Another Israeli-style hummus hotspot is set to open in New York City — well, technically, five of them.
Motek, a small but rapidly growing chain of “kosher-style” Mediterranean restaurants, first opened in downtown Miami in June 2020. Since then, it has expanded across South Florida, with six locations in and around Miami, while a seventh outpost just opened in Boca Raton earlier this month.
Now, Motek, founded by husband-and-wife team Charlie and Tessa Levy, plans to open five more locations in the Big Apple, starting with an outpost on Broadway in the Flatiron District that is set to open this fall.
“New York has always felt like a natural home for Motek,” Charlie Levy told the New York Jewish Week via email. “The diversity, the fast pace, the appreciation for culture and cuisine — it all aligns with who we are. This city isn’t just ready for what we do — it thrives on it.”
Motek, whose Hebrew name means “sweetheart” or “sweetie,” doesn’t brand itself as specifically Israeli — in fact, the restaurant-slash-café-slash-bakery describes itself as having “influences from our ancestors in Lebanon, Morocco, Turkey, Yemen and more,” according to its website.
Nonetheless, Motek is known for its dishes that are popular in Israel, like their South Beach Wine and Food Festival Burger Bash award-winning arayes burger — made with beef, spices, onions, and garlic, baked together into a crispy pita — as well as a banana-tahini-silan smoothie.
The menu also includes rimonana (the Hebrew portmanteau for pomegranate and mint) juice, zucchini latkes, malawach, and schnitzel — in other words, a medley of Mizrahi, Sephardic, and Ashkenazi culinary influences that are typically found in Israeli eateries.
“Motek is very much a reflection of how I grew up eating — family-style, full of color, flavor, and heart,” Levy said.
“The recipes come from my family — some are literally my grandmother’s spice blends — and the vibe is about more than just the food,” he added. “It’s the energy, the warmth, the feeling of sitting at a table that feels familiar, even if it’s your first time there. We’re not trying to replicate what’s already here — we’re bringing our own voice to the conversation.”
Levy was born in Israel to a Yemenite mother and Syrian father; he moved to the United States when he was 16 years old. He spent 20 years in New York before moving to Florida. Today, Levy and his wife, Tessa, who was born in California and whose family is French-Moroccan, are raising their four children in Miami Beach.
Before entering the restaurant industry, Charlie worked in the jewelry business as the manager of a designer jewelry store in Miami, also co-owned by Tessa.
Following the opening of Motek in Flatiron, the Levys plan to open a second location of Yalla Motek, the kosher-certified café currently serving Israeli-style street food in the Aventura Mall. However, the precise NYC location is not yet public, and neither are the remaining three Motek locations.
Yalla Motek NYC
“Yalla Motek NYC will be fully kosher, with rabbinic certification,” Levy said. “That said, we’ve designed the concept to also be operationally flexible, so we’re able to remain open and perform on Shabbat while still upholding kosher standards. For us, it was important to create a space that’s inclusive and respectful, while also being modern and accessible.”
Fortunately, for those who can’t wait until the fall, there’s no shortage of high-quality Israeli hummus restaurants in NYC, including Hummus Place on the Upper West Side, Miriam in Park Slope and on the Upper West Side, and four Miznon locations (including one kosher spot in Midtown).
Levy, however, is not concerned about the competitive New York market. “New York definitely has an amazing food scene when it comes to Mediterranean and Israeli cuisine, but I think what sets Motek apart is the personal story behind it,” he said.
“I’ve always looked at New York as the ultimate stage,” Levy said. “It’s where you go to tell your story at full volume. To bring Motek here feels like a milestone, but also a homecoming of sorts. We’re excited to share something real and rooted with a whole new audience.”
