A crowd-favorite, the Montauk fluke crudo is served with chrysanthemum, early-harvest citrus and fennel pollen.
Italian natives Alessandra and Mario De Benedetti drove the floral food trend forward when they launched Il Fiorista (Italian for “The Florist”) in NoMad. The Mediterranean menu is full of edible flowers and herbs, which change by the season. Enjoy a bite of sweet potato sourdough with nasturtium flowers and leaves for an appetizer, then choose between striploin with flowering marjoram and skate wing with sorrel and capers. Cocktails are no exception to the flower/herb inclusion, as patrons can sip on selections like the Jitterbug Perfume (gin with rose hips and chamomile) or the Petal Pusher (Prosecco with elderflower and thistles).
Flowers Bloom/Boccioli in Fiore (nonalcoholic, or spiked on request) is a refreshing thirst-quencher featuring strawberry tomato shrub, chiloe pepper, jasmine pearls and seltzer.
The Elizabeth Roberts-designed space is a combination of a restaurant, bar, cafe, florist and boutique. Enter the restaurant through the boutique, which offers seasonal arrangements sourced by floral director Mindy Cardozo. The 85-seat dining room is adorned with floral decorations and antique furniture, and the Flower Room has also started running educational classes about bouquets and edible flowers. Il Fiorista uses only locally grown flowers and herbs and boasts water-reduction and compost methods that keep its impact on the environment to a bare minimum, driving its mission to be as sustainable and socially responsible as possible.
Photography by: Emily Hawkes Photography
