"Thirty-five floors above Columbus Circle, Nori Sugie's French-Japanese prix fixe trades on the skyline — book it for an anniversary with a view."
About Asiate
The first thing you notice is the glass: 16-foot windows wrapping the 35th floor, with Central Park and the Columbus Circle skyline laid out below. Asiate has been the signature restaurant of the Mandarin Oriental, New York since the hotel opened in 2003, and chef Nori Sugie cooks a seasonal French-Japanese prix fixe to match the altitude. The langoustine ravioli with leek fondue, bok choy and curry emulsion is the plate that captures his style. Dinner runs $95 to $175 a head before wine, at 80 Columbus Circle.
The Kitchen
Asiate is led by chef Nori Sugie, who trained across French and Japanese kitchens before taking the pass at the Mandarin Oriental's 35th-floor room. His cooking sits where the two traditions overlap: classical French technique and sauce-work applied to Japanese ingredients and a Japanese sense of restraint, served as a prix fixe rather than an à la carte sprawl.
The langoustine ravioli with leek fondue, bok choy and a curry emulsion is the dish that explains the kitchen, a single, precise plate built on a delicate sauce. The format runs as a three-course prix fixe from about $95, with a longer chef's tasting climbing toward $175 and a wine pairing around $115; a weekday two-course power lunch lands near $34. Asiate has been the Mandarin Oriental's flagship dining room since 2003 and holds a Forbes Travel Guide rating, a fixture of the skyline-dining conversation in Midtown. Expect $95 to $175 a head before drinks at 80 Columbus Circle.
The Room
The dining room is built around the view and a sculptural chandelier of bare tree branches that climbs the double-height window wall. Tables are well spaced and the sound level stays low, closer to a hushed hotel salon than a buzzing brasserie, with soft evening lighting that lets the skyline do the work. Seating runs to roughly 90 across the main floor, with the prized two-tops set against the glass. Dress is smart elegant; jackets are common at dinner and athletic wear is out. Service is formal and unhurried, paced to the prix fixe.
Best for an Anniversary
Book Asiate for an anniversary because the room is built for it: a window table over Central Park at dusk, a quiet, well-spaced floor that lets you actually talk, and a prix fixe that paces the night without decisions to make. Request a Central Park-facing window when you reserve and time it for sunset. For another skyline-led celebration in the same building, see Per Se, and browse the best anniversary restaurants.
Not for
Not for a value-first food pilgrimage or a lively group night out. You are paying a clear premium for the altitude and the glass, and the hushed, formal room suits a couple, not a celebration that wants noise.
Frequently Asked
Is Asiate worth it?
Yes, if the view is part of the point. Asiate pairs Nori Sugie's French-Japanese prix fixe with a 35th-floor wall of glass over Central Park, and at $95 to $175 a head it earns the splurge for an anniversary or a skyline-led celebration. For a pure food-first night, the city has stronger value. See the New York dining guide for more.
What are the best tables at Asiate for the view?
Ask for a window table along the 16-foot floor-to-ceiling glass facing Central Park and Columbus Circle. Those seats are the reason to come, and they book out first for sunset. Request a Central Park-facing window when you reserve, and aim for a table timed to dusk for the strongest skyline.
What is the dress code at Asiate?
Smart elegant. Asiate is a hotel fine-dining room, so jackets are common for men in the evening and there are no shorts or athletic wear. Dress as you would for a special-occasion dinner. Lunch and brunch run a touch more relaxed, but still polished.
How much does Asiate cost?
Dinner is prix fixe, from about $95 for three courses up to roughly $175 for the longer chef's tasting, before wine. A weekday power lunch runs around $34 for two courses, and weekend brunch is about $64. Wine pairings add roughly $115. Plan on $95 to $175 per person at dinner.
Is Asiate good for an anniversary?
Yes. The Central Park skyline, the soaring tree-branch chandelier and the quiet, well-spaced tables make it one of the more romantic rooms in Midtown. Book a window table at dusk and let the prix fixe pace the evening. For a livelier celebration, look elsewhere.
Reserve a Table
Reserve at Asiate
Asiate books on OpenTable and through the Mandarin Oriental. Window tables at sunset open in advance and go fast; weekday lunch is easier.
Affiliate disclosure: Restaurants for Kings may earn a commission when you book through our reservation links, at no cost to you. Our scores are editorial and never paid for.
Practical Information
Address80 Columbus Circle, 35th Floor
NeighbourhoodColumbus Circle / Upper West Side
CuisineContemporary French-Japanese
Price$95–$175 per person, lunch ~$34
Dress CodeSmart elegant, jackets common
Seating~90, window two-tops prized
ReservationOpenTable · Mandarin Oriental
