Pera Mediterranean Brasserie sits at 303 Madison Avenue in Midtown East, a few blocks from Grand Central. The name comes from Pera, the historic Istanbul neighborhood that’s been a meeting point of cultures and cuisines since the 17th century, and the kitchen leans into that: open-flame grilled meats and seafood, a long meze list, and Eastern Mediterranean and Turkish dishes rather than the more generic “Mediterranean” you see elsewhere in Midtown. It’s been featured in the Michelin Guide’s roundup of the city’s best Mediterranean restaurants, which called it out for consistently good, well-executed plates.
The vibes. The location. The gnocchi!
That’s the short version of our take, and it still holds up: an easy, reliable spot in a part of Midtown that’s short on good sit-down options, especially convenient if you’re coming from or heading to Grand Central.
The menu
The menu is large and split across mezes, salads, mains, sandwiches, and dessert, and it shifts seasonally, so we’re not going to try to reproduce the whole thing here. As of August 2026, mezes run $10 to $27 (Portuguese fried calamari, char-grilled Spanish octopus, homemade grape leaves, halloumi croquettes), mains run $23 to $52 (grilled lamb Adana, baby lamb chops, branzino, a few gnocchi and pasta options, pan-roasted salmon), and dessert is $9 to $14, with baklava and a dark chocolate soufflé among the options.
For the current menu and prices, check peranyc.com/menus.
What we ordered
Chef’s Meze Sampler (may be a rotating selection rather than a fixed menu item — worth asking your server if you don’t see it listed).
Pan-Roasted Salmon. Still on the current menu at $32.
Winter Kale Gnocchi 😋 (this exact dish isn’t on the current menu — Pera rotates a few gnocchi options, currently Black Truffle Gnocchi, Mediterranean Gnocchi, and Homemade Ricotta Gnocchi, so this was likely a seasonal version).
Sirloin “Shashlik” Steak frites (not shown). Still on the current menu at $36, listed as Sirloin “Shaslik” Steak Frites.
What to order at Pera
Start with a couple of mezes to share, since that’s where the menu is strongest. For a main, the Sirloin Shashlik Steak Frites is the closest match to what we had and still on the menu, and the Pan-Roasted Salmon is a safe, reliably good order if you want something lighter. If gnocchi is what you’re after, ask what the current version is since it rotates.
Hours, address & reservations
Pera
303 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10017
(212) 878-6301 · peranyc.com
- Monday–Friday: 11:45 AM to 9:30 PM
- Saturday: 11:45 AM to 10:00 PM
- Sunday: Private events only
Last seating is one hour before close. Reservations are available through OpenTable.
Price: Mezes run $10 to $27, mains $23 to $52, dessert $9 to $14. Expect roughly $50 to $75 per person for a full meal before drinks.
Is Pera worth it?
Yes, especially if you’re already in the neighborhood. It’s a genuinely good option in a stretch of Midtown that’s mostly office lunch spots, and it’s an easy pairing with a stop at The Campbell a few blocks away in Grand Central, before or after. Go for the mezes, order something off the grill, and don’t skip dessert.
