa, came over to greet our table (as she does with them all) and her and my mom got to talking about Sicily- it turns out they are from the same tiny town! Melissa would visit and stay next door to our cousin! I am positive we were there together at some point during our childhood! She is a delight and the fact that she speaks with each table and actually devotes time is remarkable. I will definitely be coming back! Thank you Melissa for giving my mother and I a memorable meal! Amanda
Ms. Frisco,
Thank you for your comment! We are so happy that you have enjoyed your two experiences at Eolo. Looking forward to seeing you again!
The Eolo Staff
We ate at Eolo Saturday night. This was our 2nd time here. It was wonderful again. Our sweet wait person was sooo helpful & patient. The food was spectacular again. One of the special appetizers was a sardine dish. It was very good. We had some Sicilian red wine, recommended by the wait person. This has become our favorite place. The atmoshere is beautiful, you feel like you are in Italy. The best part is the little, warm sugar donuts we dipped in chocolate. We felt like we were stealing when we got the bill…..outstanding!!
Love this place Melissa!!!!!
Dined for the first time last week, and will return again next week with much of the same party in tow… We enjoyed the cuisine for all (3), taste, presentation and creativity.
Kudos to Chef Melissa for taking Sicilian fare to another level above the rest!
Hello Mark,
Sincere thanks for your note. I’m so glad that you and Bethany enjoyed the cooking class. Despite the size of the class, I’m glad that you found it to be informative. Was also glad that you both arrived early and we had the opportunity to chat before the class.
You’ll be the first person I contact next time I make sfinciuni with anchovies, breadcrumbs & caciocavallo.
Looking forward to meeting you and Bethany again.
Tanti Cari Saluti,
Melissa
Melissa,
Bethany and I had a wonderful time in “class” this past Sunday. What a fun and informative time we spent with you.
Lol – please call me when you have a sfinciune in the oven, complete with anchovie and breadcrumbs…maybe even with a bit of cacciocavallo on top.
I hope to see you again soon and enjoy another great meal at Eolo.
Best warm regards, Mark Ambrosio
Thank you Mr. and Mrs. Hansen,
On behalf of the Eolo staff, it was truly our pleasure! We are thrilled that you and your guests enjoyed the event and the buffet. Hosting your party was wonderful and we were very happy to close the restaurant for your lovely group. It was fun to be a part of the big surprise!
Warmest Regards,
Melissa
Thank you Melissa and team for the lovely birthday party we celebrated at Eolo this past Saturday. Everything was perfect and our guests loved the food – you’re going to have some new repeat customers. The rosemary chicken and ricotta donuts especially were the talk of the night. It was a fantastic and memorable evening. Many thanks again.
Thank you!
Dined at Eolo for the first time on Friday evening and absolutely loved it! We will for sure be back – and will be telling lots of friends!
Thanks for sharing your story about the Jewish baths in Ortigia. Sicily was once a major Mediterranean cultural crossroads and I believe that is exactly what makes the food and agricultural landscape so unique and nuanced.
Regarding Jews in Sicily, we spent a week in sicily last year. In Ortigia, siracusa, we stayed in a hotel called Hotel alla Giudecca. The reason for the name is that when they were excavating, the owners found a ritual jewish bath house under ground. It dates to the Byzantine era. It is thought to be the oldest Jewish ritual bath in Europe, So there was definitely a Jewish community in Sicily. Haven’t eaten at your restaurnat yet, but now am anxious to do so. We had many wonderful meals in sicily.
We are very glad that you enjoyed your experience at Eolo. From our historical research, Jews did in fact inhabit the island of Sicily from the Roman period to the Inquisition in 1492. Certain historians posit that Jews first arrived as slaves under the Romans, but later existed in as thriving communities. Many Sicilian cities had Jewish quarters called “Giudeca,” which ranged in population size from 300 to 5000 inhabitants. Traces of such quarters can still be found today in some areas.
Sincere thanks for your note! We are very glad that you enjoyed your birthday experience at Eolo. ~Melissa, On Behalf of the Eolo Staff
Celebrated my birthday at Eolo. Loved every dish and the wait staff was so informed and answered all questions…described each dish with expertise and flair. We’ll be back and look forward to exploring more of the wonderful dishes they serve.
Grazie Andrea e Antonio! Mi fa molto piacere che avete provato la cucina di Eolo e che avete mangiato bene. Spero di incontrarvi di nuovo nel futuro. Tanti Saluti. ~Melissa
un ristorante eccellente….una cucina di alto livello……poi melissa è siciliana…..w la sicilia w eolo ciao da andrea e antonio da palermo
Your summary regarding how Sicily was inhabited by the Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Normans, Bourbons, is true. However, it was naver inhabited by Jews. This is not meant to offend any Jews, but just a historical fact.
I ate at Eolo, and was quite pleased with both the food and service. I will go back.
-R.
Hello Birte! Greeting from all of us here at Eolo. The night of the hurricane really turned out to be a unique evening at Eolo. Glad you were part of it, it was a pleasure meeting you both!
Had a really enjoyable evening with delicious antipasti at Eolo during Irene’s rainstorm. Made our day, thank you so much! Greetings from Germany!
Hi Bill!
Thanks for your note! We are trilled that you guys will visit NYC again soon and so glad to hear from you. But I can’t believe how fast time flies. Really seems like yesterday that you were last sitting at our bar eating the sardine dish. Well, we look forward to seeing you in July! There are lots of new summer dishes to choose from.
Warm Regards,
Melissa
Yum. This winter Eolo became my favorite restaurant. We’ll be back in NYC in July, and plan to see you then!
Thanks Tom! I’m very glad to hear that you enjoyed yourself. Let me know when you return so I can say hello in person.
Ate at Eolo for the first time last night and loved it. Can’t wait to go back!