San Sabino: A Modern Italian American Seafood Spot That Made Me Actually Try Something New

Full disclosure, I did not pick this place. That credit goes to Shannon, because I am simply not going to go that far out of my way or try that hard on my own. San Sabino is a modern Italian American seafood restaurant from the Don Angie team, tucked into the West Village, and I loved it.

The Room

Every check I ran on this place before walking in said West Village outfit, and the space delivers on that read immediately. Clean, Italian inspired, coastal without leaning into any kind of theme park version of coastal. Great decor, the kind that tells you what kind of meal you are about to have before the menu even lands on the table.

The Food, Lighter Than Expected

Going in, I expected something heavier. What actually showed up was lighter across the board, but not in a way that left me hungry. There is a real difference between light and unsatisfying, and San Sabino understands it. You leave satiated, not stuffed, not carrying your grandmother’s lasagna around in your stomach for the rest of the day. Full, but functional.

We started with a martini, because that is simply how the meal begins around here.

Cured Scallops and Spicy Tuna

The cured scallops came out first, very creamy, very rich, and honestly the least flavorful dish of the night in my opinion. Not bad, just not living up to everything else that followed. Set the bar low, unintentionally.

The spicy tuna sesame corrected course immediately. Best tasting dish of the meal, hands down. I wish I could show you exactly how good it looked, but none of my photos actually did it justice. Every single shot came out looking like evidence from a crime scene rather than a plate worth ordering. So you are just going to have to trust me and go see this masterpiece with your own two eyes, because my camera clearly was not invited to appreciate it the way I did

AmberJack Crudo

This one takes the prize for most complex plate of the night. Kidney blossoms and nuts gave it a real pop, and the portion size was genuinely surprising, in a good way. Highly recommend, and yes, size does matter here, because these things were huge.

Cheesy Frittelle

A surprise hit. I expected them to be more style than substance, fun to look at but not much going on underneath. Wrong. They deliver on flavor and still manage to look like a good time on the plate.

Lobster Triangoli

Lobster ravioli in triangle form, white sauce, black garlic running through it. Looks like a simple dish on paper and is anything but. A lot of flavor packed into something that reads as understated. Second favorite dish of the night, and I would add chili oil next time if it is not already mixed in, just for a little extra heat.

Halibut Oreganata

Well cooked, tasty, reliable. Nothing flashy here, just a kitchen that knows how to cook a piece of fish correctly, which should not be a rare compliment but somehow still is.

Manicottini Della Casa

The star of the entrees. Tiny meatballs in Sunday sauce, and if you have any appreciation for a properly made Sunday sauce, this is your dish. Cannot go wrong ordering it.

Dessert

Two desserts made the table. The pineapple sorbetto, which I went in skeptical of since I am not usually a pineapple guy, turned out to be genuinely fun and worth ordering despite my bias. Then the gelato Viennese, chocolate espresso and hazelnut cream, solid on every level. Neither one leans too sweet, both carry real flavor. If you are going, get both, and honestly I would have tried a third if given the chance.

Final Verdict

Staff was great, the food across the board was genuinely delicious, and somehow you walk out of San Sabino without that heavy, defeated feeling that usually follows a big Italian meal. I am a fat bastard regardless of where I eat, that part never changes, but this one earns a full recommendation without hesitation. Shannon, thank you for the pick. You were right, and I am rarely willing to admit that in writing.

As always, what do I know? I am just a fat guy from Brooklyn trying to survive the week, one martini at a time.

Looking for more NYC restaurant reviews? Check out my Best Steakhouses in NYC, Best Burgers in NYC, and Best Restaurants in NYC lists.