Semma

Semma Heritage Southern Indian Cuisine by Chef Vijay Kumar

Eral Thokku from every angle. 🦐In Tamil, eral means prawn and thokku is a bit harder to translate as it’s a style of coo...
08/27/2026

Eral Thokku from every angle. 🦐

In Tamil, eral means prawn and thokku is a bit harder to translate as it’s a style of cooking where ingredients are slowly reduced with oil and spices until everything deepens, concentrates, and clings together. At Semma, plump tiger prawns are folded into green chili, curry leaves, and fenugreek, each flavor settling into a spicy, fragrant bite.It’s the kind of food that feels deeply familiar to those who know it and tells a story of Tamil cooking to those discovering it for the first time.

08/19/2026

Follow the S as the sun sets into the most beautiful hours at Semma. ✨

As the light go down, the drinks go up, the plates get clean - delicious food, hearty laughs, and lots of love is shared each night within these walls.

In Tamil, elaneer means tender coconut - and Semma’s Elaneer Payasam celebrates it in every possible form. Tender coconu...
08/05/2026

In Tamil, elaneer means tender coconut - and Semma’s Elaneer Payasam celebrates it in every possible form. Tender coconut flesh, coconut water and coconut milk come together in a chilled, silky payasam, finished with cashews for just the right amount of crunch.

Delicately sweet and deeply nostalgic, it’s the kind of dessert that quietly arrives at the table… and somehow becomes the part of the meal you can’t stop thinking about. 🥥

07/31/2026

Filter coffee, chicory, and wh***ey walk into a bar...

This drink is named after Chikmagalur, the region considered the birthplace of coffee cultivation in India. For many South Indians, the aroma of filter coffee brings back family coversations early morning at home.

Here, those nostalgic flavors are reimagined into a cocktail - with jaggery bringing a deep, caramel-like sweetness and chicory recreating the unmistakable flavor of traditional filter coffee.

07/27/2026

A little piece of Chef Vijay’s childhood made an appearance on Good Day New York this morning!

With a little help from Rosanna Scotto, he prepared Mulaikattiya Thaniyam - a healthy and refreshing after-school snack his mother made for him growing up in Tamil Nadu that now lives on Semma’s menu. ❤️

Thank you FOX 5 NY and Rosanna Scotto for having us!

We’re honored to be featured on , a global guide celebrating exceptional restaurants around the world.Thank you to Chef ...
07/20/2026

We’re honored to be featured on , a global guide celebrating exceptional restaurants around the world.

Thank you to Chef Vijay Kumar, our entire team, and every guest who’s joined us in celebrating the depth, diversity, and boldness of South Indian cuisine - this recognition belongs to all of you. ❤️

We’ll keep telling our story the way we always have: one plate at a time.

From rural Tamil Nadu to Wall Street.⁠⁠Chef Vijay Kumar’s journey has always been about honoring where he came from whil...
07/14/2026

From rural Tamil Nadu to Wall Street.⁠
⁠
Chef Vijay Kumar’s journey has always been about honoring where he came from while showing the world what’s possible for Tamil cuisine. His latest essay for The Hindu reflects on that journey, what this moment meant to him, and why it’s so much bigger than one person.⁠
⁠
It’s about family. It’s about perseverance. It’s about carrying Tamil cuisine onto the global stage without ever losing sight of where it began.⁠
⁠
A piece worth reading - you can find the whole story at thehindu.com. ❤️

From rural Tamil Nadu to Wall Street.⁠..⁠Chef Vijay Kumar’s journey has always been about honoring where he came from wh...
07/13/2026

From rural Tamil Nadu to Wall Street.⁠..
⁠
Chef Vijay Kumar’s journey has always been about honoring where he came from while showing the world what’s possible for Tamil cuisine. His latest essay for The Hindu reflects on that journey, what this moment meant to him, and why it’s so much bigger than one person.⁠
⁠
It’s about family. It’s about perseverance. It’s about carrying Tamil cuisine onto the global stage without ever losing sight of where it began.⁠
⁠
A piece worth reading… find the story at thehindu.com. ❤️

07/02/2026

Semma’s menu is a beautiful series of dishes from Chef Vijay’s childhood - whether they were eaten every day, only on special occasions, or somewhere in the middle when seasonal produce allowed.⁠
⁠
Mulaikattiya Thaniyam fell into that first category - a common after school snack his mom would put together from ingredients found in their garden. As he says - its light, crunchy, refreshing, nutritious, and best of all - beyond delicious.

06/01/2026

To be named No. 41 on North America’s 50 Best Restaurants is such an incredible honor.

Thank you to World’s 50 Best Restaurants for this recognition, and congratulations to every restaurant, chef, and team on this year’s list. To stand alongside so many restaurants that have shaped the way people think about food, hospitality, and culture is both humbling and inspiring.

This award and recognition is not possible without the cooks on the line, the dishwashers, servers, runners, bartenders, managers, farmers, producers, and every member of the Semma and team who show up every day with care, consistency, and pride in their work.

Thank you to our guests, peers, friends, and supporters who continue to believe in what we do.

Moments like this remind us that restaurants can be more than places to eat. They can tell stories, preserve traditions, create opportunities, and bring people together around a table. Thank you for allowing us to be part of the conversation.

Address

60 Greenwich Avenue
New York, NY
10011

Opening Hours

Tuesday 5pm - 10pm
Wednesday 5pm - 10pm
Thursday 5pm - 10pm
Friday 5pm - 10pm
Saturday 5pm - 10pm
Sunday 5pm - 10pm

Telephone

+1 212-373-8900

Website

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