Ilis

Almost a decade in the making, Ilis, from Noma vet Mads Refslund, has landed in Greenpoint with bespoke Scandinavian-inspired furniture and bigeye tuna served over pebbles hand-plucked from a beach in northern Maine. Located in a former warehouse, with a vast open kitchen and an army of servers who double as cooks, the operation is so serious that it often feels silly, and it’s the most fascinating fine-dining option in town. The menu focuses on often-foraged ingredients found in North America, and it begins at five courses, with items like porcinis wrapped in lotus leaf, delicate trout baked in birch bark, and a non-alcoholic Bloody Mary-adjacent beverage served in a clamshell sealed with beeswax. Expect to spend around $200 on a meal that’s captivating, delicious, and a little absurd.

Smoked eel, meant to be eaten like corn on the cob.photo credit: Ilis