Marea

240 N. Central Park South

New York, NY 10019

Tel. +1 (212) 582-5100

BY ANTONIO GALLONI | JUNE 27, 2025

The Food:

Gambero Rosso; Red Prawn Tartare, Fennel, Tarragon, Lemon, Sugo

Tonno Acqua Pazza; Tuna Tartare, Tomato, Cucumber, Olive, Calabrian Chile, Basil

Branzino; Sea Bass Tartare, Pistachio, Calabrian Chile, Radish, Chive

Astice; Nova Scotia Lobster, Burrata, Basil, Eggplant al Funghetto

Bruschetta; Garlic Bread, Kaluga Caviar, Burrata

Spaghetti; Manila Clam, Baby Leek, Garlic, Pepperoncino

Gnocchetti; Shrimp, Cannellini, Chile, Rosemary Oil

Mafaldine Granchio Reale; King Crab, Garlic Butter, Parsley, Mollica

Spada; Grilled Swordfish, Fennel, Clam, Chorizo Vinaigrette

Whole Scampi; Seared New Zealand Langoustine, Garlic Butter, Arugula, Limone

Ippoglosso; Pan-Seared Halibut, Farrotto, Asparagus, Carrot, Shiitake, Almond

Capesante; Pan-Seared Sea Scallop, English Pea, Morel, Ramp, Potato Gnocchi

Bistecca; Grilled Creekstone Farms Dry-Aged Sirloin, Little Gem, Bone Marrow Panzanella

Tiramisu; Mascarpone Mousse, Espresso Sabayon, Chocolate Crumble, Mascarpone Gelato

Bomboloni; Doughnuts, Coconut-Cardamom, Passion Fruit Curd, Chocolate Sauce

The Wines:

2010 Dom Ruinart	98
2022 Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Pucelles	95
2022 Giaconda Chardonnay	98
2022 Roland Lavantureux Chablis Vieilles Vignes	93
2021 Domaine des Comtes Lafon Meursault	91
2022 Podere Le Boncie Le Trame	96
2019 Domaine Armand Rousseau Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos St. Jacques	97
2016 Comm G.B. Burlotto Barolo Monvigliero	100
2015 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Brunate	93
2004 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Riserva Asili	99

It’s hard to get to the top, but it’s even harder to stay there. Sixteen years after it opened in 2009, Marea remains one of New York City’s most vital food and wine destinations. Judging by packed rooms on several recent visits, that’s a view shared by many. Food, wine and service are as exceptional as they have ever been, something that was evident on the three recent dinners that inform this article.

Astice; Nova Scotia Lobster, Burrata, Basil, Eggplant al Funghetto, a staple at Marea.

Marea always brings back so many memories, going back to the days when this space hosted San Domenico, one of the most famous Italian restaurants of its time. I can’t walk into the dining room without thinking about the dinner I shared here in 1996 with famed Italian tenor Carlo Bergonzi, his accompanist Vincenzo Scalera and a few other guests following Bergonzi’s recital at Carnegie Hall.

Gambero Rosso; Red Prawn Tartare, Fennel, Tarragon, Lemon, Sugo.

Today, Marea Executive Chef PJ Calapa offers a fabulous menu mostly focused on fish and seafood. The influence of Founding Chef Michael White is still felt, but recipes are simply a starting point. Execution and consistency are the real secrets to success. I say that having observed a period where the food at Marea was less brilliant than it is today. Wine Director Francesco Grosso has been at Marea since the beginning. Today, he oversees the beverage programs at all the restaurants in the Alta Marea group, including the newly opened Marea Beverly Hills. The wine list at Marea has something for every palate and budget. Guests who want to splurge have plenty of options, but there are also many affordable wines on this list, along with one of the very best by-the-glass programs in New York City.

Branzino; Sea Bass Tartare, Pistachio, Calabrian Chile, Radish, Chive.

Caviar, oysters and a tantalizing selection of crudos lead off the menu. The biggest challenge at Marea is making decisions. Two savory courses, or the more typically Italian three courses? Nova Scotia lobster, served chilled with burrata, basil and eggplant, is a staple and one of my personal favorites. I rarely miss a chance to have it. The Red Prawn Tartare is also superb, the delicate shrimp meat beautifully presented and seasoned. Tuna Tartare is another highlight in this section of the menu. Tomato, olive and cucumber accents add lovely freshness. Sea Bass Tartare, a PJ Calapa signature, is served with pistachio, Calabrian chile, radish and chive. It’s another sublime dish that disappears quickly off the plate. For readers who want to splurge, the Bruschetta with Kaluga caviar and burrata is a delicious bite or two.

Tonno Acqua Pazza; Tuna Tartare, Tomato, Cucumber, Olive, Calabrian Chile, Basil.

Pasta is a must at Marea. The Spaghetti with Manila clams (out of the shell), baby leeks, garlic and pepperoncino is a sophisticated take on one of the most classic dishes of the Italian kitchen. Gnocchetti with shrimp, cannellini and a lightly spiced tomato-based sauce is to die for. It’s a bold, racy dish that perfectly captures the spirit of the food at Marea. Mafaldine, served with king crab, garlic butter and breadcrumbs, is another lusty, rich pasta. First-time visitors should also try the Fusilli, which is served in a red-wine-braised octopus sauce with bone marrow. I have not had the Fusilli in some time, but it is another signature dish, and one I probably ordered a few too many times in Marea's early days!

Gnocchetti; Shrimp, Cannellini, Chile, Rosemary Oil.

