The Dinner Spot DUMBO Was Missing: Inside Ziggy's Roman Café
January 14, 2026
We sat down with Helen Zhang, co-founder of DUMBO's newest eatery Ziggy's Roman Café, before their official opening to hear how it all came to life. She and her husband Igor Hadzismajlovic, one of the original co-founders of the iconic Employees Only bar, wanted to build the kind of spot they always wished existed in the neighborhood.
Q: What inspired Ziggy’s?
Helen: The whole idea for Ziggy's Roman Cafe came to life from hearing that there weren't enough places in the neighborhood to eat, and we just wanted something to really serve our own need.
Q: Why DUMBO?
Helen: We just love it here—it's such a tight-knit community. We see the same people, and we really have felt like the neighborhood truly wants us here and has been so supportive along the way. So we're trying to create a space that's welcoming to everybody, a gathering place for the neighborhood. I think to really establish yourself as a successful business in any community, you have to get to know your neighbors.
“We just love it here—it's such a tight-knit community."
Helen Zhang, co-founder of Ziggy's Roman Café
Q: What's on the menu?
Helen: So the menu is straightforward, unfussy, easy Roman food classics. As for the drinks, my husband is one of the co-founders of the cocktail bar Employees Only, so we'll have incredibly sophisticated drinks that are straightforward and simple but extremely delicious.
Q: Tell us about the kids play area.
Helen: When we first saw this space, the thing that really stuck out was the beautiful, huge mezzanine area, and we thought, why not use a little portion of it to entertain the kids? Because that's one of our primary struggles of going out to eat.
Q: What do you hope people feel when they’re at Ziggy’s?
Helen: I hope they feel at ease and I hope they feel relieved—that they're going to be taken care of, feel welcomed, and not judged.
