Every year, restaurant week nyc turns the city into one big dining event and the question is always the same: which spots are actually worth your time? Not all prix-fixe menus are created equal. Some feel watered-down, built to check a box rather than deliver a real experience. Aquarelle NYC is the opposite of that.
Tucked into the East Village at 47 Avenue B, Aquarelle is a seafood and Mediterranean restaurant that commits fully to quality and their nyc restaurant week offering is no exception. At $60 for four courses, it reads less like a promotional deal and more like a curated evening designed to show you exactly what this kitchen can do.
What Restaurant Week at Aquarelle Actually Looks Like
The 2025 Summer Restaurant Week menu runs from July 21 through August 31, and the structure is generous. Four courses, priced at $60, built around the same seafood-forward philosophy that defines the regular dinner menu.
Here is how it breaks down:
First Course — The Opening Act
• Aquarelle Caesar
• Aquamelon Salad
Clean, fresh starters that set the tone without overshadowing what follows. The Caesar carries the kitchen’s signature touch, and the Aquamelon Salad brings a lighter, seasonal contrast.
Second Course — Where Things Get Interesting
• Calamari (Grilled or Fried)
• Shrimp Kataify
• Shrimp Kofta
• Crab Cakes
• Grilled Octopus (+$5 supplement)
This is where Aquarelle’s seafood identity really comes through. The Shrimp Kataify and Kofta are house favorites. The Grilled Octopus, a minor supplement aside, is worth every cent for anyone who has tried it from the regular menu.
Third Course — The Heart of the Meal
• Branzino — Whole Fish, Grilled
• Dorade — Whole Fish, Grilled
• Faroe Island Wild Salmon
• Seafood Risotto
• Zucchini Spaghetti with Truffle Mushroom
• Wood Fired Roasted Chicken
Whole fish, grilled simply and correctly, is Aquarelle’s calling card. The Branzino and Dorade are drawn from the same Atlantic waters that supply the regular dinner menu — no downgrade for restaurant week. The Faroe Island Wild Salmon and Seafood Risotto round out the options for guests who want something a little different.
Fourth Course — A Proper Finish
• Chef’s Choice Desserts
The dessert course is the kitchen’s decision, which speaks to Aquarelle’s confidence in what comes out of the pastry side. The regular dinner menu features handcrafted options like Basque Cheesecake, Classic Tiramisù, and a Warm Apple Cake — so the chef’s selection is in capable hands.
Why the Aquarelle Experience Goes Beyond the Menu
Pricing and courses are one thing. The environment is another, and at Aquarelle, the two work together in a way that makes Manhattan restaurant week feel like a genuine occasion rather than a value-dinner compromise.
The space is designed around an immersive nautical concept, hand-crafted murals, sea-inspired lighting, and blue velvet banquettes that create an atmosphere that feels intentional at every turn. There is a private dining room that resembles the interior of a luxury yacht. It is the kind of room you notice when you walk in.
The kitchen’s approach mirrors the space: precise presentation, bold coastal flavors, and a commitment to sourcing seafood daily from Atlantic waters. Nothing on the plate feels like an afterthought.
A Full Dinner Menu That Speaks for Itself
If you visit outside of nyc restaurant week, the regular dinner menu is equally worth knowing. From Crudo and Carpaccio to a full raw bar section featuring oysters, a Deluxe Tower, and a Royal Tower, the range is impressive without being overwhelming.
A few standouts from the regular menu:
• Seafood Towers (Deluxe at $92, Royal at $169) — built for sharing and showstopping
• Lobster — Grilled with Butter & Garlic, whole
• Surf & Turf at $72, for guests who want both sides of the menu
• Squid Ink Linguine with Crab Meat — a quiet favorite
• Meredith Marks Caviar — Champagne, Tsar Imperial Ossetra, and blinis for the full experience
The craft cocktail list is designed to complement the seafood menu specifically not a generic bar program bolted onto a seafood concept, but something considered with the food in mind.
Brunch, Private Events, and More
Aquarelle is not only a dinner destination. Weekend brunch runs Saturday and Sunday, with reservations from 11am to 4pm. The brunch menu follows the same freshness-first approach seasonal dishes, quality seafood, and thoughtful preparation.
For private events, Aquarelle offers a range of hosted experiences: birthday celebrations, corporate dinners, holiday parties, Bar and Bat Mitzvahs, Sweet 16s, and more. The private dining room and dedicated events team handle the details, with seafood-focused menus tailored to each occasion.
The restaurant is open for dinner Monday through Sunday, with reservations from 5pm to 1am.
Is Aquarelle Worth It During NYC Restaurant Week?
Here is an honest answer: yes, and for a specific reason. Many restaurant week menus feel pulled from a different tier of the kitchen items that exist only for the promotion. Aquarelle’s restaurant week menu is built from the same ingredients and the same techniques that define their regular service.
The Branzino and Dorade you get during restaurant week nyc are the same whole fish grilled to order that appear on the dinner menu year-round. The seafood sourcing does not change because the pricing does. That consistency is rarer than it should be.
Add the setting, the cocktail program, and the hospitality and Aquarelle becomes one of the stronger arguments for why Manhattan restaurant week is worth participating in every season.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is included in Aquarelle’s Restaurant Week menu?
The Summer 2025 Restaurant Week menu at Aquarelle NYC is a four-course prix-fixe at $60. It includes a first course (salad), second course (seafood small bites), third course (mains including whole fish and risotto), and a fourth course of Chef’s Choice Desserts.
When does NYC Restaurant Week run at Aquarelle?
For Summer 2025, Aquarelle’s Restaurant Week offer runs from July 21 through August 31.
Does Aquarelle NYC participate in Manhattan Restaurant Week every season?
Aquarelle NYC has a dedicated Restaurant Week page on their website, indicating ongoing participation. It is recommended to check aquarellenyc.com or call (212) 777-4547 for the most current dates and availability.
Can I make a reservation for Restaurant Week at Aquarelle?
Yes. Reservations can be made online via OpenTable at aquarellenyc.com or by calling (212) 777-4547. Booking in advance is strongly recommended during NYC Restaurant Week periods.
Does Aquarelle offer options beyond seafood during Restaurant Week?
Yes. The third course includes a Wood Fired Roasted Chicken and a Zucchini Spaghetti with Truffle Mushroom, offering alternatives for guests who prefer non-seafood mains.
Where is Aquarelle NYC located?
Aquarelle NYC is located at 47 Avenue B, New York, NY 10009, in the East Village neighborhood of Manhattan.
Restaurant week nyc brings out a lot of options. Aquarelle brings out the best of what it does every single service fresh seafood, a dining room worth sitting in, and a team that treats every table like it matters.
If you are planning your nyc restaurant week reservations, Aquarelle at 47 Avenue B is worth putting at the top of the list. Reserve your table at aquarellenyc.com or call (212) 777-4547.
