Atomix, the two-Michelin-star restaurant chef Junghyun "JP" Park opened with his wife Ellia in 2018, has become one of New York's most consistently coveted reservations, ranking as high as No. 6 on the World's 50 Best Restaurants list in 2024 — the highest placement of any American restaurant that year. Built around an intimate, 14-seat chef's counter in a Murray Hill brownstone, the restaurant has positioned itself less as a Korean restaurant serving tasting-menu food and more as a platform for translating Korean culture, ingredients, and design into every part of the dining experience.
From Atoboy to Atomix
Junghyun Park, a Seoul native with a food science degree, took an unconventional path into fine dining — apprenticing in Finland, London, and Australia to make up for a lack of formal culinary training, before returning to Seoul to work at the two-Michelin-star restaurant Jungsik and later helping open its New York outpost. In 2016, Park and his wife Jeongeun "Ellia" Park opened Atoboy, a more casual Manhattan restaurant built around banchan and French technique applied to Korean dishes, which went on to earn a Bib Gourmand distinction in 2017. Buoyed by that success, the couple opened Atomix the following year as a more refined expression of the same culinary vision.
A Rapid Climb Through the Michelin Ranks
Atomix received its first Michelin star in the 2018 guide, its debut year, and was elevated to two stars just two years later in the 2020 New York City & Westchester County guide. The restaurant has held two stars ever since, alongside a three-star rating from the New York Times and a No. 6 ranking on the 2024 World's 50 Best Restaurants list — recognition that's made a third Michelin star feel, to many critics and diners, like a real possibility rather than a stretch.
"Ato": A Gift, Translated Through Food
Both Atoboy and Atomix take their names from "ato," an ancient Korean word for "gift," a concept Park has described as central to the restaurants' entire philosophy — the idea of offering guests something specifically Korean rather than a generalized fine-dining experience with Korean accents. That philosophy extends deliberately beyond the food itself: Atomix's ceramics, menu cards, and interior design are all created by contemporary Korean designers and artisans, with Park describing the restaurant as a creative platform meant to tell the story of Korean traditional cuisine and history alongside the story of modern Korean design.
The Dining Experience
Guests are seated either at the intimate 14-seat U-shaped Chef's Counter overlooking the kitchen or at a smaller upstairs bar offering a more accessible version of the tasting menu. The menu changes seasonally but consistently draws on Korean tradition and technique, with dishes that have included marinated blue crab tart, Jeju abalone with watermelon, oxidized monkfish liver soup, and mumallaengi-seasoned rice paired with makgeolli ice cream. Diners are typically walked through an ingredient showcase before the meal begins, previewing the seasonal components — caviar, shellfish, premium beef, infused oils — that will appear across the courses that follow.
Atomix at a Glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Chefs/Owners | Junghyun "JP" Park and Ellia Park |
| Location | NoMad/Murray Hill, New York City |
| Opened | 2018 |
| Michelin Progression | 1 star (2018) → 2 stars (2020) |
| Notable Ranking | No. 6, World's 50 Best Restaurants (2024) |
Frequently Asked Questions
Who owns Atomix?
It's owned and run by husband-and-wife team Junghyun "JP" Park, the chef, and Ellia Park, the restaurant's director.
How many Michelin stars does Atomix have?
It holds two Michelin stars, earned in 2018 and elevated from one star in 2020.
What does "Atomix" mean?
The name derives from "ato," an ancient Korean word for "gift," reflecting the restaurant's mission to offer guests a genuine translation of Korean culture through food and design.
Is Atomix related to Atoboy?
Yes, Atoboy, opened by the same couple in 2016, was Atomix's more casual predecessor, and the two restaurants share the "ato" naming philosophy.
How many seats does Atomix have?
The main dining experience is an intimate 14-seat chef's counter, with a smaller upstairs bar offering a separate, more accessible tasting menu.
Menu items, pricing, and reservation availability can change — check Atomix's official website for current information.