Wayan NYC | Indonesian-French Dining in Nolita, New York
Chef Cédric Vongerichten's Indonesian cuisine with French flair in vibrant Nolita. Experience Southeast Asian flavors in an elegant teak-paneled setting.
Wayan is Cédric Vongerichten's debut solo restaurant, opened in Nolita as the chef's independent expression after years working alongside his father Jean Georges. Named after the Balinese word for first-born, the restaurant channels Indonesian flavors — galangal, lemongrass, tamarind — through French culinary training.
In the cobblestone heart of Nolita, Wayan unfolds like a love letter to two culinary worlds. Chef Cédric Vongerichten has crafted something entirely his own here—a restaurant where the aromatic complexity of Indonesian spice markets mingles with the precise technique of French kitchens. The dining room itself tells this story: warm teak paneling and authentic Balinese carvings create an intimate backdrop, while whitewashed brick and lush greenery soften the space with sophisticated restraint.
Each dish arrives as a revelation, marrying the bold, herbaceous flavors of Southeast Asia with the refined execution that runs in the Vongerichten bloodline. The seasonal menu shifts with deliberate care, allowing pristine ingredients to shine through layers of galangal, lemongrass, and tamarind. At the showpiece bar, cocktails bloom with regional ingredients—perhaps palm sugar and pandan, or the bright acidity of calamansi—each sip transporting you deeper into this culinary meditation.
This is dining as cultural conversation, where sharing plates encourage lingering over flavors that build and evolve. The recessed lighting casts everything in a golden glow, while the gentle hum of conversation creates the perfect soundtrack for discovering what happens when two great culinary traditions dance together on a single plate.
Cédric Vongerichten's first solo restaurant in Nolita — Indonesian spice market flavors through French technique, with teak paneling, Balinese carvings, and a showpiece bar built for sharing.
Wayan is Chef Cédric Vongerichten's debut solo restaurant in Nolita, named for the Balinese word for first-born, where Indonesian ingredients — galangal, lemongrass, tamarind — are prepared through French culinary training. The sharing-format menu shifts seasonally; Michelin recommended, with cocktails featuring palm sugar, pandan, and calamansi.
At a glance
- Address
- 20 Spring Street, New York, NY, New York, NY
- Price range
- $$$
- Cuisine
- French, Cocktail Bar, Indonesian
- Phone
- +19172614388
Common questions
Do they accept reservations?
Reservations are recommended at this Nolita fine dining destination. Book well in advance through the restaurant website.
What kind of cuisine is served?
Indonesian-French — Indonesian cuisine with modern French flair, marrying aromatic Southeast Asian spice with precise French technique.
What is the dress code?
Smart casual or business casual attire is appropriate. The atmosphere is refined and guests typically dress accordingly.
Where is the venue located?
Located at 20 Spring Street, New York, NY in Nolita.
Can the menu accommodate dietary restrictions?
Most dietary restrictions can be accommodated with advance notice. Please inform the restaurant when booking.