Aquavit
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2 Michelin Stars · La Liste Top Restaurants · Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence
Our verdict
Aquavit has served Scandinavian cooking in Midtown since 1987. Today Emma Bengtsson leads the two-Michelin-star kitchen, with lunch and two tasting-menu formats that bring seafood, preserved flavors and seasonal produce into a contemporary Nordic dining room.
Pearl is the En Primeur Club membership app, where members save venues, book tables and use the concierge.
The menu
What to order
- Birds_nest_dessert
- Sweetbreads
- Sea_bass
- Wagyu_beef
Aquavit opened in Midtown in 1987 and remains one of New York’s established addresses for Scandinavian cooking. At 65 East 55th Street, executive chef Emma Bengtsson leads a two-Michelin-star kitchen; the dining room’s open kitchen makes the preparation part of the scene.
A Swedish point of view in New York
Bengtsson’s menus draw on Nordic flavors without fixing the restaurant to a single inherited dish. The Michelin Guide describes seafood, preserved elements, cultured dairy and seasonal produce as recurring features of the tasting menus. The restaurant offers separate lunch, tasting and chef’s tasting menus, giving guests different ways to experience that cooking.
Planning the meal
Aquavit serves weekday lunch and dinner Monday through Saturday; it is closed Sunday. Reservations open on the first of each month through the end of the following month for parties of six or fewer. The dining-room dress code is smart casual. For larger groups, the Linné Salon and Nobel Room are the restaurant’s dedicated private-dining spaces.
Frequently asked questions
Who runs the kitchen at Aquavit?
The chef associated with Aquavit is Emma Bengtsson.
What distinctions does Aquavit have?
Aquavit has received recognition including: La Liste Top Restaurants (2026): 91pts; WINE: Wine Strengths: Burgundy, France, California, Germany, Champagne, Italy Pricing: $$$ i Wine pricing: Based on the list\'s general markup and high and low price points:$ has many bottles < $50;$$….
What's the signature dish at Aquavit?
Aquavit's tasting menus rotate, but notable courses have included North Sea cod torched and served with mussel foam and roasted red endive, duck breast dressed tableside with beet sauce enriched with duck jus, and a dessert of green apple and fennel with rye cake, apple ice, bitter caramel, and smoked crème fraîche. These plates reflect Chef Emma Bengtsson's approach: Nordic preservation and fermentation techniques applied to a precise tasting-menu format.
Is Aquavit focused on a specific cuisine style?
Aquavit serves contemporary Swedish fine dining.
What should I budget for a meal at Aquavit?
Pricing at Aquavit is $275 per person.
What are Aquavit's hours?
Hours at Aquavit: Monday 12-1:30 pm, 5-9 pm; Tuesday 12-1:30 pm, 5-9 pm; Wednesday 12-1:30 pm, 5-9 pm; Thursday 12-1:30 pm, 5-9 pm; Friday 12-1:30 pm, 5-9:30 pm; Saturday 5-9:30 pm; Sunday closed.
What's Aquavit's location?
Aquavit is located at 65 E 55th St, New York, NY 10022.
Recognition history
Dated appearances from independent guides and award organizations, with the underlying list record or original source where available.
Michelin 2 Stars
Michelin
La Liste Top Restaurants
La Liste
New York Times Best Restaurants in New York City #8
New York Times
Opinionated About Dining Top Restaurants in North America Ranked #125
Opinionated About Dining
Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence
Wine Spectator
Full recognition history (10 entries)
AAA 5 Diamond
AAA
La Liste Top Restaurants
La Liste
The Best Chef Two Knives
The Best Chef
Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence
Wine Spectator
Michelin 2 Stars
Michelin
