NYC Korean restaurant takes top prize in elite new best North American eatery awards

A Korean restaurant in Manhattan has claimed the ultimate culinary crown.

Atomix, a critically acclaimed fine-dining spot in the NoMad neighborhood offering a $395 12-course tasting menu, was named No. 1 on the inaugural North America’s 50 Best Restaurants list, in a splashy Las Vegas ceremony earlier this week.

Twelve other New York spots also made the list — including seafood stalwart Le Bernardin, the trendy French Le Veau d’Or and Brooklyn’s The Four Horsemen.

“We are deeply honored to be recognized among so many inspiring restaurants,” chef-owner Junghyun ‘JP’ Park said afterward in a written statement. “This motivates us to continue pushing ourselves and to share the depth and creativity within Korean cuisine with the world.”

The new awards are an off-shoot of the prestigious World’s 50 Best Restaurants list, a favorite of globetrotting gourmands.

The accolade reinforces Atomix’s growing global influence. The restaurant currently sits at No. 12 on the franchise’s worldwide list, holds two Michelin stars, and earlier this year picked up a James Beard Award for Outstanding Hospitality.

Park opened Atomix with wife Ellia in 2018, quickly making waves in the Big Apple dining scene for its refined dishes blending Korean tradition and modern artistry, served on custom ceramics.

Popular dishes include tteok-galbi (grilled short rib patty) with chocolate and chopi (Korean pepper), halibut served with sea urchin and rice porridge.

The win comes as the Parks prepare to celebrate a major milestone: the 10-year anniversary of sister restaurant Atoboy, credited with beginning a trend toward contemporary Korean dining in NYC.

Since then, the couple has expanded their portfolio with NARO and Seoul Salon.

“For us, hospitality has always been about creating spaces that feel warm, thoughtful, and forward-thinking,” Ellia Park said.

“As we look ahead to the 10-year anniversary of our first restaurant and our own beginnings, we are so proud of our team and grateful for the support of our guests as we explore what the next decade can look like.”

Canada dominated the list’s top five, otherwise, with Mon Lapin in Montreal, Restaurant Pearl Morissette near Toronto in Ontario’s Niagara wine region and Tanière3 in Quebec City all squeezing in right at the top.

Only one other US restaurant, the Michelin three-starred Smyth in Chicago, made the top five.

NYC restaurants on the North America’s 50 Best Restaurants list

• Atomix
• Le Bernardin
• Le Veau d’Or
• The Four Horsemen
• Via Carota
• Kono
• Aska
• Saga
• Jungsik
• Corima
• César
• Café Carmellini
• Penny