Serious Eats & Style: One Of The Most Anticipated Restaurant Openings

If you're still hitting play on Gossip Girl episodes on Netflix (Spotted: Dan and Blair exiting Sant Ambroeus with espresso doppio for two. But we hear it's not caffeine that got them talking a mile a minute...) or you follow bloggers like The ManRepeller Leandra Medine (Between outfit-of-the-day related uploads, she's also been known to post snaps spotlighting their iced coffee.) or Into the Gloss & Glossier's Emily Weiss, you might already be aware of Sant Ambroeus.

It's wildly popular with upper East Siders as well as the likes of Lenny Kravitz (He sang the praises of SA and its desserts a few years ago in a NY Post profile.), Kelly Rutherford (of GG and Lily Van Der Woodsen fame), Bono, Harrison Ford, and many more. What you might not know is that they recently opened an outpost in the land of Lily Pulitzer and the Flagler fam, aka, Palm Beach. And, since I've been spending time in the Sunshine State this month, I decided to check it out. 

Even if you're just looking to get a glimpse of who's who in PB (You might spy an ascot or two.) or get gussied up in your post modern preppy best (Ascots, blue blazers, and seersucker, oh my!), you should know that the food is as phenomenal as the charming, Italian-cafe-inspired decor. (Photos above.) Think green marble, chandeliers, white table linens in the dining room juxtaposed with pops of bright orange, cute curtains, and their signature pink printed wallpaper (the same one you'll find on their to-go cups and tins...Tiffany has its robin egg blue. Gucci it's red and green. And Sant Ambroeus has it's pink and orange.) on the bakery side of the restaurant.

Here's the scoop: Their gelato is first rate and the closest, on this side of the globe, to the best Italy has to offer. We tried the sampler with 6 different flavors including mango, coconut, and a chocolate that will make you question every other dessert you've ever raved about. (Their cookies are to die for also.) For the main meal, we ordered a bunch of appetizers to share, followed by 3 different pastas. After inhaling everything, we came to a consensus that it was the best meal we'd had in ages. So, if you can't hop an Alitalia over to The Boot anytime soon, this spot is the next best-est thing food and atmosphere wise. 

Ciao for Now,

Patty J

Photo Credits: All photos are courtesy of PattyJ.com