London-born chef India Doris is bringing her culinary expertise to Chelsea with the opening of her modern European restaurant, Haymarket.
Set to debut on Friday, June 27, Haymarket will be located at 326 Seventh Avenue, near West 28th Street.
Doris, who draws heavily from her Jamaican heritage, will feature peri peri chicken as the restaurant’s standout dish.
This dish pays homage to her grandmother, who transformed traditional Sunday roasts into flavor-packed experiences with spicy jerk chicken.
Doris’s nostalgia for Nando’s, the well-known South African chicken chain that has gained popularity in London, greatly influenced her journey in developing this signature dish.
She fondly recalls enjoying Nando’s during her childhood but believes there’s room for improvement: ‘Yeah, this is not as good as it used to be,’ she said, indicating her desire to showcase more refined options.
At Haymarket, the peri peri chicken will be a deboned half-chicken marinated in a flavorful peri peri sauce, accompanied by a fresh side salad and a crispy chicken wing, priced at $36.
Doris’s journey has taken her through various kitchens in Normandy, Spain, and London.
After relocating to New York in 2016 to join the Nomad team, she encountered Alex Pfaffenbach, co-owner of Haymarket.
Doris subsequently honed her skills at renowned restaurants, including Saga Hospitality (now Kent Hospitality) and Crown Shy, where she climbed the ranks to become executive sous chef at the two-Michelin-starred Saga by 2019.
However, it became time for her to create her own vision, leading to the establishment of Haymarket.
According to Pfaffenbach, Haymarket offers ‘this very unique perspective on European food, but seen through the lens of someone who grew up in a Caribbean household.’
Pfaffenbach, who has an impressive background including roles at Eleven Madison Park and quality branded hospitality, aims to present a vibrant atmosphere at Haymarket that reflects the culinary diversity of Doris’s background.
The restaurant boasts 75 seats, occupying a spacious 2,200 square feet, with a central 15-seat bar surrounded by decor that features green and burnt orange hues.
Walls will be adorned with a custom mural by Nashville artist Charlotte Terrel, showcasing the stunning landscapes of England and the Hudson Valley.
Later this July, Doris and Pfaffenbach plan to unveil a basement bar at the same location, though a name for the bar has yet to be revealed.
The menu at Haymarket includes a range of snacks, appetizers, pastas, grains, entrees, and desserts, all of which encapsulate Doris’s approach to cuisine.
She describes her culinary style as ‘a bit spicy, a bit bolder,’ incorporating the influences she has encountered throughout her global travels.
The menu features dishes like salt cod fritters, reminiscing about her grandmother’s recipes, lamb and mushroom skewers reminiscent of popular London kebabs, and braised oxtail served with oxtail jus and crispy cheddar cheese polenta.
On the dessert front, customers will find a carefully curated selection that reflects Doris’s childhood favorites.
Among the desserts is a layered mango-coconut-lime pudding, combining flavors of mango and lime gelee, mango and young coconut relish, rum syrup-soaked crisps, and shaved young coconut, evoking nostalgic trifle vibes.
Also on offer are a strawberry cheesecake Swiss roll and a mocha creme caramel, which highlights an interactive experience with mocha sauce poured table-side.
Chris Figueroa, an alum from the bar scene at Kent Hospitality, will oversee the cocktail program at Haymarket.
He has previously worked at Saga, Crown Shy, and Overstory and was recognized as one of Punch’s Best New Bartender finalists in 2024.
The cocktail menu includes innovative creations in two categories: Tall & Crisp and Stirred & Bold.
Highlights include the Hay Barbie, an egg white sour cocktail mixed with mezcal, aquavit, cachaça, pickled beets, ginger, and saffron, and the Cafe du Bois, an Old Fashioned featuring brandy, bourbon, scotches, coffee, maraschino liqueurs, and a cacao nib tuile garnish.
Figueroa will also manage the beverage offerings at the upcoming basement bar.
As Pfaffenbach elaborates, this new space will serve as ‘Figueroa’s true love letter to New York City bars and his experiences as a born-and-raised New Yorker.’
In choosing the name Haymarket, Pfaffenbach was inspired by the historical 19th-century dance hall in Manhattan, located in the Tenderloin district during the 1890s.
This area was known for its lively atmosphere and diverse crowd coming together to celebrate, which reflects Haymarket’s vision of inclusivity and enjoyment.
With their fine-dining backgrounds, Doris and Pfaffenbach are committed to ensuring that Haymarket is a place of enjoyment and hospitality, blending upscale dining with a lively, engaging atmosphere.
Pfaffenbach notes, ‘You can have this beautiful seamless experience with this really thoughtful food, but be in this raucous dinner party atmosphere.’
This ethos is crafted to offer diners a memorable experience bridging the gap between fine dining and a fun, lively environment.
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