Aska

Step into Aska and you enter a world where fine dining meets Nordic mysticism. Housed in an all-black Williamsburg warehouse, this two-Michelin-star destination transforms dinner into theater. Round tables draped in inky cloth, leather-bound menus, and servers clad in noir create an atmosphere that feels both austere and enchanting. But don’t let the dramatic aesthetic fool you—beneath the serious exterior beats the heart of a restaurant that truly delights in what it does.

The kitchen, led by Swedish chef Fredrik Berselius, draws deeply from the New Nordic tradition while forging its own identity. The team forages upstate for ingredients like lichen, which appears alongside silky trout in one of the meal’s most memorable courses. Pristine seafood takes center stage throughout the tasting menu: wriggling scallops from Cape Cod, lobster poached in butter made from its own shell, and langoustine from Norwegian waters grilled to rosy perfection. Each of the 15-or-so courses arrives as a small masterpiece, plated with restraint but bursting with intention.

Dining at Aska is an investment—both financially and temporally. The $298 tasting menu unfolds over several hours, punctuated by tableside preparations and warm towelettes scented with geranium. Yet despite the formality, genuine warmth permeates the experience. Servers speak with infectious enthusiasm about everything from esoteric natural wines to their favorite mustache conventions. It’s this balance of rigor and heart that elevates Aska beyond mere technique.

This isn’t a weeknight dinner spot. It’s the kind of place you save for milestone celebrations: anniversaries, promotions, reunions with people who appreciate both culinary craft and a touch of theater. Bring someone who’ll marvel at foraged vegetables and perfectly cooked crustaceans, someone who understands that sometimes the best meals require surrendering to the kitchen’s vision. For those occasions, Aska delivers something genuinely special—a confident fine dining institution that hasn’t lost its sense of wonder.