This bright, airy dining room doubles as a flower shop, and its vivid, spring-like décor feels like stepping into a Real Simple magazine cover. But these gorgeous blooms serve a third, even more exciting, role at Il Fiorista, making their way into cocktails and dishes crafted with edible flowers like nasturtium blossoms and hibiscus petals.
The results are deliciously unique. Owners Alessandra and Mario De Benedetti, who relocated from Italy, have expertly blended their homeland's sensibility with Executive Chef Rae Kramer’s culinary style. A beautifully-executed squid ink pasta, anelli al nero, is studded with tender, briny calamari, chili, and fennel; while a roasted honeynut squash tart stays seasonal with chestnut purée and shaved black truffle.