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Aldea

(Now Closed)

Portuguese Restaurant, Mediterranean Restaurant, and Spanish Restaurant$$$$

Union Square, New York

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Aldea

The experts at Michelin Travel & Lifestyle and The Wall Street Journal recommend this place

115 Tips and reviews

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Ms HeleneFebruary 24, 2017
Exceptional everything from service, taste of food, presentation, sommelier and more. Go the tasting menu or miss the highlights!
Josephine SonJuly 18, 2014
Can't believe it took me so long to eat here! The food was divine & service was lovely. Caipirinha amuse bouche is a delightful way to start the meal. Definitely get the sea urchin toast & duck rice!
Lori LuoDecember 10, 2014
Been here 5+ times
Aldea now offers weekly Chef's Counter dinners, which allows guests to watch Mendes in action while being served a 9-course tasting menu. Make sure to buy tickets in advance.
Amber VittoriaOctober 4, 2014
The sea urchin toast, shrimp, and fried octopus are incredible. For dessert, the carrot cake is the way to go. Sitting by the kitchen is also wonderful.
Zhang LiweiDecember 4, 2016
Open kitchen counter added to an outstanding Portuguese cuisine experience. The four course prix-fixe seasonal menu was well worth the $79 price tag.
Olga EpsMay 2, 2015
Came here for dinner and sat right in front of the kitchen to see the meals being prepared. Liked the ambiance - good for dates (not loud). Best dishes - cod croquettes, spanish octopus, duck.
The Food SlutsJuly 12, 2012
Superb food. Snag the chef's counter at the back for a good view of the buzzy kitchen. We loved the beautiful green and white asparagus with hen egg & black truffle ($13). Read more
Kaz K.July 12, 2015
Sea urchin toast was delicious. Grilled octopus too. Great service, ambiance. Perfect for a date or catching up with friends.
Edris NichollsFebruary 22, 2015
Sit at the bar!!! Knoll Krest Farms egg with cod, black olives and potato magically disappear but still lingers on my tongue #recommended Good food matters!!
Chet ManciniMarch 20, 2015
Get the prix fixe menu--it'll come with all manner of little tasty bits from the chef. Nice Iberian influence in the menu.
Tim DengAugust 14, 2018
This place has a michelin star and it's well deserved. Reasonably priced compared to other fancy restaurants. Get the 4 courses. Uni toast is a must.
Vasanti Wall-PersadNovember 24, 2013
Get a table at the back so you can see the open kitchen. The Spanish octopus and Mussel soup were amazing first courses. Nice sommelier, she recommended some very good wines.
Amelie BMarch 8, 2013
Tasting menu totally worth it. Highlights: sea urchin toast, venison (substitution), chocolate tart...and olive bread! Short but good wine list at affordable prices. And Great staff.
HOBNOB MagazineJuly 1, 2012
Beautiful space, with airy design. Cool cocktails (the huntress) and friendly bartenders. Fantastic original choices on the menu: artsy salads, clams with foam, goat, shrimp/saffron. All good!
Village VoiceAugust 15, 2014
The lunch menu ranges from an affordable ham sandwich (with piquillo peppers) to a pricier dish of scallops, and the dinner menu is only slightly more elevated. Read more
The Culinary Institute of AmericaDecember 14, 2012
From the heart of New York, Chef George Mendes take you straight to Portugal with dishes so artful you'll hesitate to eat them. Explore your culinary heritage too, where Chef Mendes earned his degree. Read more
Arne BorreyJuly 24, 2015
Great cuisine , try the sardines and the cod ! The gin tonic sandwiches are an amazing surprise ... And the chef loves Radiohead
Susan J CampbellNovember 16, 2015
This place took forever--4 hours for dinner! It was all delicious except the pork entree, which was boring. My favorite was the cake with peanuts
Daniel BouludJuly 30, 2014
When I eat here I have to have the suckling pig. I come from a farm, and I've eaten a lot of suckling pig in my life, but Chef Mendes fragments the pig in different textures.
Kim PhamOctober 26, 2011
You'd be crazy to not try any of the following: sea urchin toast, foie gras, and "Little Dream" donuts (complete with a trifecta of amazing sauces!). Go now!
Serious EatsMay 24, 2013
Fine dining with Peruvian elements in the Flatiron. The three-course $25 lunch prix-fixe is a great value.
Amy RobertsonOctober 11, 2015
Tasting menus are quite reasonable priced for a place with a Michelin star. Also, aim for a seat by the kitchen--enthralling to watch
