What ilili Restaurants does

ilili Restaurants is a privately held, family-operated Lebanese-Mediterranean restaurant group founded by the Massoud family and currently operating three full-service locations: ilili NoMad (flagship at 236 Fifth Avenue in NYC's Flatiron District), ilili Midtown (157 East 53rd Street in Manhattan), and ilili DC (100 District Square SW at The Wharf waterfront in Washington DC). The company, legally organized as IHI-NY LLC, is led by Executive Chef and CEO Philippe Massoud alongside co-owner Alexander Massoud, drawing on three generations of Massoud family hospitality heritage rooted in Beirut. The menu centers on mezza-style communal dining, charcoal-grilled entrees, Lebanese desserts, and a wine program recognized by Wine Spectator with a Best of Award of Excellence for featuring the largest selection of Lebanese wines in the USA.

Revenue is generated across six streams: dine-in service at three locations, drop-off and full-service catering (from $25/person for 5–500 guests across NYC and DC metros), pickup and delivery via the company's own online ordering portals, nationwide shipping of branded food products through Goldbelly, private event hosting and full restaurant buyouts managed through Tripleseat, and gift card sales through Toast Tab. The customer base is a blend of upscale individual diners, corporate and private event clients, and catering customers in NYC and DC. Reservations are managed via SevenRooms and the company does not list a mobile app, public API, or proprietary digital product.

The technology stack is entirely reliant on third-party hospitality SaaS platforms — Toast Tab for ordering and gift cards, SevenRooms for reservations, Tripleseat for private events, BentoBox for the website, and Goldbelly for nationwide shipping — with no proprietary AI, ML, or data assets indicated. Marketing is a mix of organic social (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok), email capture, prominent earned media coverage across The New York Times, Forbes, Wine Spectator, Eater NY, and Al Arabiya, and event-driven promotions (NYE packages, Pride brunch, chef collaborations). The company has not raised external institutional funding and remains wholly owned by the Massoud family.

Name

ilili Restaurants

Legal name

IHI-NY LLC

Website

https://ililirestaurants.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

ilili Restaurants is a family-owned Lebanese-Mediterranean restaurant group operating three full-service locations in NYC (NoMad, Midtown) and Washington DC, offering dine-in, catering, private events, pickup/delivery, and nationwide shipping via Goldbelly to upscale diners and corporate event clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Full-Service Lebanese Mediterranean Restaurants

NAICS

Full-Service Restaurants (722511), Caterers (722320)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Retail-Eating Places (5812)

akta.pro primary industry

Ethnic & Regional Cuisine Restaurants (THAFACAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Special Occasion & Destination Restaurants (THAFACAK), Mediterranean & Middle Eastern Fast Casual (THAFABAD)

Keywords

• Lebanese Mediterranean dining
• Fine dining restaurants
• Private event catering
• Mezza-style sharing plates
• Restaurant group hospitality

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Dine-in service: Full-service restaurant revenue from dine-in guests at three locations, driven by reservations and walk-ins. Revenue per transaction varies by location, meal period, and menu selections, with premium items such as 40 Day Dry Aged Cote de Boeuf ($185) and Rib Eye ($145) at high price points.
2. Catering: Catering services across NYC (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens) and DC (Washington DC, Arlington, Bethesda). Drop-off catering from $25/person, full-service catering for 5–500 guests, and custom bespoke catering with white-glove service. Lead times range from 48 hours (drop-off) to 2+ weeks (custom).
3. Pickup & Delivery: Direct online ordering for pickup and delivery from each ilili location. Customers order via the restaurant's online store portal for their nearest location. Delivery available within defined zones in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and DC metro area.
4. Nationwide shipping: Partnership with Goldbelly enabling nationwide shipping of ilili food products to customers across the United States, extending the brand beyond physical locations.
5. Private Events: Private dining room bookings and full restaurant buyouts at all three locations. NoMad accommodates 5–500 guests across four private dining rooms plus full buyout. Midtown offers three combinable rooms for 14–54 guests. DC offers full buyout (195 seated/270 cocktail) and half buyout options.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

ilili Restaurants is a private Lebanese-Mediterranean fine dining restaurant group operating three full-service locations in New York City (NoMad and Midtown) and Washington DC (The Wharf). The company sells dine-in meals featuring mezza-style sharing plates, charcoal-grilled entrées, and Lebanese desserts, complemented by catering (drop-off, full-service, and custom), private event hosting for groups of 5 to 500+, pickup and delivery, gift cards, and nationwide shipping via Goldbelly.

