Marea is a Midtown Manhattan gem not to be missed on your visit to New York City! This upscale Italian seafood restaurant serves exquisite dishes in a vibrant setting with impeccable table service.
When dining out in one of the greatest cities in the world, it can be a challenge to narrow down which restaurants you want to visit during a short period of time.
During our 4 Days in New York City, I booked a birthday weekend dinner reservation at Marea. It turned out to be one of the best dining experiences my husband and I have had in NYC!
Marea is a renowned upscale Italian seafood restaurant located in the heart of New York City. And California friends, get ready, because Marea is reportedly opening up a Beverly Hills location soon!
With a prime location in Midtown Manhattan, at 240 Central Park South, Marea NYC offers stunning views of Central Park.
This fine dining restaurant is known for its elegant and sophisticated ambiance, combining modern design elements with classic touches. It’s also known for its impeccable service. And, of course, Marea offers amazing food and wine for lunch and dinner.
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Marea restaurant vibe
Upon entering Marea, you’re greeted by a stylish interior featuring sleek marble floors, crisp white linens, and contemporary art pieces adorning the walls. The bar area to your left upon entrance (pictured above) is equally inviting.
The dining area exudes an air of refinement warmed by the lively buzz of conversation. With plush seating and soft lighting, you’ll find a cozy, comfortable, yet upscale atmosphere.
🍷 The drinks
When it comes to wine, Marea boasts an extensive selection of both Italian and international labels. After perusing the wine list, I found it to be curated to complement the flavors of the cuisine.
If you have any questions at all, Marea’s knowledgeable sommeliers are on hand to provide recommendations and ensure a memorable dining experience.
Since my husband and I both planned to order seafood-focused dishes, we ordered a bottle of Spanish Albariño to enjoy with our meal. It was the perfect pairing.
🍽 The food
I booked a reservation at Marea mainly because the entire menu appealed to me. Every dish sounded interesting and appetizing. And the dishes we ordered did not disappoint!
Marea’s menu showcases an array of exquisite seafood dishes inspired by Italian coastal cuisine. They have a Caviar Experience, offering a variety of caviar served with gougeres, chips, brioche, chives, crème fraîche ($175 – $285).
From seafood pastas and risottos to steaks and wild game, the dishes at Marea allow the main ingredients to shine – while also adding nuances of flavor with layers of well composed supporting ingredients.
The meal begins with an offering of bread. Not just one type of bread, but a bread basket full of several different types of bread.
🍣 Starters
It was really hard to choose a starter, because so many of them sounded amazing.
We opted for the Gambero Rosso ($38, pictured above). This was a red prawn tartare, accompanied by dots of fennel tarragon and lemon, and a brushstroke of sugo sauce. The flavors complemented the prawn tartare beautifully.
🍝 Housemade pastas and risottos
Marea offers a selection of housemade pastas and risottos for $47 each.
I opted for the Gnocchetti, which was a cannellini pasta dish with shrimp, light chile, and finished with rosemary oil. Every bite was flavorful and I easily, happily cleaned my plate.
Alain ordered the Risotto All’aragosta (lobster risotto). Tender pieces of lobster were in a creamy risotto with hazelnut brown butter and tarragon.
🍩 Don’t forget dessert!
The dessert menu at Marea is just as sophisticated and elegantly executed as the rest of the dinner menu.
We opted for some espressos with an order of the Bomboloni to share. This included a basket of fresh, hot doughnuts coated in sinfully sweet cinnamon sugar. The donuts were served with two dipping sides: a cannoli cream with pistachio, and a decadent chocolate fudge.
The restaurant surprised me with a birthday dessert: a scoop of their coconut yuzu sorbetti, which was an optimal palate cleanser.
Finally, as we ended our meal, the server offered a plate of two chocolate truffles as the parting gift.
Restaurant service
Watching the dinner service at Marea was like witnessing a beautiful, well-choreographed dance. There were more servers and front of the house staff in that restaurant than I had seen in restaurants twice the size. Each person played a specific role, and every single one that we encountered was warm, friendly, and very helpful.
If dinner service were like Marea at other restaurants, we would definitely go out to eat a lot more. The people who worked there made the experience truly above other dining experiences.
✨ Restaurant FAQs
The vibe is upscale, but we saw people dressed in jeans and nice sweaters or jackets. I’d suggest dressing up a bit for Marea; business casual is appropriate.
While some fellow diners have noted in their reviews that Marea is kid-friendly, I would suggest only teenagers or older children for dinner. The menu doesn’t really cater to younger palates, unless you’ve got a budding Michelin star chef in your family. We didn’t see any children at all on the Saturday night we dined at Marea. Although, I have no doubt the servers would be great with kids.
While not required, reservations are highly recommended for both lunch and dinner. This is a popular restaurant in the heart of NYC. We made our reservations one month in advance for a Saturday night dinner.
The menu is seafood and meat focused; I only saw a small handful of menu items that were vegan, or vegetarian.
Marea does have outdoor seating, but it is seasonal, so check before you go.
Marea NYC
Dining at Marea NYC was an extremely pleasurable and memorable experience. We’d return in a heartbeat for the mouthwatering, elegant dishes, the well-curated wine list, the impeccable and friendly service, and casual yet upscale atmosphere.
Marea restaurant
Address: 240 Central Park South, New York, NY 10019
Phone: 212.582.5100
HOURS (as of publication date):
Lunch: Daily 12:00 PM – 2:45 PM
Apertivo: Daily 3:00 PM – 4:45 PM
Dinner: Sunday – Thursday 5:00 PM – 11:00 PM
Friday & Saturday 5:00 PM – 11:45 PM
For the latest information, visit the Marea website.
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