If you follow me on instagram, you know how much I love Avra in Midtown East. The freshest seafood cooked in the purest olive oils and vegetables sautéed to perfection. When I worked in Midtown East, not only did I frequent the restaurant, but I nearly begged clients to go there with me weekly just so I could indulge in the best octopus in New York City. Well, the other week I found out that Avra has a sister restaurant, Anassa Taverna, located a bit further uptown. It was only a matter of days before I made my way to Anassa, and after my experience at the restaurant the other night, I couldn’t be more excited about this new Upper East Side find…
The menu at Anassa is very similar to Avra’s menu, and the seafood is just as incredible! To start, my friends and I ordered the grilled octopus (which is absolutely amazing) and a greek salad, and for mains we ordered the loup de mer and a side of grilled vegetables. Similar to Avra, the majority of the menu at Anassa Taverna is nobread approved! The fried calamari, greek meatballs, tuna tartar, zucchini chips, and saganaki are a few items on the menu that the nobread crowd is unable to order, but not to worry, all seafood entrees are 100% GF, as are the meat entrees (just ask for your chicken with nopita). The grilled calamari, grilled shrimp, chilean sea bass, and royal dorado are other nobread crowd favorites, and I saw plenty of these dishes circling around the restaurant.
Usually I devote my entire post to nobread approved food items at a restaurant; however, a post about Anassa Taverna wouldn’t be complete without highlighting how INCREDIBLE and HOSPITABLE the staff at Anassa was. Throughout our meal, servers were attentative and constantly stopping by our table to check in, happy to go over gluten free options on the menu, and excited to show my friends and I a 5-star dining experience. When we declined to order dessert, the Anassa team brought out gluten and dairy free treats including an assortment of sorbets and a fruit bowl; such a delicious surprise! Anassa Taverna is amazing and this Upper East Side gem shouldn’t be overlooked. I hear the brunch here is delicious, too, and I will ABSOLUTELY be back to try it soon!