Nestled in the West Village, San Sabino dazzles with its stylish decor and tempting Italian menu, where standout dishes like lobster triangoli and a cozy atmosphere make for a delightful dining experience.
"Ah yes, stuffed farfalle with tobiko and buttermilk foam, just like they do it in small-town Sicily. As the Minion-yellow dining room and martini with garlic bread vodka suggest, San Sabino from the Don Angie people leans non-traditional. The spritz-fueled West Village spot is Italian American with a bit of Malibu tossed in, and it’s a fun place to listen to surf rock while you dip ritz crackers in a buttery crab dip. Dabble in the pastas, but pay more attention to the small plates like the octopus carpaccio and stuffed mussels with lemon aioli. Reservations are released a week in advance at 9am, but the restaurant welcomes walk-ins at the bar. We lined up outside at 4:30pm on a Thursday, and came back for a bar seat at 7pm." - bryan kim, neha talreja, willa moore, molly fitzpatrick, tiffany yannetta
"A newly opened seafood-centric eatery by Angela Rito and Scott Tacinelli, located next to Don Angie. It features dishes focused on seafood and handmade pastas in their signature Italian American style." - Shivani Vora
"An Italian-American restaurant focusing on seafood preparations and house-made pastas." - Kat Odell
"The seafood-heavy sister restaurant to the inimitable Don Angie was the hardest table in town to book well before it opened. If you are fortunate enough to elbow your way into a Resy, or walk in to snag one of their wooden bar stools, take your time. Start with a cocktail. We did negronis and note-perfect dry martinis, finished with a thick peel of lemon, just like they are on the Amalfi. The space itself recalled the fabled Italian coastline, with warm, sunny yellows and pops of Mediterranean blues, but an impressive bar with hand carved stools and leather booths make the place feel every part of an upscale West Village restaurant. And then, the food. After stints at Torrisi and the helm of Don Angie, chef Angie Rito knows a thing or two about Italian-American cuisine, which is how San Sabino classifies itself. Though here, she reinvents it even further. Contrary to red sauce norms, the menu is heavy on lighter dishes, like exceptional salads (the tricolore Sabino is their take on a Caesar) and crudos (the spicy tuna with broken arancini was my favorite bite of the night) and a smart, tight selection of pasta dishes. I resisted the urge to get meatballs and Sunday sauce manicotti and went full fish, because, when in Amalfi…. The crab-filled farfalle was delicate and wonderfully sauced as was the lobster triangoli. We had to order the restaurant’s viral dish, the shrimp parm, with heads popping out from layers of red sauce and cheese, sizzling on a silver platter. Risking backlash, I will say that it was good, but it’s not a can’t-miss. Instead, opt for an additional dish of what Rito does so exceptionally here - the fresher, lighter seafood (another crudo, or perhaps the halibut). And if you (like me) still need that fix of more on-the-nose Italian American, it is nice to know that Rito’s meatball spiedini—deliciously seasoned, served on a skewer—can be ordered with any dish, on the side. —Erin Florio, executive editor"
"Moving into the former Benny’s Burritos, this offshoot of nearby Don Angie from chefs Angela Rito and Scott Tacinelli describes itself as Italian American seafood, and in that context promotes some wacky but lovable notions — humongous prawns, for example, smothered in melted cheese, and a dill-draped crab and mortadella dip furnished with Ritz crackers. The bright yellow dining room looks out on a bucolic West Village scene." - Robert Sietsema
