Located in Condesa, Oly is a space where food, design, and life at sea come together naturally. Rather than following a single culinary tradition, the restaurant builds its identity from lived experience: recipes, ingredients, and ideas discovered while sailing through different destinations around the world.
The project began with three friends—a restaurateur, an architect, and a chef—who wanted to create a warm, relaxed, and welcoming place, almost like a home where simple food could be shared and prepared with precision. Over time, that vision evolved through a mutual passion for the ocean and sailing.
At the heart of Oly is chef Holly Pollard, originally from Dorset, United Kingdom, who divides her time with her partner between Mexico City and sailing routes around the world. For several months each year, they live at sea, exploring local markets, techniques, and ingredients that later inspire the restaurant’s menu. Many of those ideas are first developed aboard the boat, then reinterpreted with her team in Mexico City.
The result is a fresh, light, and constantly evolving style of cooking. Oly approaches food as a collective experience inspired by Mediterranean culture, where sharing the table is an essential part of the ritual. Its menu is shaped by seasonal ingredients, simple preparations, and a direct connection to the sea.
Rather than defining itself as a traditional Mediterranean restaurant, Oly reflects a way of life. Each dish begins with a straightforward idea: cook with what is available in that particular place and moment.
Among the restaurant’s signature dishes is ajo blanco with grapes, a chilled soup from southern Spain made with almonds, bread, and garlic, finished with extra-virgin olive oil and white balsamic vinegar. Another standout is the yellow lemon capellini, served with a broth made from lemon leaves, juice, and zest to highlight the ingredient in all its dimensions.
The experience is complemented by a relaxed yet carefully considered atmosphere, designed for long lunches, afternoons over wine, and spontaneous gatherings. Unpretentious but deeply attentive to detail, Oly aims to feel like dining in the home of someone close to you, only with impeccable execution.
The space also features a growing art collection that forms part of the restaurant experience. It includes garden design by Maria Kalach, ceramics by Mariana Valandrano of KHE Studio, and works by artists including Josele T. Cesarman, Nettle Grellier, Meryl Yana, and Manuela Garcia.
With a philosophy centered on sharing, exploring, and enjoying the moment, Oly connects life at sea with what arrives at the table through a style of cooking that is honest, fresh, and deeply shaped by travel.
