The Citiblog
California Dreaming at Savta In Greenwich Village
March 1, 2024, 7:24.25 pm ET
Photos: Francesco Sapienza
California-inspired restaurant Savta has opened in the space that formerly housed the landmark Zito and Sons Bakery on Bleecker Street. This is owner Vincent Benoliel’s second NYC project after opening Pasta Corner in Midtown last year.
Savta (grandmother in Hebrew) pays homage to Vincent’s grandmother Lisou Dahan, who owned two restaurants in France and taught him everything he knows about cooking and baking. Savta combines his French upbringing, bread and pastry baking expertise with California vibes.
Starters range from Raw Kumamoto Oysters to classic Beef Tartare to Mushroom Toast on house-baked sourdough. Vegetables play prominent here with dishes like the nutty Grilled Avocado; Japanese Eggplant with tahini, agrodolce and sumac; Garlic-Chili Roasted Cauliflower; and Charred Brussels Sprouts with feta.
Pizzas are made with Caputo flour and dough that rests for three days (72 hours), including the Spianata with spicy Calabrian salami along with Smoked Salmon with fresh fior di latte cheese that’s perfect for brunch. Larger plates bring Grilled Salmon in a shallot and lemon cream sauce, Beef Tenderloin with green peppercorn sauce, and Cioppino with sea bass, blue PEI mussels, tiger prawns and Manila clams.
The cozy, rustic space with exposed brick, wood furniture and lots of plants is anchored by a long marble-topped bar up front with a dining room seating around 40 in the rear and a 20-seat heated and covered all-year outdoor back patio. The beverage program features wines from California, Italy and France, including prosecco on tap, plus beer and low ABV cocktails, including an Espresso Martini, and more.
Honoring the legacy of the landmark Zito and Sons Bakery, which occupied the space for 80 years before closing in 2004, Savta is baking all of its breads and pastries in house with Isigny butter imported from Normandy.
Savta is located at 259 Bleecker Street (near Cornelia St.) in Greenwich Village. For more information, visit, savtanyc.com
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