Marea, Italian restaurant in Midtown Manhattan, US
Marea is an Italian restaurant on Central Park South in Midtown Manhattan, focused on pasta and seafood dishes served à la carte. The menu covers raw fish platters, handmade pasta, and seafood main courses, with half portions of pasta available for those who want to sample more than one dish.
The restaurant opened in 2009 and quickly built a reputation for high-end Italian cooking focused on the sea. Kitchen leadership changed over the years, and chef Lauren DeSteno now runs the kitchen while keeping several of the dishes that made the place known from the start.
Marea draws people who want a polished dinner without a stiff or formal feel, and it is a popular choice for celebrations and special evenings. The dark wood interior and soft lighting give the room a warm tone that encourages long, unhurried meals.
Booking a table well in advance is strongly recommended, as the restaurant fills up quickly, especially on weekends. Half portions of pasta are often not listed on the menu but can be requested, and they are a good way to taste more dishes in a single visit.
The fusilli with octopus and bone marrow has been on the menu since the restaurant opened and is regarded by regulars as the dish most closely tied to the restaurant's identity. The pairing of bone marrow with seafood pasta sounds unexpected, yet it has survived every kitchen change and remains the most consistently ordered dish in the room.
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