Marea New York City

Marea sits on Central Park South, steps from the edge of the park. It serves contemporary Italian seafood within a room that runs smart and elegant.

The location is the primary draw, trading the frantic energy of Fifth Avenue shopping for the calm of the park’s border. While many of the area’s venues rely on proximity to Carnegie Hall to capture foot traffic, this holder of a Michelin star relies on its kitchen to pull diners in. It is a more formal choice than the bistros tucked into the nearby streets, favoring a composed, controlled pace over the loud, casual bustle common to this part of town.