Frevo, the hidden restaurant in New York

Despite being a city characterized by hustle and bustle, New York City hides exclusive and secret places. From speakeasies bars hidden behind flower shops, restaurants under a laundromat or behind a phone booth, secret gardens, doors that invite exclusive parties and even hidden subway stations, there are many treasures reserved for just a few.

One of the best kept secrets is the elegant Frevo Restaurant, which is hidden behind a painting by the French painter Toma-L, which works in Greenwich Village with the help of Brazilian chef Franco Sampogna and his partner, Bernardo Silva. The duo met a decade ago in France, a country where they worked for years in different restaurants and always kept the dream of having a restaurant in New York.

“When we found this space, it was bigger than initially planned. It was then that Bernardo came up with the idea of ​​using almost 30% of the space as an art gallery, using one of the works of art as the entrance door to the restaurant”.

The name of the restaurant comes from a Portuguese word that means “to boil” “Like the effervescent energy of New York City,” compare its creators. The place is located exactly on West 8th Street, inside a small art gallery.

When passing through there, nothing seems to indicate that there may be a gastronomic place there, but once one enters the gallery, one of the paintings opens and reveals a secret entrance that leads to this peculiar restaurant.

What is probably the largest painting and the only one in the gallery that can be touched and separated from the wall, will be the entrance to Frevo. As in any other exclusive site, it is necessary to make a reservation well in advance to ensure the experience.

In the exhibition room the samples change, with works by different modern painters and their “resident artist”, Toma-L. Bright and colorful paintings contrast with the restaurant’s simple and elegant menu.

Since 2019, Frevo has gained great popularity and recognition, revolutionizing the gastronomic world of New York not only because of the magic that is experienced when entering the premises, but also because its creative haute cuisine has not stopped receiving excellent reviews. Such is the example of Ellen Silverman, gastronomic critic for The New York Times, who expressed that Frevo is an ideal destination to get away from the bustle and overwhelming dynamism typical of the city. An opportunity not only to eat very well, but also to relax in a pleasant, artistic environment with few people.

The establishment that received a Michelin star in 2022 defines itself as exclusive, since in addition to having a speakeasy concept (clandestine and hidden premises), it only has capacity for 18 diners. It is only open for dinner from Tuesday to Saturday between 6pm and 11pm. The idea expressed on its website is “to offer an intimate culinary experience, with an open kitchen where you can appreciate the chef’s work in detail.”

The tasting menu has a value of 158 dollars. They also have alternatives for pairing with wine, which cost between $88 and $220 per person depending on the quality of the bottles. The excellent wines are selected by Quentin Vauleon, winner of the Best Young Sommelier of France award in 2017.

Among the dishes are roasted asparagus with pistachio cream and coconut foam; the shrimp ceviche; Maine lobster with Breton curry; grilled squid and dry-aged steak with a hint of black garlic and doenjang, a traditional Korean sauce.

The best part is that the menu changes with the seasons, Chef Sampogna uses fresh ingredients from each season.

At Frevo, preserving the environment is a priority, explains Franco Sampogna, who works daily to minimize food waste and sources and partners with local producers and farmers: “From the Amagansett Sea Salt and the wild fish from East Long Island to fresh vegetables from Norwich Meadows Farms in Norwich, all of our partners have a commitment to sustainability and organic practices that align with our philosophy.”

Undoubtedly enjoying dinner at the Frevo restaurant is an artistic, ingenious and creative experience that combines good food, wine, atmosphere and excellent music.

Due to its unique location, the space has no windows, which makes it an intimate, quiet and dark place, but perfectly designed.

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