Sant Ambroeus Madison
Italian restaurant · Upper East Side ·
Traditional Italian trattoria serving Milanese dishes, cappuccinos & desserts
Traditional Italian trattoria serving Milanese dishes, cappuccinos & desserts
"Parading past the pastry counter at Sant Ambroeus on the way to be seated in the dining room, inhaling the intoxicating aroma of Italian coffee and eyeing the pastries and cakes, feels like being a gambler in Las Vegas, forced to walk by roulette tables just to get to your hotel room. I usually resist temptation, but I have a weakness for almond paste, soft meringue, and dark chocolate, so the amaretti cookie ($16), which is a recent addition, stopped me in my tracks. The almond paste is mixed with egg white, giving it an ethereal touch. That combination rests on a lush layer of vanilla kirsch butter cream and a base of 72 percent dark chocolate. That cookie haunted my dreams, so I returned the next day to pick one up for an afternoon snack." - Nat Belkov
"Landing on the West Coast for the first time in 2026, this celebrity-favorite Milanese institution is debuting its Beverly Hills flagship—its largest location—on the corner of Beverly Drive and Dayton Way, a block from Rodeo Drive. Housed in a standalone building, the outpost will feature a spacious indoor dining room, patio, two bars, a private dining room, and a separate coffee bar for espresso and pastries. The menu will carry over Italian classics from other locations, including vitello tonnato, house-made pastas, and cacio e pepe, most of it leaning on California produce, alongside cocktails and a wine list with bottles from California and Italy. Founded in 1936 as an all-day cafe and patisserie and long known for its high-profile clientele, the brand brings that heritage to Beverly Hills." - Rebecca Roland
"At this Italian‑leaning café chain with locations in New York City, Aspen, Milan, and Palm Beach, the house 'principessa' cake reinterprets the Swedish classic with a lemon sponge; the variation has become influencer‑favored and even inspired related lifestyle products." - Bettina Makalintal
"A tried-and-true favorite I like, and always fun for people-watching." - Edward Barsamian
"Eating “somewhere fancy” on the UES also usually means eating somewhere that looks a hundred years old with people whose ties look tied awfully tight, but Sant Ambroeus’s UES location is an exception. You’ll see a younger, trendier crowd here drinking freddo cappuccinos under the gorgeous Art Deco chandelier. You come here for the pastries—don’t leave without trying the Principessa cake—but their pastas and pretty salads are very good too." - neha talreja, carina finn koeppicus
