Reviews & Ratings for Sant Ambroeus

03/03/11

Great food, but snooty service

by jmrichards

We made reservations at the upper east side location for an early dinner and were seated promptly, but had to wait for a very long time for menus, both at the beginning of the meal and at dessert. And we were one of only a few tables, with lots of staff mulling about.

The food was very good- I had the seafood risotto and my friends had the spaghetti with eggplant and the chicken with prosciutto.

My friends and I thought that we were being looked down upon and overall ignored, which is too bad, since one of my friends is a food writer, and my boyfriend and I love to try new restaurants. Sadly, this one is not one we will go back to.

12/28/09

Quiet Breakfast in the West Village

by BeHappyNYC

We started off with a cappuccino, latte, and hot chocolate. The latte was perfection and the presentation of the cappuccino was so beautiful!

I ordered the Le Foccaccine with smoked salmon. I didn't know quite what to expect but was pleasantly surprised when a croissant arrived! The croissant was cold and I think next time, I would ask them to lightly toast it in order to bring out the buttery richness in the flakey crust.

My husband ordered the pancakes. His dish came out looking like a piece of art! The pancake was moist and the full of flavor, the blueberry compote was perfect and the sugar coated fruit on the plate added to the lightness of the dish. It didn't seem like a heavy, IHOP style pancake dish. It was light, sophisticated, and meant to be savored.

We really had a lovely breakfast and the service was normal, nothing stood out.

• Pros: excellent cappuccinos & lattes!

03/29/09

Upper East Side Pretension Meets West Village Crowd

by JKWestVillage

The mains are great on their own, but just go and share a few (3 or 4) of the small sandwiches and cap it off with espresso and cookies. Or just go for the espresso and cookies during their daily Afternoon Tea hours. Yes, they have Afternoon Tea. One of my favorite spots in the city of New York.

• Pros: Afternoon Tea
• Cons: What are the drawbacks?

01/31/08

Like Being Back in Milan

by dpezza02

St. Ambroeus is by far my most favorite spot for brunch and outdoor dining in New York City. The adorable staff serve authentic Northern Italian dishes, exquisitely prepared and presented. In addition, the international crowd gives one a great opportunity to eavesdrop and brush-up on his foreign language skills.

07/22/07

Once is (more than) enough

by sumptiousny

Ate here last Saturday night as a second choice destination primarily for the outdoor seating, also my friend loved the dessert and wine on a previous occasion. Unfortunately, we were both severely disappointed at the okay food for fantastical prices. We had the Pasta with Rabbit Ragout and Veal dish, the veal was alright but the ragout was rather dry and uninspiring; still, at those prices one expects more. I'd skip this restaurant and try somewhere else. It won't be difficult to find something tastier without walking too much further.

Note: I'm giving it an "average" as the food wasn't completely tasteless and service was fine, but, in terms of price vs food - I'd give it a hearty "below average".

• Pros: Street location
• Cons: Prices, average food

11/04/05

only civilized place downtown

by starving

they should double the prices to keep out what little riff raff gets inside this place. almost no children, cell phone users, tourists, bridge and tunnel types, or large groups. the food is the closest to real Italian food that you can find. serene, casual, dignified, i go almost every day.

10/23/05

Great Place!

by kibitz

We were seated promptly on a Saturday night. We found the service excellent and the food that we ordered to be fresh and succulent. The restuarant's decor is nice and a great ambience. The place is good for couples and a great place to have a conversation. Although, we found the place a bit pricey, overall we highly recommended it for small groups.

• Pros: Dessert, Food, Service
• Cons: pricey

03/12/05

Highly Recommended

by bellob

Everything I have EVER had here is absolutely delicious! The food is extremely FRESH - an absolute pleasure. One of my favorite restaurants in NY! If you want great food with friendly service in a nice setting - Sant Ambroeus is the place.

11/05/04

Pleasing Italian food and fine dessert in a classy setting.

by Contributor

The Scene
This restaurant does multiple duty as a cafe, dessert bar, brunch place and fine-dining spot. Coral and rust colors give an air of luxury to the smallish, extensively windowed room. It's unmistakably upscale, with past and present branches in the Hamptons and the Upper East Side.

The Food
Sant Ambroeus' kitchen pays close attention to ingredients and methods, resulting in delicate, often exquisite Italian meals. A caprese salad's mozzarella is silky, not mushy, and its olive oil resounds with pepper and fruit. Pappardelle layered with smoky speck and translucent sheets of hard cheese fills the mouth with perfect balanced flavor; in a prosecco-tinged risotto, rice grains are discrete but melting. Full-flavored gelati in a host of flavors and combinations, boozy tiramisu and airy hazelnut mousse are among the excellent dessert choices.

08/11/04

Touch of class

by smish74

My boyfriend lives down the stree and we have mde many stops for take-out, eat-in, brunch, almost every possible scenario and we find it absolutely wonderful in every respect. The service is top-notch, the food terrific and the place is beautiful. a welcome addition to the neighborhood!

• Pros: SERVICE, food, atmosphere