Ambra Restaurant

"This tiny, tasting-menu-only spot in Queen Village feels more like a great dinner party than a restaurant. At its core, Ambra is all about rustic Italian, and delivers it unlike anywhere else in the city—with tweezer precision, a dash of molecular gastronomy, and exceptional service. It’s a once-in-a-presidential-term kind of meal that you’ll want to have once a season. You have the option to dine in the kitchen with the chefs, but the best seats are at the single communal table in the candlelit, flower-filled dining room (your only other option). That’s where ten strangers become friends during a wine-, caviar-, and truffle-fueled meal. Ambra has a community table, dining room, and kitchen counter seating (two to four people). The kitchen counter is the front-row ticket everyone wants. Reservations come out two months in advance, on the first of the month. Also, they have a reservationist who you can call at 267-858-9232 and ask about cancellations or potentially bribe." - candis mclean, alison kessler

"This tiny, tasting-menu-only spot in Queen Village feels more like a great dinner party than a restaurant. At its core, Ambra is all about rustic Italian, and delivers it unlike anywhere else in the city—with tweezer precision, a dash of molecular gastronomy, and exceptional service. It’s a once-in-a-presidential-term kind of meal that you’ll want to have once a season. You have the option to dine in the kitchen with the chefs, but the best seats are at the single communal table in the candlelit, flower-filled dining room (your only other option). That’s where ten strangers become friends during a wine-, caviar-, and truffle-fueled meal. Warm, seamless service and chatty tablemates make the three-hour experience fly by, but you won’t want it to. Ambra has a community table, dining room, and kitchen counter seating (two to four people). The kitchen counter is the front-row ticket everyone wants. Reservations come out two months in advance, on the first of the month. Also, they have a reservationist who you can call at 267-858-9232 and ask about cancellations or potentially bribe." - candis mclean, alison kessler

"Ambra provides a splurgy-but-worth-it Italian dining experience where guests can watch the multi-course menu come to life in the kitchen." - Regan Stephens

"This tiny, tasting-menu-only spot in Queen Village feels more like a swanky dinner party than a restaurant. At its core, Ambra is all about rustic Italian, and delivers it unlike anywhere else in the city—with tweezer precision, a dash of molecular gastronomy, and exceptional service. It’s a once-in-a-presidential-term kind of meal that you’ll want to have once a season. You have the option to dine in the kitchen with the chefs, but the best seats are at the single communal table in the candlelit, flower-filled dining room (your only other option). That’s where ten strangers become friends during a wine-, caviar-, and truffle-fueled meal." - candis mclean, alison kessler

"This tiny, tasting-menu-only spot serves incredible Italian food, but the big draw of Ambra is the experience beyond what you're going to eat. There are only two seating options: in the kitchen with the chefs, or at the single communal table in the candlelit, plant-filled dining room where you'll have a wine, caviar, and truffle-fueled dinner party with nine new friends. The menu changes seasonally, but you can always expect things like handmade pasta in a veal and artichoke ragu, perfectly seared lamb loin, and 'nduja-topped oysters. Ambra also proves that exceptional service doesn't have to be so serious—only restaurants making food this good can have this much fun, but most don’t." - candis mclean, alison kessler