When I lived in the West Village, I never really understood all the hype around Sant Ambroeus. It seemed sterile, old-fashioned and all together too expensive. Of course I went a few times for lunch meetings, saw a few celebs, and begrudgingly paid $25 for a tuna salad composed of underipe tomatoes and overly oiled, very dry fish. So it was to my surprise on Sunday, when I stopped into the Southampton location for a coffee, that I favored this location far more than the Manhattan mainstay.
Sure, I wanted a cup to-go…they don’t do to-go. And sure, I wanted skim milk…they don’t do skim milk. This time, the whole vibe sort of made sense in the context. We were standing up at their coffee counter and no, the barista didn’t speak perfect Italian, he was more of the Long Island hair gel variety.
Never the less, the coffee was truly fantastic. A creamy cafe au lait served the perfect temperature did me right. As I sipped and took in the atmosphere, something did feel distinctly Italian in there. I left caffeinated, satisfied, and sure to return next weekend.
To read more from Jill Donenfeld, visit her at The Dish’s Dish and Culinista Kitchen.
