Aqua New York is one of the most opulent restaurants you will ever dine at. With a massive 24,000 square-foot space that takes up an entire city block, this majestic, high-energy eatery offers two different menus—Aqua Roma featuring Italian food and Aqua Kyoto serving Japanese cuisine—under one roof making the spot the ultimate dining destination.
Located at 902 Broadway near East 20th Street in Manhattan’s Flatiron neighborhood, Aqua New York is an extravagant and unparalleled experience that seats a staggering 450 guests. Spanning two floors, everything about the restaurant is on a grand scale with striking, design-forward decoration that brings theatrics and sophistication for visitors to soak up and enjoy. The restaurant’s eye-catching centerpiece is a 44-seat bar showcasing intricately tied ropes, creating a beautiful, abstract structure. It’s simply stunning to look at and the perfect photo to flex on social media. Another impressive feature is the eatery’s whopping 77 feet sushi bar—the longest in New York City—that seats some 22 guests. It’s longer than a bowling lane!
Courtesy of Adrian Wilson
Wherever you are seated in the expansive space, you will be able to order from both menus, but the two cuisines are prepared in their separate designated kitchens. Yes, Aqua New York has two kitchens, which is extremely rare. It is recommended to start with the Japanese food followed by the Italian dishes. Both cuisines fundamentally compliment each other since they share the same culinary philosophy: utilizing high-quality seasonal ingredients and prioritizing the natural flavors to be at the forefront.
The food at Aqua New York really shines and is just as impressive as the restaurant’s lavish interior. Aqua Kyoto has platters of sushi and sashimi, tempura, seafood fried rice and entrées like chilean sea bass, yuzu shiso marinated lamb and grilled wagyu ribeye teriyaki among other items. Aqua Roma offers dishes like fried calamari, arancini, pizzas, pastas and entrée items including a whole salt baked branzino and slow-cooked beef short rib.
The Knockturnal recently visited the restaurant and tried the impressive Kyoto to Roma tasting menu. The $138 per person seven-course meal, that included numerous pieces of sashimi and maki rolls, was absolutely worth it. It’s a tremendous value and you will be extremely full, happy and satisfied. The tasting began with the Japanese dishes, which was miso soup, edamame and rock shrimp tempura that had crispy batter against tender, sweet meat. It was elevated with the savory spicy chili garlic mayonnaise. Then a platter of an assortment of sashimi and maki rolls was served. The presentation of the sushi—fatty tuna, salmon, yellow tail, shrimp—was picture perfect and the fish was extremely fresh. Every bit of the fish melted in our mouth. The assortment of soft fish and firm ones that the chef chose offered contrasting textures, which balanced well with the seasoned rice.
Next on the Kyoto to Roma tasting menu, we chose to try the seafood fried rice that included sea urchin, scallops, shrimp, snow crab and scallions. The rice was properly cooked and not mushy and the seafood was plump and fresh. The dish had a wonderful aroma and was very satisfying. Then we had the grilled USDA wagyu ribeye teriyaki, which offered a rich, melt-in-the-mouth texture enhanced by a sweet-savory glaze. The size of the meat was rather small and we wanted to eat more of it!
Courtesy of The Knockturnal
The Italian portion of the Kyoto to Roma tasting menu came next with the cavatelli pasta with Maine lobster tail, tomato, basil and prosecco emulsion. The lobster in this luxurious dish was tender and sweet that was paired with the chewy mini cavatelli pasta. Overall, it’s excellent and worth ordering. Another pasta we ate was the mafalde consisting of long, ribbon-shaped pasta, slow-cooked oxtail ragu, summer black truffle and Nero d’avola red wine grapes. We absolutely loved the rich, flavorful comforting dish. Every bite was superb. Lastly, we ordered the bucatini cacio e pepe with the black truffle and it was simply the best! It was prepared in a cheese wheel for a dramatic, Instagram-worthy culinary technique where hot, al dente bucatini was tossed inside a hollowed-out wheel of Pecorino Romano. The heat of the pasta melted the cheese and created an incredibly creamy sauce with toasted black pepper. The addition of the black truffle produced an earthy, luxurious aroma—developing a perfect balance of sharp, salty, and savory umami flavors.
For dessert, Aqua New York has the most sumptuous desserts that will take your breath away. Their tiramisu was incredible and prepared directly in front of you. This exciting, interactive table side dining experience has the chef assembling fresh, espresso-soaked ladyfingers, velvety mascarpone cream, and a final dusting of cocoa powder. Their version of the classic delivers an indulgent experience in every bite. Another amazing dessert was the sweet espresso caviar pearls with Valrhona chocolate and crémeux that was served with madeleines. The tiny, gel-like spheres made from strong espresso had a burst of coffee flavor and it was a delightful experience. This dessert was unique and a conversation piece.
Visiting Aqua New York will be an unforgettable and an over-the-top dining experience. The spot truly has everything you want—great food and a fun atmosphere that is lively and a fancy spectacle. It’s a show stopping destination for all occasions. From birthdays and anniversaries to dinners with a date you want to impress, make a reservation now to snag a table and beat the crowd. You’ll have a blast.
