After a run of pop-ups, Mili is preparing to put down roots. The restaurant from chef Jorge Luis Pabón and Alexis White is planned for a 34-seat space at 123 Ludlow St. on the Lower East Side.
According to Resy, Pabón and White began envisioning Mili three-and-a-half years before the restaurant's debut, long before they ever found a permanent home. The space itself reflects that slow build: a bright yellow exterior with large front windows, an open kitchen visible from the dining room, and a cooking stove imported from France, per the same account. The restaurant is called Mili.
From Mattos Hospitality to a Vermont Cheese Trip
Pabón and White are the team behind Mili. Pabón previously served as executive chef at Estela, and his résumé also includes stints at The French Laundry and El Celler de Can Roca, according to whatnow.com. White, who was born in the South, worked at Altro Paradiso, Brass, and The Tusk Bar, whatnow.com notes. Pabón is from Puerto Rico.
The two began testing their concept on the road in April 2025, eventually completing 18 pop-up activations at restaurants around New York City, Naples, and Mexico City, Resy reports. In August, Chin Up Bar hosted a preview of Mili as the pair prepared to open just three blocks away, according to finedininglovers.com, which notes that chefs increasingly use pop-ups to refine menus and test concepts before committing to a permanent restaurant — essentially treating the roving format as a dress rehearsal.
A Seasonal, Market-Driven Menu
Mili's menu leans on French technique applied to seasonal ingredients, with the team planning to work directly with farmers at the Union Square Greenmarket, per Resy. The roughly 15 shareable plates include savory cheese with caramelized onions, a potato and sunchoke tart, Hudson Valley duck, and monkfish with onion sauce and sea lettuce. Whatnow.com had separately reported sample dishes along similar lines, including cured scallops with melon and shiso and swordfish with spring onion sauce and sea lettuce, describing the fare as seasonal and market-driven.
Hours and the Road to Opening
Mili is slated to run Wednesday through Sunday from 5 to 11 p.m., per Resy. That schedule tracks with an earlier report from whatnow.com, which also described plans for the restaurant to operate Wednesday through Sunday and stay closed Mondays and Tuesdays — though that same report had initially pointed to a late-September opening target. On Resy's own listing, Mili is categorized as contemporary American dining with a $ price level and currently holds a 5 rating.
