First look: Aquavit London brings Scandinavia to St James's

A new restaurant is offering Scandi cusine with a touch of NYC
Ben Norum7 December 2016

The cuisine of cool Scandinavia is hot property in London right now, and this latest opening looks set to push it even further.

Aquavit, which takes its name from a flavoured spirit made and drank across several Scandinavian and Nordic countries, comes to London a rather long way around — via New York.

The original opened there back in 1987 and now holds two Michelin stars. The London version is designed to be a more casual affair, with a simple ingredients-led approach to nordic flavours.

It is led by executive chef Emma Bengtsson, who also runs the New York restaurant, and head chef Henrik Ritzen who has previously cooked at The Arts Club in Mayfair and Lutyens in the City.

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They are both from the west coast of Sweden, although the cooking takes inspiration from other Scandinavian and Nordic countries including Norway and Finland.

In the video above Bengtsson and Ritzen explain the story behind it and what to expect while we also take a look at some of the dishes being served.

See more of our restaurant videos for sneak peeks at the capital’s newest openings, and behind-the-scenes looks into the kitchens of London’s foodie hotspots.

Visit standard.co.uk/restaurants for the latest news and reviews from London’s food scene.

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