You step off an industrial, stark stretch of Maujer Street in East Williamsburg, slide past a contemporary art campus, and suddenly find yourself inside a soaring, design-forward sanctuary. This is Zoli. Named after an imaginary dog belonging to Amant art foundation founder Lonti Ebers, this 35-seat restaurant isn't just another neighborhood spot trying to sling trendy small plates. It is a deliberate, meticulously crafted culinary project spearheaded by chef Ned Baldwin—formerly of Houseman—alongside chef de cuisine Danny Roberts and executive sous chef Aimee Li.
If you are tired of cookie-cutter Manhattan spots charging extortionate prices for mundane branzino, Zoli offers a sharp, refreshing correction. Let us look at what makes this place worth your time and money.
The Room and the Vibe
Walking through the door delivers an instant spatial jolt. Designed by GRT Architects, the interior repurposes an old warehouse into a cathedral of texture. Two-tone cinderblocks sourced from the exact manufacturer that supplied Sol LeWitt rise twenty feet into the air. Raw burlap lines the ceiling to keep the noise down, while natural cork wraps the walls.
Then there is the art. Pierre Huyghe's site-specific installation, Satellite, anchors the heavy pewter bar with three massive aquariums. Horseshoe crabs and marine life drift past reconstructed debris that subtly nods to nearby Newtown Creek. It sounds weird on paper. In practice, it works. It creates a mood that is moody, industrial, and utterly distinct from typical Brooklyn dining rooms.
Inside the Non-Dogmatic Menu
Baldwin keeps a boat in Mill Basin and spends plenty of time fishing on the North Fork. That obsession bleeds directly into the menu. He calls Zoli a "non-dogmatic seafood restaurant," and he means it. You won't find tired interpretations of a raw bar here.
Take the cold preparations. You might get pickled mackerel, oysters finished with a sharp smoked rhubarb mignonette, or razor clams spiked with preserved lemon and horseradish. On my visit, a plate of thinly sliced surf clams came accessorized with fiery serrano chile slices and crunchy peanuts, delivering an aggressive punch of texture and heat.
Warm plates push boundaries even further. The monkfish is treated like a proper cut of meat—butchered as a thick, bone-in slab, rubbed with morito chile, and served resting in a bright, acidic tomatillo sauce. It's meaty, springy, and entirely satisfying. Smoked oyster beignets arrive as bivalves breaded in cornmeal and fried deeply crisp, completely redefining how you view a fritter.
Of course, if your dining companion refuses to eat fish, the kitchen has them covered. A wood-burning oven turns out a bison strip steak with sauce Robert, alongside a spatchcocked roast chicken enriched with a deep kombu jus. Do not skip the fries, or the Olney salad, which nods to the late, obsessive food writer Richard Olney with its crisp greens and precise, sharp dressing.
The Drinks and the Rooftop
Cocktails hover around nineteen dollars, with well-chosen wine bottles clustered heavily in the eighty-dollar range. The real hidden asset here, though, is Bar Zoli.
When the weather cooperates, the upstairs seasonal rooftop terrace opens up. Surrounded by rewilded plantings, it gives you views of the surrounding Brooklyn warehouse roofscape while you work through a dedicated snack menu. Think shrimp chips, fried dogfish, a deviled crab roll, and a clever ice cream sandwich. It is easily one of the best summer outdoor drinking setups to open in the borough recently.
Logistics and Practical Advice
Zoli is located at 312 Maujer Street. They are open Wednesday through Sunday starting at 5:00 PM. Securing a table ahead of time via Resy is smart, but they do hold a portion of their seats open for walk-ins if you are feeling spontaneous.
Expect a higher price point. This is a special-occasion destination, not a cheap weeknight takeout joint. Yet, despite the serious pedigree and the high-end design, the room lacks pretension. The servers are casual, Baldwin frequently checks in on tables, and the overall atmosphere feels genuinely welcoming.
If you want to see where Brooklyn dining is heading next, skip the hype cycles in Williamsburg proper and head straight to Maujer Street. Book a table, order the monkfish, and spend an hour staring into the aquariums. You won't regret it.
