Caviar, once considered a delicacy reserved only for the rich and famous, is now much more ubiquitously celebrated, thanks largely in part to—you probably guessed it—the internet.
While widespread interest in caviar began to rise in the summer of 2022 with the popularity of “caviar bumps” (where you eat a spoon of caviar off your hand), things really exploded in November 2022 after #CaviarTok began to trend on TikTok. It all started when the daughter of a major caviar business owner went viral for sharing a video of herself eating a lavish snack of brioche bread spread with butter and heaped with mountains of caviar.
The caviar craze shows no signs of slowing down, as evidenced by the rapid increase in market size and demand and the subsequent proliferation of caviar-focused experiences popping up all over the country. A big mission of this ongoing culinary movement is to make eating these tiny, glistening pearls of deliciousness more accessible—and a lot more fun!
Check out this curated roundup of some of the most exceptional caviar experiences across the United States.
Regiis Ova Caviar & Champagne Lounge in Yountville
Fun fact: Regiis Ova is not only the name of the lounge itself but also the name of a specific caviar sourced by famed Chef Thomas Keller and business partner Shaoching Bishop, who co-own the lounge. Caviar is definitely a star attraction here, with dishes such as crab with caviar Beurre Blanc sauce, tater tots topped with caviar, creme fraiche and bacon, tempura fried chicken tenders with caviar ranch dressing, plus salmon sashimi, Wagyu tartare, and deviled eggs, all of which are topped with caviar.
Their Champagne list is unmatched, too. Options include half and full bottles from Grand Marquee and grower maisons alike. Speaking of which, Regiis Ova offers a fantastic Champagne & caviar flight featuring three styles of sparkling wine/Champagne plus three different types of caviar. Need even more? You can also join their caviar tasting club to regularly get your fish egg fix.
Cuvaison Winery’s “Wine + Caviar” Tasting in Sonoma
The winery’s Wine & Caviar tasting for two pairs caviar (plus accompaniments) with a hand-selected flight of five estate-grown wines. The ability to taste five different wines enables guests to have some fun palate play by exploring how the caviar pairs differently with the flavors of each varietal/style, as well as discovering personal pairing favorites.
Pro Tip: When you book, ask if you can add any of their small production wines to your tasting. I had the pleasure of tasting the super exclusive ATS Chardonnay, and it was phenomenal. The notes of caramel and baked croissant were such an incredible sensory experience with the caviar—so much so that I brought some ATS home.
The Four Seasons Hotel’s Miss River in New Orleans
Just opened in the Crescent City in August of 2021, The Four Seasons made it clear that they intended to live up to the standards of being in one of the culinary capitals of the world, including catering to caviar lovers.
At one of their restaurants, Miss River, guests not only have the option of a traditional caviar service but can also order a dish of Creole cream cheese and Imperial Golden Osetra caviar ice cream. If that doesn’t fully satisfy your caviar cravings, head over to the Chandelier Bar for Champagne and caviar service that comes with a New Orleans twist of heirloom milled cornbread hot cakes served in lieu of traditional blinis.
Caviar Kaspia at The Mark Hotel in NYC
Founded in 1927 in Paris, France, Caviar Kaspia has a storied history of providing a one-of-a-kind, luxurious, old-world charm caviar experience to celebs including Beyoncé, Jay-Z, and Rihanna. Now that same charm, with a bit of a modern world update, has recently been brought to New York City via the caviar company’s first U.S. outpost.
Long-famed for its twice-baked potato topped with caviar and creme fraiche, guests will be delighted by the venue’s lush interiors, superlative service and a decadent spread of dishes using various types of farm-raised caviar.
Apero Bar in Washington, D.C.
Apero is French for “aperitif,” which is so apropos for this French bar and café of the same name and their fabulous pre-dinner caviar happy hour. For $42, guests get 10 grams of caviar plus a glass of Brut Champagne, or 10 grams of caviar plus two glasses of Brut Champagne or a glass of Brut rose for $60.
Those who wish to indulge a bit more can add caviar to any dish at brunch, including the croissant eggs Benedict or a Croque Madame. Pro tip: Make your caviar experience an intimate one by sipping and noshing in the bar’s secret garden in the rear.
The caviar experience at Zero George was intentionally designed to be chic and intimate, yet cool and approachable. A perfectly curated menu designed around the chef’s admiration for and experience with caviar, guests are guided through a tasting of decadent, shareable bites that include boiled eggs, toasted brioche fingerlings and crunchy kettle-style potato chips, along with beverage selections to complement.
You can up the ante even more by ordering à la carte items and adding a dollop of caviar to them, such as the Wagyu sandwich with edible gold or the crispy ham croquettes. The experience, starting at $65 per person, is designed to last at least an hour and a half and is super intimate—there are only eight seats at the bar.
Guests looking for a decadent midnight snack will literally have the delicacy at their fingertips. To indulge in a range of caviar experiences at any time of the day or night, hotel guests need only dial “5” from their in-room phones to reach an actual caviar hotline.
From there, they can select from several options, such as smoked salmon & caviar blinis, caviar nachos and deviled eggs topped with Petrossian Royal Osetra caviar, all of which will be delivered to their rooms post-haste.
How would you like your caviar served deckside on an intimate, luxury cruise ship while sailing your way to South America, New Zealand, the British Isles, the Mediterranean, the Caribbean or one of over 900 destinations?
The Silver Moon is truly designed for food lovers, which is evidenced by their new Sea And Land Taste program. One of the offerings is unlimited caviar, whether it’s by the tin, as a snack garnish, or as an accompaniment to dinner entrees. Word is that guests love this amenity so much that the average annual onboard caviar consumption is more than 5,300 pounds!
Featured image: Courtesy of Silversea Cruises
