Acadia

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

A Place of Plenty in Midtown Manhattan

The name says it all. Acadia translates to "a place of plenty," and that philosophy runs through every dish, every pour, and every detail of this vibrant Midtown restaurant on West 57th Street, just steps from Central Park, Radio City Music Hall, and Columbus Circle. Opened in 2023 under the Chef Driven Hospitality group, Acadia quickly earned a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence — a fitting recognition for a restaurant where the beverage program is as carefully considered as the food.

The People Behind the Kitchen

Executive Chef and Partner Ari Bokovza is the creative force behind Acadia's Mediterranean cuisine. His palate was shaped early: childhood summers in Israel introduced him to bold spices and exotic flavors through his Tunisian grandmother, a formative influence that never left him. He went on to train at Michelin-starred El Racó d'en Freixa in Barcelona, then worked his way through some of New York's most respected kitchens — Union Square Cafe, Picholine, The Standard Grill, and The Modern, where during his three-year tenure as chef de cuisine the restaurant earned three stars from The New York Times. His cooking draws a wide arc, from southern Italy to northern Africa, rooted in bold spices, bright herbs, and sun-kissed produce.

Running the floor is General Manager and Partner Alon Moskovitch, a hospitality veteran with over 20 years in the New York City restaurant scene. The beverage program belongs to Aviram Turgeman, Beverage Director and Partner, a WSET Diploma holder who has earned the Wine Spectator Grand Award of Excellence for the wine list at sister restaurant Nice Matin every year since 2014. At Acadia, his list of exceptional wines is complemented by creative cocktails and drinks that evoke the Mediterranean — including a Tel Aviv-style Gazoz and house-made lemonades.

What's on the Table

Mediterranean ingredients appear in every form across the menu: house-made mezze folded with smoky eggplant, spicy feta, and labneh; freshly made pastas; shakshuka; crispy potato latke with smoked salmon; and signature flatbreads stuffed with four cheeses. The hummus is made tableside from a trolley — a small theatrical touch that sets the tone for the whole experience. Skewers of hanger steak, grilled branzino, and rotisserie Amish chicken anchor the dinner menu, while the dry-aged Acadia burger has become a lunchtime staple.

The Space and the Occasion

Acadia is designed for abundance at any hour. Weekday breakfasts and a prix-fixe lunch keep the dining room active through the day. A dedicated Happy Hour draws Midtown regulars to the bar from mid-afternoon. Weekend Bottomless Brunch fills the room with energy, and a semi-private lounge area — open Monday through Saturday — offers a quieter perch overlooking 6th Avenue. For private celebrations, a dedicated event space handles gatherings of all sizes. It's a restaurant that works hard across every daypart, and does so with genuine warmth.