Novy Restaurant — Restaurant in San Francisco

During our visit to San Francisco last week, we celebrated New Year’s Eve with friends at NOVY in Noe Valley. This family-owned, woman-run Greek restaurant impressed us with its mix of traditional Greek cuisine and fresh California comfort food.

Arriving for Restaurant Week at 6:30 PM, we were promptly seated thanks to our reservation. The interior, though cozy, exudes a modern charm with creative touches like cheese grater lamps. The atmosphere was warm and inviting, perfect for our celebration.

Here’s what we enjoyed: Appetizers: • Hummus: Creamy and flavorful, paired with fresh pita bread. • Fried Calamari: Lightly battered and complemented by yellow onion, tarragon, and a spicy aioli. • Fried Brussels Sprouts: Crispy with a delicious mix of bacon, mizithra cheese, and chili flakes. Entrees: • Moussaka: A standout! Crispy on top, with rich layers of beef and eggplant, it was perfectly executed. • Pesto Pasta: Bucatini with tender Mary’s chicken, smoky bacon, kale, and a creamy pesto-gorgonzola sauce—a hearty and satisfying dish. • Chicken Apple Walnut Salad: Grilled curried chicken breast paired with crisp green apple slices, toasted walnuts, and a house-made honey mustard dressing. Fresh and flavorful. • Chicken Wrap: Packed with Mary’s chicken, lettuce, tomato, pickled onion, tzatziki, and salsa—a perfect balance of freshness and zest. Desserts: • Galaktoboureko: Flaky and decadent, with a delightful berry sauce that tied it all together. • Brioche Bread Pudding: Warm and comforting, topped with vanilla ice cream and caramel. • Flourless Chocolate Cake: Rich, smooth, and topped with a luscious chocolate ganache.

The service was excellent—efficient and friendly, with dishes arriving quickly despite the busy evening.

NOVY offers a polished yet relaxed dining experience that’s great for fans of Greek and Mediterranean cuisine. With its rich history and thoughtful touches, it’s a must-visit spot in Noe Valley. Highly...

I met my youngest son in San Francisco for a special dinner (for my Birthday) and we chose NOVY in the Noe Valley neighborhood. We were fortunate to get even any dining space as we did not make reservations (not to self - next time do it). We sat at a counter and had a great meal.

I ordered the Lamb Gyro along with a Pilsner and my son ordered their Pesto Pasta. After a few minutes of conversation (it was not too loud even though the restaurant was full and busy), our dinners arrived - my Gyros was a fresh pita willed with thin-sliced roasted leg of lamb accompanied by lettuce, tomato, grilled onion and of course tzatziki sauce, with garlic fries on the side. My son enjoyed his pasta dish with fresh shaved parmesan on top.

We were tempted to try something for desert and ordered their Galaktoboureko to share. I had never heard of this desert but it sounded good on the menu, and it was! It’s made from Phyllo Pastry with Semolina Custard Filling, a Huckleberry Compote, and Almonds on the top. It was just the right sweetness and perfect to share after a filling meal.

I look forward to returning to NOVY in the future to try some of their other dishes. Parking in Noe Valley (like much of the busy neighborhoods in the city) can be a challenge. We parked a few blocks away and walked in - I do enjoy walking down 24th street with a number of...

Having visited America in larger groups numerous times and this being our last night in SF we expected to enjoy a lovely meal before leaving for England. From the very beginning we were treated badly. We were put on tables outside which should have been absolutely fine as they offered us the outdoor heaters but even this was too complex for them. The manager Lauris was very standoffish, neglected us and had a bad attitude when asked politely for condiments etc. He upsold orders to a cringeworthy degree. The main problem was the 2 card maximum payment policy. We were on the last night of a 3 week trip across 3 states as a group of 7 and hadn't come across this policy and service this poor for such average food. I asked what the other option was and he replied that the police would have to be called. The food was reminiscent of the salad bar at Whole Foods but probably without the Organic sourcing to match. I would stress to anyone in a group to avoid this restaurant and to anyone with a palette to not bother. If we had had good or even average service all would have been forgiven. Anyway Francisco the other waiter was lovely, I only wish we've been...