Tasting TableJune 14, 2012
Don't skip the stunning small bites and appetizers. During a recent meal, we loved the sea urchin toast with mustard seed and octopus cooked on la plancha: Read more
EaterSeptember 18, 2010
George Mendes innovative take on Portuguese is both impressive and adorable. Bonus points for the enjoyable ambiance, with one of the best chef's counters in town. [Eater 38 Member] Read more
Michelin Travel & LifestyleAugust 16, 2011
Enjoy Chef George Mendes’ Iberian-inflected creations. The dining counter overlooking the master at work is perfect for a solo bite while the second floor dining room is great for a group. -Inspector
Matt DuckorOctober 17, 2010
Been here 10+ times
Listen, the duck rice is as good as everyone says it is, but the rest of the menu is wonderful. Order a rice for the table and then go to down on everything else. Oysters, lomo ham, pork belly, etc.
The Corcoran GroupNovember 12, 2010
Great atmosphere – love the open kitchen. Try the Spanish Octopus, Shrimp Alhinho, Arrox De Pato and the Pork Belly.
Thomas GreenMay 11, 2013
Foie gras terrine with mushrooms and rhubarb compote was delicious, loved the sous vide hangar steak, and mussel soup.
The Wall Street JournalJune 28, 2010
Good choices include the mussel soup with sausage, an open-faced sea urchin sandwich, plank-grilled Spanish mackerel in escabeche juice, and diver scallops with risotto and orange. Read more
Shirin SalernoNovember 19, 2015
Sit at the chef's counter if you can. Everything was fantastic, but the octopus was out of this world!
Jiajia JinFebruary 15, 2015
Prix fixe menu is a great deal! Nice ambience and delicately presented food. I'd come back again.
Michelin Travel & LifestyleDecember 2, 2013
The arroz de pato is rightly popular, possibly even addictive. Also try suckling pig, clams, & spicy chocolate tart. – Green Guide Editor
jin kimSeptember 22, 2011
Arroz de pato-duck confit. don't miss this dish. Absolutely perfect. grilled octopus with heiroom tomato and burrata was also a perfect appetizer.
Vianney BrandicourtJune 26, 2014
The grilled octopus and the scallops are excellent. It's fun to sit in the back and peer into the open kitchen.
Lillian CheungJuly 12, 2015
Foie gras appetizer and squid ink arroz were fantastic
MeliJune 24, 2013
Nice ambiance but would not return here. The menu is unique in that almost everything is pork! I'm slightly exaggerating. The portions are tiny, especially for the cost of an entree. Taste=strange
Stephanie DeDeckerSeptember 10, 2016
Cozy restaurant with an awesome tasting menu - the duck is a must try!
Shirley LauFebruary 19, 2017
Sit at the chefs table for the full experience!
Calvin MultanenNovember 28, 2015
Great food and service. Had the pre-fixe menu. The octopus and fat rice were delicious.
ChenyuAugust 23, 2013
Sea urchin toast! And sit near the open kitchen then look above !
nymagJuly 23, 2010
Try out the "very New York–ified, Manhattanized, upscale-refined treatment of Portuguese" Frank Bruni talked about in his NY Diet. He's a fan of the baby goat three ways and the duck rice. Read more
Edris NichollsFebruary 22, 2015
Sorbet banana, green apple and passion fruit tropical like me!!!
John Manoogian IIIFebruary 20, 2014
sit at one of the awesome back tables next to the kitchen for the best experience!
Christophe JammetApril 28, 2010
Been here 10+ times
This place is one of my favorites- fantastic dishes, super food quality, a beautiful space, and a modern yet unpretentious space. It's also at a great price point. Read more
BrookeJune 18, 2012
Tasting menu is great especially when seated at the chef's counter - great view of the chefs at work.
Heather R.June 17, 2011
Do yourself a favor - sit at the bar facing the open kitchen and talk to the chefs - it adds so much enjoyment to your meal.
Bettina KMarch 18, 2017
They've got decent burgers there and a good selection of Belgien beers
John BentzMarch 10, 2012
Brian ,our bartender this evening, was about the most charming bartender in NY. Great guy,great place, great food!
Christian BaldiaFebruary 26, 2013
Very good food & wine - esp the Rioja. Really nice ambiance. On the other hand, my business client and I were treated very rudely by the manager. I don't think I'd ever go there again because of her.
Doris DaifAugust 25, 2012
Good ambience, quality food and service...a bit pricey standouts include the duck confit and suckling pig

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Aldea

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