Aquavit
Lunch M-F 11:45am-2:30pm; Dinner M-Sa 5:30pm-10:30pm
Claiming to be “the only world-class modern Nordic restaurant in the country,” Aquavit was created by Hakan Swahn in 1987, and its outstanding reputation has continued through the years. Inspired by the Swedish restaurant Operakalleren, Aquavit redesigned their interior in 2014, and now features a two-tier space, which is split into a casual, rustic dining room in front and a more modern, formal room used for private events in the back.
The menu reflects the Scandinavian affinity for seafood, and includes versions of Swedish classics such as gravlax and meatballs. The offerings are certainly influenced by their Scandinavian roots, but are intended to emulate international food with a Swedish touch, rather than replications of traditional dishes. Further, a selection of flavor-infused aquavit, the traditional Nordic liquor from which the restaurant takes its name, is naturally available.
Aquavit is known to have been the springboard for acclaimed chef, Marcus Samuelsson, who joined as executive chef at the age of twenty-three, and went on to become the youngest chef to ever gain a three-star rating in a New York Times review and to be named the Best Chef in New York City by the James Beard Foundation. When he moved on to open his own restaurant, Red Rooster in Harlem, fellow Swede, Marcus Jernmark took over his position. The restaurant was awarded its first Michelin star in 2013, in the reign of Jernmark. When he left in 2014, Emma Bengtsson, also from Sweden – who initially joined Aquavit as a pastry chef in 2010 – took over the position. Soon after her arrival, Aquavit was granted its second Michelin star, celebrating the work of Bengtsson, and making her the second female chef in the US to be granted this honor.
