Catch of the Day: The Haute 5 Seafood Restaurants in NYC

It’s time to go fishing at some of our hautest picks for fresh catch meals.

Marea

If the sweet aroma of the Adriatic Coast tickles your taste buds, the Michelin star restaurant, Marea, offers a tantalizing display of urchins of the sea. Begin with items from e per cominicare (aka items to be shared by the table), such as Zeppole seaweed, shrimp and chickpea fritters. Continue the gastronomical feast with menu items like Lobster with Burrata, Seaweed-Marinated East Coast Halibut, and Sea Scallops with Endive. Executive chef and partner Michael White draws inspiration from the Mediterranean and seasons dishes with wonderful flavors of Sicilian capers, wild oregano, and citrus lemon. Polish off the meal with a glass of Vin Santo del Chianti and a perfectly chilled panna cotta.

Marea is located at 240 Central Park South; 212.582.5100

Oceana

Feel at home with the Livanos family at their centrally located seafood haven. Just one block from Rockefeller Center, it’s perfectly convenient for a business power lunch or pre-theatre dinner. In the style of the Greek islands, choose your whole fish, from Dover sole to sea bream, from the display chilling on ice. Settle into your seat and select delicacies from the caviar cart while waiting for your whole fillet to arrive piping hot off the grill. Pair with sides such as potato gnocchi gratin and roasted Brussels sprouts. Rest assured knowing the cuisine is local, in season, and prepared with a positive edge.

Oceana is located 1221 Avenue of the Americas; 212.759.5941

ESCA

A dynamic trio team, Dave Pasternack, Mario Batali, and Joe Bastianic, deliver a savoring seafood presentation at ESCA. With an extensive menu consisting of delicacies like Ruby Red Shrimp, Portuguese Red Sea Bream, and Vongole al Forno, seafood lovers are salivating to be sure. Relax and try the tasting menu for a little bit of it all. From the onset of the raw seafood du jour with a sparkling flute of Prosecco to crispy rainbow smelts, it is all quite divine. Move along to some squid ink spaghetti, a whole grilled Boston mackerel, and polish it off with a dolci sampler and a moscato d’asti. Bring it home with a copy of The Young Man and the Sea: Recipes and Crispy Fish Tales from Esca by Dave Pasternack with Ed Levine.

ESCA is located at 402 West 43rd Street; 212.564.7272

Milos

Find your 55th Street table fresh and fabulous with the offerings at Milos. With three locations, we can’t help but favor the New York hotspot. Owners scour the fields and farms throughout the world to find the best raw ingredients known to man. Ingredients are presented without the masking of heavy sauces to allow for their true dignity and flavor to shine through. The daily fresh fish is seasoned with sea salt, olive oil, and lemon sauce. Choose from Big Eye Tuna at a luxurious $44 per pound or deep-sea Nova Scotia Lobster at $39.50 per pound. Enjoy the infamous yogurt with honey for dessert. With an edge of internationality, this Greek-style artisan-made creamy dairy meal topper is comprised of yogurt made from 100 percent goat’s milk from a family owned goat farm outside of Montreal and honey from the small island of Kythira in the Aegean Sea.

Milos is located at 125 West 55th Street; 212.245.7400

Pearl Oyster Bar

Escape the hustle and bustle and take respite at this New England style beach haven in the West Village. Amongst oil lamps, antique fish signs, and shades of gray, silver, pale blue and sand, find your pearl necklace among dozens of fresh and fried oysters, as well as enjoy little neck clams, Prince Edward Island Mussels, and smoked Atlantic salmon. Polish it off with a Blueberry Crumble Pie. Chef Rebecca Charles charms the clients between fresh batches of husked oysters. Check for the daily specials etched in chalk on the blackboards. For cherished, feel-good reading, check out Lobster Rolls & Blueberry Pie, Rebecca’s memoir of summers with the family in Maine as well as life experiences in the kitchen.

Pearl Oyster Bar is located at 18 Cornelia Street; 212.691.8211