Born as a café and now an emblem of an all-day dining experience, Sant Ambroeus welcomes Milanese residents from morning till dinner in a timeless setting.
Some places are steeped in history and stories, and one of these is Sant Ambroeus, born in 1936 from the dreams of two pastry chefs who wanted to open a café just a stone's throw from Teatro La Scala. Choosing the name was easy: they were inspired by the patron saint of Milan. The venue soon became the favorite spot for many Milanese who visited simply to enjoy a morning coffee and cornetto, have a delicious sandwich for lunch, or end their day with classic traditional dishes in the elegant dining room.
Sant Ambroeus thus became a place suitable for every moment of the day and the preferred meeting place for Milan's intellectual elite. It didn't take long to cross the ocean either. In 1982, the first Sant Ambroeus restaurant opened on Madison Avenue in Manhattan, welcoming a new wave of customers not only from New York but from all over the world.
The venue open from morning to evening
Open from morning to evening It was true in the past, and it remains so today: Sant Ambroeus continues to be the perfect place for every moment, an excellent choice to start your day with a tasty breakfast or bid it farewell with a refreshing cocktail. But it's also the perfect destination for a business lunch or a family dinner.
Even at the end of the summer season, the wonderful outdoor terrace (open year-round) is perfect for enjoying a lovely aperitif surrounded by evergreen plants under the elegant portico of Corso Matteotti. Inside, you can enjoy an aperitif or dinner at the marble bar where Milanese tradition meets American character.
The gastronomic offering
A revamped menu that doesn't forget the venue's classics but also focuses on Mediterranean and Italian traditions. Before sitting down to enjoy your dinner, you can treat yourself to an aperitif, choosing from a selection of signature drinks accompanied by mini burgers, shrimp cocktails, or, why not, excellent club sandwiches.
If you prefer to honor local tradition, opt for the arancini: a wonderful ball of perfectly prepared rice, as tradition dictates, with a heart of pure Italian flavor hidden inside. In addition to the classic drinks, you can order one of Sant Ambroeus's most popular cocktails for a refreshing experience: the Palm Beach with Saint Germain, dry gin, rosehip syrup, lime juice, and ginger beer on top. A tasty prelude to dinner for those who prefer sparkling drinks that race in the glass. Yes, because the wine list is truly interesting and deserves the attention of connoisseurs and enthusiasts alike. Choosing what to drink and eat becomes a moment of pure enjoyment. On the menu, for lunch and dinner, you can explore different taste dimensions.
There are seafood delights like the Seared Dentex with kiwi, steamed green beans, chives, and lemon, a flavor combination that transports you straight to the seaside, or the Amberjack with avocado, strawberry juice, red wine vinegar, scallions, and chili, which plays with the fruit to add a touch of freshness to the dish.
You should also try some brand-new pasta options, such as the Monograno Felicetti Pacchero with gurnard sauce, white wine, chives, garlic, and Cantabrian anchovies, a dish that's hard to forget with its rich, defined, and bold flavors. Vegetarian options are also available, like Peas and scallion flan with broad beans, green asparagus, pea juice, soy milk, almonds, Sicilian pistachios, and Castelvetrano olives, a vegetable triumph to satisfy even the most discerning palates. It's a completely green dish, but it's not flat; it's rich in emotion and bursts of flavor.
You should also try another vegetarian dish, Fusilloni from Pastificio Masciarelli with trombetta zucchini, zucchini cream, and Provolone del Monaco, capable of taking you to the countryside, strolling through sunlit fields, where you breathe fresh air, or the Polignano Carrot Roast with curry, soy yogurt, avocado, sunflower sprouts, lemon, wild garlic, and chili, which, with a touch of spices and oriental flavors, enriches a slow food flagship product and makes the perfection of raw materials even more magical and sought-after.
The classics of the opening menu remain, such as Spaghetto Al Pomodoro, wonderful in its simplicity, the inevitable Cotoletta, a Milanese veal cutlet served with arugula and roasted tomatoes, a symbol of the city of Milan, and the iconic Lobster Roll, a taste embrace that will satisfy all palates, from the most indulgent to the most refined.
So, all you have to do is take a seat, perhaps on the pleasant patio, and let your feelings guide you, maybe even take the advice of the waitstaff. Everything you order will not disappoint you, and you can enjoy an experience that was once a joy and delight for Milan's intellectual elite.
Address
Sant Ambroeus
Corso Giacomo Matteotti, 7, 20121 Milan MI, Italy
Tel. +39 02-7600-0540
