Aquavit

"The focus at this two-Michelin-starred spot is on local and sustainable ingredients, with an emphasis on seafood, but chef Emma Bengtsson’s Arctic Bird’s Nest — a stunningly realistic-looking creation incorporating a honey nest, chocolate twigs, freeze-dried raspberries, brownie dirt, and shredded halvah — is worth the trip on its own. Though it’s possible to splurge with the $275 chef tasting, several price points are available, including a $175 tasting menu, an a la carte bar menu, and two-course ($75) or three-course ($85) lunch menus." - Melissa McCart

"“One of my all-time favorite holiday dishes is gravlax with hovmästarsås,” says Emma Bengtsson, chef of Aquavit in New York City, who says that in her native Sweden, they enjoy it during all the holidays, but she especially cherishes it at Christmas on the traditional Julbord. “Growing up, gravlax was a true delicacy, something I could indulge in only on special occasions. I vividly remember wishing for it every year on my birthday. My parents would take me to a restaurant that specialized in all kinds of cured salmon, and that annual outing became the highlight of my year.” On the Christmas Julbord, gravlax serves as the perfect bridge among the various cold dishes: “After enjoying the salty and briny herring, transitioning to the succulent salmon creates a delightful contrast before moving on to the cold meats,” says Bengtsson." - Jillian Dara

"Håkan Swahn, owner of the two-Michelin-starred Scandinavian restaurant Aquavit, mentioned that any prolonged disruption of deliveries due to the strike would have some impact. However, as a single-unit restaurant, they are flexible enough to tweak their menus and substitute shortages with locally available produce." - Melissa McCart

"Aquavit, a Two MICHELIN Star restaurant, is celebrating their annual Herring Festival from July 9th—19th. The festival features a spread of seven house-made herrings and Nordic breads, with a five-course menu for $350 per person." - Kevin Chau

"Swedish cuisine is more than meatballs. Not that there’s anything wrong with meatballs, especially if they’re the kind served by Emma Bengtsson and her team at Aquavit. The Two Star restaurant has been an institution for over two decades with Bengtsson raising the bar throughout the pandemic offering different approaches to tasting menus and even takeout. And one standout from the team are the potatoes and caviar."