Inside Mēdüzā Mediterrania’s VIP room where Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce double-dated: Secret door, caviar and starry clientele
A new Mediterranean eatery in New York City’s trendy Meatpacking District has already become a go-to hotspot for A-listers like Cardi B and Mark Wahlberg.
Mēdüzā Mediterrania gave Page Six an exclusive peek inside its private upstairs dining room, where Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce recently dined with close pals Patrick and Brittany Mahomes.
“They had a lovely little dinner up here,” restaurant group Noble 33’s director of hospitality, Sacha Tanha, told us of the pop star and her boyfriend’s double date with the quarterback and his wife on Sept. 8.
The intimate VIP space — dreamed up by Noble 33’s in-house design team called Monochrome — features a long setup of tables, topped with delicate dried-floral arrangements, that can be reconfigured to seat small or large groups.
Floral vines hang from the ceiling and climb up the cloud-colored walls, while shelves stacked with pottery and plants evoke a tranquil energy that complements the earthy ceramic tableware.
The room is hit with a flare of modernity thanks to a large flat-screen TV perfect for private watch parties as well as a floor-to-ceiling arched mirror that opens up the room.
“If I had to describe the energy when you walk in, it’s energetic and sexy,” Tanha said, adding that the entire property is great for date nights, girls’ nights and birthdays thanks to a nightly DJ and live musicians playing atmospheric “deep house with European and tropical elements.”
Tahna shared that his “favorite Mēdüzā memory” was hosting Swift, Kelce and the Mahomeses in the private room, where they had “a great time, laughing [and] chit-chatting.”
“And getting good feedback on the food and drinks is always great,” he added of the group’s visit.
Tanha divulged that the Kansas City Chiefs teammates and their respective partners were extremely kind to restaurant staffers while dining on the cozy upper level.
“I love those four so much,” Tanha said. “Without getting too much into detail, in my industry, we always say you can see someone’s true colors with how they treat people in restaurants.
“If I had to say anything about those four, it’s that even when the cameras are not rolling, they’re so kind and genuine and polite,” he continued. “I wish people knew that and saw that.”
Page Six previously reported that the foursome dined on lamb chops, cacio e pepe and hamachi.
As for the energy of the main dining room of the Mykonos-inspired restaurant — adorned with basket chandeliers, hand-crafted pottery and lush greenery — Tanha said it was “bananas” as soon as Swift entered the venue.
“People were glued onto the staircase [leading to the private room] just waiting for someone to come down,” he recalled.
Fortunately, the Mēdüzā team is well-trained in offering A-listers a safe place where they won’t be disturbed by prying eyes.
That meant sneaking the Grammy winner and football player into the venue through a secret back entrance leading to the secluded dining room.
“We made sure they get the swift entrance, no pun intended,” Tanha joked, noting that the staff will often supply extra security to guard high-profile celebrities from unwanted intruders.
“It’s providing them that security and discretion. We’re not calling people, our staff isn’t taking photos of people and we’re going to provide an extra element of security to make sure no one goes up there,” he added.
The establishment will almost always accommodate special requests — whether it be keeping the kitchen open after closing hours or fulfilling a special table request.
“We create a very comfortable environment for people, and I’ve learned that public figures and celebrities do have to be a little more selective with where they go,” the restaurateur said.
“Whatever we can do to make them comfortable in the restaurant we always do.”
Tanha admitted to once emptying the bathroom so an unidentified celebrity guest could go in private. He also offered to close down half the restaurant for another A-lister when the private dining room was booked.
“When they come to this restaurant, no one’s gonna bother them, and we treat them just like they’re any other guest — but with just another layer of comfort,” he said.
Of course, the main attraction of the popular haunt is the wide array of cuisine on the menu cooked up by head chef and culinary visionary James Atkinson.
Some of the favorite dishes to the stars include raw bar selections like bluefin tuna and caviar, hamachi with lemon and capers and wagyu carpaccio, as well as entrées like lamb chops with chimichurri sauce, classic French-style dover sole and black truffle cacio e pepe pasta.
We’re told Cardi recently ordered the chicken meatball skewer while seated in the main dining room and even rated the dish “10 out of 10” while posting a photo of her food to her Instagram Story.
“If we’re talking dessert, the olive oil cake is an automatic on every single table,” Tanha recommended.
Due to the fish-forward menu, diners often sip on glasses of white wine, though several of the specialty cocktails are quite popular amongst the glitterati.
“We have such a fun and interactive cocktail menu that’s so approachable and has something for everyone,” Tanha said, listing off their make-your-own spritz option called the Garden of Eden and their spicy Mēdüzā Margarita.
“My personal favorite is the See You in Santorini,” Tanha said of the tequila and passionfruit-based cocktail mixed with fresh coconut-infused Aperol and lime.
“It’s very refreshing and tropical; you can drink 10 of those, and next thing you know, you can’t see,” he joked.
Other VIPs who have popped into the mezze mecca since its opening last year include G-Eazy, Glenn Powell, Meek Mill, Ice Spice, Issa Rae, Flo Rida and dozens more. Kelce is a repeat customer and had a boys’ night out at the Greek joint in September 2023.
Noble 33 — co-founded by Tosh Berman and Tanha’s brother Mikey Tanha — is working closely with Kelce and Patrick to open up their new Kansas City, Mo., restaurant named after their respective Chiefs jersey numbers, 1587 Prime.
“This is a very perfect example of when friendship can turn into business,” Sacha said. “We had this opportunity come up, and Patrick and Travis were awesome enough to trust us to be the ones to essentially be their partner and help them build this next chapter.”
The high-end, modern American steakhouse will be based inside the Loews Kansas City Hotel and is set to open its doors in spring 2025.
