At Sant Ambroeus, hot chocolate arrives in a delicate porcelain cup, thick, rich, and ever so bitter, with a pressed doily beneath. Few Italian coffee shops and restaurants in New York City can rival the elegant spirit and graceful service of Sant Ambroeus, named after the patron saint of Milan. It's proving a successful formula.
On Monday, March 8, the Italian chain will inaugurate a 7,000-square-foot restaurant in Brookfield Place, a shopping mall located just steps away from Battery Park, adding yet another Manhattan location after Soho, the Upper East Side, and the West Village.
The menu at Sant Ambroeus includes fettuccine alla Bolognese.
Founded in Milan in 1936 and exported to New York City in 1982, Sant Ambroeus' new location represents a culmination of experiences, relationships, and Italian traditions. The menu's standout dishes include Tonnarelli Cacio e Pepe and Fettuccine alla Bolognese as well as a Branzino dish with fish flown in from the Mediterranean.
“Whether it's the fishmonger finding the perfect piece of Dover sole at two in the morning at the Bronx fish market, those handcrafting the finest pasta in Abruzzo and Toscana, or the local tri-state area farmers growing the freshest hydroponic micro-herbs and seasonal vegetables, we wouldn’t be here without them, and are eternally grateful,” says culinary director Iacopo Falai.
A Caprese salad at Sant Ambroeus.
The dining area at the new Brookfield Place Sant Ambroeus maintains the signature Mid-Century Modern design with mahogany paneling, immense Murano glass chandeliers, and soaring 40-foot-high ceilings. Works of art by Roberto Ruspoli, Marino Marini, and Le Corbusier are displayed throughout the space and in private dining rooms.
A meal at Sant Ambroeus would not be complete without a luscious dessert and an expertly pulled coffee. The Principessa, a delicate sponge cake layered with whipped cream and finished in a rose-colored marzipan icing looks to be the go-to finale.