Sometimes, the stars just align. That was the case for my wife Lindsey and me on a recent trip to New York City. We were there for one night — one shot to eat somewhere memorable — and somehow landed a reservation at Semma, the Southern Indian restaurant from the team at Unapologetic Foods. And today? It just got named the No. 1 restaurant in New York by The New York Times. Not a bad coincidence.
Here’s how critic Priya Krishna describes it:
New York is teeming with Indian restaurants. Yet before Semma, a deeply personal tribute to the chef Vijay Kumar’s upbringing in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, the city’s diners had never seen Indian food like this. Punctuated with chiles, coconut and earthy curry leaves, Semma’s flavors are lingering and loud, yet restrained. Its dosa is the best in the city: a crisp specimen that’s heady with fermentation and slicked with ghee and fiery gunpowder spice. Semma altered the course of Indian dining here, and four years on, Mr. Kumar’s food continues to feel fresh.
We were already buzzing just walking in. The place had that feeling — you know the one. That electric hum that only exists when everything’s in sync. It’s not something you can manufacture or buy — it either exists or it doesn’t. And at Semma, it was there in full force. That warmth, that soul. Like a worn-in blanket you reach for on a cool night.
The menu reads like a love letter to the region. Small, shareable bites to start. Bigger plates for the middle. And then the mains, rounded out with rice and breads. Chef Vijay came out to say hi — his face lit up with pride — and asked if there was anything we wanted to try. We just said, “We’re in your hands.”
The ride began with Paniyaram — crispy rice and lentil dumplings kissed with asafoetida and served with Paatti’s chutney. Then came one of the most unexpected hits of the night: Mulaikattiya Thaniyam — sprouted mung beans with coconut and chili. Light, spicy, refreshing. Those two dishes set the tone: this wasn’t going to be a normal dinner. This was a flavor journey.
Next came the dish you’ve probably seen all over the internet: the Gunpowder Dosa. A lacy, crisp crepe made with rice and lentil flour, stuffed with potato masala and served with three sauces. Straight-up delicious. It landed next to a salad of snow and snap peas with coconut and red onion — clean, cool, and crunchy. Then came tender pieces of braised short rib, rich with black cardamom and Tellicherry pepper. Boom.
We paired it all with a bottle of Matthiasson Chardonnay from the Linda Vista Vineyard in Napa. Steve and Jill Matthiasson are some of my favorite people in wine — smart, thoughtful, and making wines that speak to the land. If you haven’t had one of their bottles yet, go get one. Seriously.
Somewhere in there, there was an amaro break (because why not?), and then the mains started rolling in.
The lobster tail — served over a creamy, coconut milk broth with mustard seed and turmeric — was just as silky and luxurious as it sounds. The roasted lamb chops hit with perfect texture and spice. And the goat biryani? A fitting exclamation point to a meal already full of fireworks. At this point, our tastebuds were in full sensory overload — in the best way.
And just when we thought we were done, out came dessert. One with perfect mango. The other with bright passion fruit. After all the richness and spice, these were exactly what we needed — light, clean, beautiful.
So — is Semma deserving of the No. 1 spot? Yeah. It is. But it’s more than just the food, wine, or cocktails. What sets it apart is heart. It’s clear how much of themselves chef Vijay, Roni, and Chintan put into this restaurant. The passion, the pride, the story — it’s all on the plate.
Thank you, chef. Thank you, Roni. Thank you, Chintan. For one incredible night, you invited us into your world. And we’ll never forget it.
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Share your NYC recommendations with Chris via email at chris@chrisshepherd.is.
Chris Shepherd won a James Beard Award for Best Chef: Southwest in 2014. The Southern Smoke Foundation, a nonprofit he co-founded with his wife Lindsey Brown, has distributed more than $11 million to hospitality workers in crisis through its Emergency Relief Fund. Catch his TV show, Eat Like a Local, every Saturday at 10 am on KPRC Channel 2 or on YouTube.
