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The original Aquavit, located in the Rockefeller townhouse on West 54th Street was a feat of design in and of itself. Along with the delicious Scandinavian cuisine, there was a cafe upstairs and a two story waterfall visible from the main dining area. The restaurant was truly a one of a kind in Manhattan. Today, they've left the waterfall behind for a new location the east side, on East 55th, between Park and Madison, inside the Park Avenue Tower, a midtown office building that is only a few blocks away from the original location. Although it's now located in an office building instead of the original townhouse, Aquavit retains its own distinctive feel. When you arrive at the building, you'll see four bushes are outside the main door, which is set in from the building. Look for the dark door with the signature Aquavit above it and then pass through the framed glass doors into the restaurant. Once inside you'll see that the large windows you may have noticed before going in are there to provide ample light to the cafe which is on the 55th street side, while the main dining room is further back, away from windows. |
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Though the waterfall is gone, the true star of the restaurant remains - the Scandinavian delicacies that made Aquavit famous from the beginning. The new location has multiple rooms, each of which reflect the style of a different Scandinavian country. There's the bar and lounge area, the cafe, and the main dining room. The main dining room is quite dramatic, with a large Northern sun skylight in the middle of the ceiling, reminiscent of Norway and the Land of the Midnight Sun. Dramatic wavy branches in stone-filled glass vases adorn the room. There is a chef's table in the front, semi private dining area in the back, and five booths to the side of the dining room, in case you want a little more privacy. The booths are inside a rich wooden structure, and each one has its own pendant lighting. |
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