Fish and seafood feature heavily in the main courses. I don’t order swordfish that often in restaurants, as I find the quality of the fish so critical. But when it’s good, it can be really good. That’s the case there. Fennel, clam and chorizo vinaigrette are ideal foils to the rich swordfish meat, cooked and seasoned perfectly. Beautifully seared, golden Scallops served over English peas, morels and ramps, are sublime. One of the best dishes I have had at Marea in a long time. Halibut with a delicious farrotto and asparagus is also impeccable. Most of the fish mains are carefully put-together, composed dishes. The Seared New Zealand Langoustine is the exact opposite. Just tasty langoustines, which I ate with nothing on them. Highly recommended. In all my years of visiting Marea, I had never ordered a meat main course. I decided to change that. The Grilled Creekstone Farms Dry-Aged Sirloin is sublime. It’s one of the more expensive mains, but worth it. The aging is obvious but not overpowering. The meat arrives at the table perfectly cooked and tender. I would not hesitate to order it again. I won’t share it next time.

Four stellar mains at Marea. Clockwise from top left: Whole Scampi, Seared New Zealand Langoustine, Garlic Butter, Arugula, Limone;  Spada, Grilled Swordfish, Fennel, Clam, Chorizo Vinaigrette; Capesante, Pan-Seared Sea Scallop, English Pea, Morel, Ramp, Potato Gnocchi; Bistecca, Grilled Creekstone Farms Dry-Aged Sirloin, Little Gem, Bone Marrow Panzanella.

Desserts are very good, although I rarely have room for sweets here after the savory courses. Tiramisu is more of a tiramisu-inspired mousse with a dark chocolate covering. It’s tasty but not at all traditional. Then there are the Bomboloni. Who doesn’t love doughnuts? At Marea, Bomboloni are served with passion fruit and chocolate sauces on the side. A portion is enough for two to share, maybe three for diners who just want a bite of sweetness to round out their meal.

For various reasons, most of the wines for these dinners were from my cellar and that of a dear friend. The 2010 Dom Ruinart, opened in memory of Chef de Cave Frédéric Panaïotis, is as magnificent as it has always been. Once again, I am mesmerized by the wine’s freshness, precision and detail, especially in a vintage that was so challenging in Champagne. The 2010 will be one of the most enduring legacies of a life and career tragically cut short by a freediving accident.

The 2022 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Pucelles from Domaine Leflaive is young and tightly wound. There’s terrific palate density, along with the classic Leflaive reductive notes, all of which suggest brilliant drinking ahead. I would not dream of touching a bottle anytime soon. The 2022 Giaconda Chardonnay is fabulous. Deep, layered and wonderfully resonant, the 2022 opens beautifully in the glass. Strong reductive notes in this vintage are borderline overpowering for my palate at this stage. Even so, all the wine’s pedigree and undeniable character are very much on display. There’s little doubt this is one of the world’s great Chardonnays.

The 2022 Laventureux Chablis Vieilles Vignes and 2022 Podere Le Boncie Le Trame from Marea’s list.

Roland Laventureux’s 2022 Chablis Vieilles Vignes is a revelation. A wine of depth and character, the Vieilles Vignes is magnificent. Time brings out striking citrus, white pepper, slate and chalk notes. At $135 on the list, the 2022 is a fine value by Manhattan fine dining standards. This is my first wine from Laventureux, a grower I am eager to learn more about. What a wine. The 2021 Meursault from Domaine des Comtes Lafon is a classic. Soft contours frame citrus, chalk, mint, white pepper and a discreet touch of oak. Already quite giving, the 2021 can be enjoyed today.

I was thrilled to see Podere Le Boncie’s 2022 Le Trame ($225) on the list at Marea. Of course, I wish it had been the 2021, but you can’t have everything. The 2022 offers up scents of red Sangiovese fruit framed by beams of nervy tannin that start to soften with a bit of time in the glass. It’s a gorgeous wine from proprietors Giovanna Morganti and Giorgio Serao. High class.

Sometimes the stars simply align. That is certainly the case at Rousseau in 2019, a truly extraordinary vintage at one of the world’s most iconic estates. The 2019 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos St. Jacques is captivating right out of the glass. Soaring aromatics, deep layers of cool, blue-toned fruits and the silkiest of tannins captivate all the senses, from the intellectual to the hedonistic. What a total turn-on.

Three Piedmont wines from my cellar are all sublime. The 2016 Barolo Monvigliero from Comm. G.B. Burlotto is a total stunner. Floral, deep and so expressive, the 2016 captures all the best the vintage and this great site had to offer. Readers lucky enough to own the 2016 can enjoy it now, although further cellaring will only bring out more nuance and complexity. Magnificent. The 2015 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Brunate is a fine choice for drinking now, as it is starting to show some signs of development, especially in its aromatics. Hints of cedar, sweet pipe tobacco, macerated cherry and worn-in leather are all laced with the gentle patina of age. I have always felt the 2015 was a rather light Brunate from Rinaldi. This tasting reinforces that impression. I would not wait forever for this.

Bruno Giacosa’s 2004 Barbaresco Riserva Asili emerges from one of his greatest all-time vintages. I loved the 2004 on release and I love it today. If anything, the 2004 is still a very young wine. Its power, density and structure are remarkable, especially compared with the lighter style many producers are pursuing today. This, to me, is what Barbaresco (and Barolo) are supposed to be. Deeply pitched aromatics lead into a core of dark red Nebbiolo fruit, supported by veins of tannin that confer vertical structure and explosive energy. Simply unforgettable. A masterpiece.

Restaurants are magical, essential parts of a city’s cultural fabric. They are places where we meet friends, spend time with family, celebrate milestones and conduct business. Or maybe just neighborhood joints where we stop by after work for a quiet bite and a drink. Marea has long been a staple of the New York City dining scene, no small feat in a town where even the most celebrated chefs can’t always sustain restaurants beyond a few years. Vinous readers who want to enjoy the best refined Italian cuisine New York has to offer will want to put Marea at the top of their lists.

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