Aquavit

Aquavit opened in Midtown in 1987, long before contemporary Scandinavian cooking had a wide New York audience. Executive chef Emma Bengtsson now leads its kitchen, working with Nordic ingredients and methods in a dining room built for a composed, multi-course meal.

Preservation as part of the plate

The restaurant’s cooking brings together seafood, preserved elements, cultured dairy and seasonal produce. Curing and acidity have a purpose here: they give the seafood and vegetables shape without overwhelming them. The Michelin Guide describes the kitchen as contemporary Scandinavian, with an open kitchen visible from the dining room.

Different scales of service

Aquavit publishes separate lunch, tasting and chef’s tasting menus, so the experience can be a midday meal or a longer dinner. Bengtsson’s Swedish background gives the cooking its point of departure, while the seasonal menus leave room for ingredients and compositions to change. The restaurant also has two private dining rooms, the Linné Salon and Nobel Room, each with its own capacity and event setup.