The Greek island of Mykonos is synonymous with luxury and attracts a glamorous clientele that return to its shores year after year. But like other European summer resorts, Mykonos goes into hibernation for the off-season and remains shut until the spring, which can be an exhaustingly long wait for regulars. Luckily, those who yearn for a taste of Hellenic opulence in those cold, dark winter months have the option of jetting off to the Middle East to wine and dine in the Dubai branch of the famed Mykonos restaurant, Nammos.
Nammos Dubai opened its doors in 2019 and is the brainchild of Greek entrepreneur Petros Stathis, the sole owner of equity and investment company Monterock International, which employs 2,500 people across 18 countries and holds stakes in over a dozen high-end hotels and restaurants around the globe. After living in the Emirates for several years, Stathis noticed that there weren’t any luxury Mediterranean dining experiences in Dubai, even though it was one of the most profitable restaurant locations in the world. Sensing an opportunity, Stathis and Monterock turned to the owners of the famed Mykonos beachside restaurant Nammos with the view of bringing Med glamor to the UAE.
“I noticed that Dubai didn’t have a luxury lifestyle Mediterranean F&B experience,” says Stathis. “Yet it was and remains one of the most profitable restaurant locations in the world. So, I decided that we should be the ones to bring the Med to Dubai.”
The venture has been an unbridled success, with Nammos Dubai overtaking the Malibu branch of Nobu as the highest grossing restaurant on the planet. Situated in the Jumeirah Beach branch of Four Seasons Resort, Nammos Dubai offers a Mediterranean-inspired menu and upscale Bohemian chic surroundings that will make you feel like you’ve been transported to the Cyclades via the Persian gulf. It’s the perfect place to wine and dine while counting down the days until the opening of the new summer season on Mykonos.
Nammos Dubai has been such a hit for Monterock that the company has already begun to expand the Greek brand into new markets and sectors, namely luxury resorts and retail. Nammos Qatar restaurant and beach lounge arrived on Al Maha Island in Doha ahead of last year’s FIFA World Cup and new Nammos outposts are set to open in London, Cannes, the Maldives, Miami, Abu Dhabi, and the Red Sea over the coming years. Meanwhile, on Mykonos, Nammos Shopping Village is already in operation and offers an elite boutique retail experience featuring some of the the most coveted brands in fashion and design, from Balenciaga to Rolex.
Although hotels and resorts are new territory for the Nammos brand, Monterock has an abundance of experience in this sector to rely on. The company’s vast portfolio also includes the exclusive AMAN Hotels in Montenegro and Venice (where George and Amal Clooney spent their honeymoon) which is great news for Mykonos regulars, as they’ll be able to enjoy the glamor of the Greek islands all year round, even in the depths of winter.
“Since the pandemic, Dubai has re-confirmed its status as the most dynamic place in the world for business and brands,” says Petros Stathis. “It is this attractiveness as a location and concentration of sophisticated clientele that has driven the explosion of new, high-end food & beverage businesses.”
Article by Aleks Eror