Product overview

ilili Restaurants is a modern Lebanese Mediterranean dining concept operated by the Massoud family with three locations: ilili NoMad (flagship in NYC Flatiron), ilili Midtown (NYC Midtown), and ilili DC (The Wharf waterfront). The company offers dine-in services with full menus featuring mezza-style sharing plates, charcoal-grilled entrees, and Lebanese desserts. Beyond restaurant dining, the portfolio includes catering services (drop-off, full-service, and custom), pickup and delivery through Toast Tab, nationwide shipping via Goldbelly, gift cards, and private event hosting with various room configurations accommodating groups from intimate dinners to large celebrations of 500+ guests.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ilili NoMad Flagship Lebanese-Mediterranean restaurant location in New York City's Flatiron District at 236 Fifth Avenue, offering dine-in service with full mezza-style menus plus four private dining rooms accommodating 5 to 500 guests and full restaurant buyout options.
• ilili Midtown Second New York City location at 157 East 53rd Street offering modern Lebanese-Mediterranean cuisine for lunch and dinner with three combinable private dining rooms for 14 to 54 guests.
• ilili DC Washington DC location at The Wharf waterfront (100 District Square SW) offering Lebanese dining with Southwest Waterfront views, full restaurant buyout accommodating 195 seated / 270 cocktail, and half buyout options.
• Catering by ilili Full-service and drop-off catering across NYC (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens) and DC (Washington DC, Arlington, Bethesda) featuring Lebanese mezza, charcoal-grilled mains, and house-made sweets. Includes drop-off catering from $25/person (48-hour lead time), full-service catering for 5 to 500 guests (1-week lead time), and custom chef-designed bespoke menus (2+ weeks lead time).
• Private Events Private dining and event hosting across all ilili locations, including full restaurant buyouts, semi-private rooms, and combined private dining spaces accommodating groups from 5 to 500+ guests for corporate events, weddings, and celebrations.
• Pickup & Delivery Online ordering service for pickup and delivery from all three ilili locations via the Toast Tab platform, allowing customers to order Lebanese-Mediterranean dishes for at-home consumption within defined zones in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and the DC metro area.
• Gift Cards Digital and physical gift cards available for purchase and balance checking at any of the three ilili restaurant locations via Toast Tab online portals.
• Nationwide Shipping Shipping service for ilili menu items delivered nationwide through the Goldbelly marketplace partnership, allowing customers outside NYC and DC to order Lebanese-Mediterranean dishes for home delivery across the United States.

Quantifiable outcome

• Named to OpenTable's 100 Best Restaurants for Group Dining in America (2017)
• +3 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Rooster & OwlfeaturedStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 June 2026ilili DC executive chef Satinder Vij collaborated with chef-owner Yuan Tang of Michelin-starred Rooster & Owl for a one-night Silk Road Dinner Series on June 30, 2026. The event featured a multi-course tasting menu served family style, fusing modern Lebanese Mediterranean cooking with New American technique and Asian influence. The event was priced at $110/person and sold as a table reservation.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Nuba: Lebanese restaurant brand with multiple locations across the Northeast US (including NYC). Direct peer on Lebanese cuisine, mezza-style menu, and catering/private-event capabilities in the same NYC metro.
• Zaytinya: José Andrés Group's Mediterranean restaurant in Washington DC offering Turkish, Greek and Lebanese small plates. Operates in the same DC market as ilili DC and competes for the same upscale Mediterranean/Levantine diner and private-event clientele.
• Oleana: Ana Sortun's celebrated Levantine/Mediterranean fine-dining restaurant in Cambridge, MA. Directly comparable on cuisine category (Eastern Mediterranean), full-service format, chef-driven storytelling and premium positioning.
• Balaboosta: Einat Admony's Israeli/Middle Eastern-influenced restaurant in NYC's NoLita neighborhood. Comparable on Mediterranean-leaning cuisine, full-service format, NYC dining market and chef-founder storytelling.
• Amali: Mediterranean restaurant on NYC's Upper East Side focused on cuisine from Italy, Greece, Turkey, Lebanon and North Africa. Comparable on Mediterranean-Levantine cuisine mix, NYC upscale full-service market, and prix-fixe/à la carte event programming.
• Zou Zou's: Modern Lebanese restaurant in NYC (Hudson Yards), from the team behind ilili-adjacent hospitality operators. Direct peer on Lebanese cuisine, full-service NYC dining, and destination/occasion dining positioning.
• Daphne's: Upscale Greek/Mediterranean restaurant with NYC and LA locations, part of the Mercer Street Hospitality group. Comparable on Mediterranean cuisine, multi-location premium full-service model, and corporate/event capabilities.

Emerging players

• Maman: French-Mediterranean café and restaurant concept with multiple NYC and DC locations. Comparable on Mediterranean-leaning cuisine and the NYC/DC multi-location footprint, though at a more casual price point and format.

Broad incumbents

• Cava Group: Public fast-casual Mediterranean chain (CAVA) and CAVA Mezze restaurant. Comparable on Mediterranean cuisine authority and scale ambitions in the US, though operating at a different price point and service format; represents the broader competitive set for Mediterranean dining wallet share.

Regional players

• The Olive Tree: Premium Mediterranean/Lebanese-leaning restaurant group based outside the NYC/DC corridor. Comparable on Lebanese/Mediterranean cuisine and full-service format, but operates in a different geography and therefore does not directly compete for the same diners.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/ililiRestaurant
• Facebookfacebook.com/ililinyc
• Instagraminstagram.com/ililirestaurants
• TikToktiktok.com/@ililirestaurants
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ilili-restaurant

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ilili Restaurants