In 2005, Chef Samia Behaya opened Simple in the heart of Williamsburg — and has run it herself ever since. The menu carries the food of her home in France, shaped by her family's roots in Algeria: traditional tagines and Algerian dishes like tchoutchouka sit alongside French classics, all cooked from the same kitchen. Ingredients are sourced locally, and the bread is baked fresh in house every day. Twenty years later, Simple remains what it always was — a neighborhood staple for anyone looking for a taste of home, away from home.
THE SHOP
2006
Tucked inside Simple, our restaurant in the heart of Williamsburg's South Side, the shop is a curated corner of things we love — a lifestyle store built the same way we cook: with care, and with an eye for what's genuinely worth bringing home. We work with local artisans who represent our neighborhood, alongside pieces we've found ourselves on our travels — unique goods sourced from around the world, chosen one at a time rather than stocked by the case. Among them is our own Simple candle, hand-selected scents that carry a little of the restaurant home with you. Every item here has a story behind it, the same way every dish in the restaurant does.
