Italian couple Alessandra and Mario De Benedetti long dreamed of two things: New York City and nature. First, they moved here. Then, this fall the pair opened Il Fiorista on West 26th Street to celebrate flowers in food.
"In Italy, we have this joy of life around nature and good food," said Alessandra De Benedetti. "We want to pay more attention to our environment through each sense, including what we're eating and drinking."
The restaurant feels at once natural and modern, with an interior of wood and white designed by local architect Elizabeth Roberts. A flower is an ingredient in every dish. Sometimes they're better known as vegetables, such as artichokes and cauliflowers. In other fare, the treatment is more intricate. For example, cured marigold buds add a salty intensity to a dish of beef tartare that's dressed in a marigold vinaigrette. The chef, Garrison Price, aims to use every part of the flower.