When chef Brian Bornemann and interdisciplinary artist Leena Culhane began their pandemic pop-up in July of 2020, the world was a blur. While the future remains unknown, one thing has become abundantly clear: evolving the ways we interact with our planet and each other is the only way forward. Bella Dea is the East Coast outpost of the duo’s Santa Monica brick-and-mortar, Crudo e Nudo, and brings the same ethos of an environmentally progressive menu, an equitable business model, and a whole lot of heart to the West Village.

Know your farmer, know your food. Each item on our menu is chosen with intention. From local, line-caught fish to our female-forward wine list, the products we work with don’t just integrate Bella Dea’s vision, they are the vision. The end result is an incredibly high-quality product that supports local economies and regenerative food and beverage practices. While our prices reflect the true cost of responsible sourcing, we seek to make our menu as accessible as possible by offering a killer happy hour for seafood and wine each night we are open. Our director of food and beverage, Joseph Barron, has an extensive background in fish butchery, cheese mongering, and wine.