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New Kid on the Block: Sarabeth’s Tribeca
Breakfast and lunch menu (click to enlarge)
Brunch menu
Afternoon tea and late lunch menu
Dinner menu
The excitement in the air at Sarabeth’s Tribeca yesterday was palpable: Finally, after countless delays, the restaurant is going to open on Tuesday. The sidewalk tables were set, servers were being trained, passersby were popping in to see if the restaurant was open yet. Sarabeth Levine herself was buzzing around and making last-minute decisions, such as what the flower arrangements should be like.
“We started in 1981,” she told me, “so we’re celebrating 30 years this fall.” The Sarabeth’s empire includes three other main restaurants (Upper East Side, Upper West Side, Central Park South), a bakery in Chelsea Market (where all the restaurants’ baked goods come from), and of course the extensive retail line of preserves, cookies, and so on. There are also satellite restaurants in Lord & Taylor stores and Key West. “But this is by far the biggest renovation we’ve ever done,” she said.
When you walk in, the first impression is that it’s bright and airy, not a surprise to anyone who remembers when the space was Bazzini’s. The walls are white, with both country touches (New England–style interior windows and cabinetry) and Tribeca ones (a polished concrete floor, that wonderful vaulted ceiling). The second impression is that it’s huge. Most of the ground floor’s 6,000 square feet is devoted to seating (240 total), with the kitchen located downstairs in a basement of approximately the same size. To the right of the front door, where Bazzini’s café area was, is Sarabeth’s retail bakery and bar; the booth in the southwest corner will be prime seating come brunch. The area straight ahead of the front door is broken into a handful of rooms, with one in the rear, facing Jay Street, serving as a private-event space; it even has its own restroom.
Beyond being larger than any other Sarabeth’s restaurant (the one on Central Park South has 175 seats), this is the first to have a “real” bar, with around 10 stools and a bar menu. (“The chef is back there right now working on dates stuffed with gorgonzola and cumin-roasted almonds,” said Sarabeth.) In the morning, it’ll feel more like a café, with CNBC on the TV and the full line of Sarabeth’s products for sale. “Each of our restaurants is a little different, with a different customer,” said Sarabeth, explaining that while the breakfast and lunch menus would be fairly similar to the uptown branches’, the dinner menu—Tribeca’s is larger than the others’—is where you’d see subtle shifts. I’ve posted the menus above, even though the tiny type will be tough to read. As you probably expect, it’s American comfort food with an occasional twist (there’s even a stone oven for pizzas), and dinner entrée prices run $16 to $31—decidedly reasonable for these parts. The wine list is grouped by price; glasses are $10 or $12.
“We’re a neighborhood restaurant,” said Sarabeth. “We used to have a slogan: If Sarabeth’s were your mother, you’d come home every night. That’s how I want it to be!”
Given the local anticipation for the restaurant, I asked what time it would be opening on Tuesday. “Eight a.m.,” said Sarabeth. “And I’ll be here.” I said that people would be disappointed if she weren’t here on the first day. “Oh, honey,” she said, “I’ll be here all the time.”
UPDATE: If you have comments about Sarabeth’s Tribeca, please make them in the Sarabeth’s entry in the Tribeca Citizen Restaurant Guide.
Sarabeth’s Tribeca is at 339 Greenwich (between Harrison and Jay), 212-966-0421, sarabethstribeca.com.; the restaurant will serve breakfast all day, lunch, afternoon tea, and dinner. Delivery will be available, although perhaps not immediately, and reservations can be made on OpenTable.
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14 Comments
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Looks just great …. looking forward to going to experience!
Thank you Erik.
If it’s as good as the upper west side I can’t wait to visit New York again soon.
Best wishes and good luck.
Irene&Ian
Feel kinda’ sorry for some of the other restaurants in the area
Take that, Bubby’s!!
Just ate lunch there. Had the grilled veggie sandwich and guacamole with home made chips. Everything was wonderful! BIG thumbs UP!
Finally! I have been waiting and waiting for them to open. It’s such a great space.
Can’t wait to eat there. I have been to every one including key west and never had a good meal. Only had a great meal everytime!!!!! Ill be there opening day.
It will be interesting to see how Sarabeth’s competes with Locanda Verde just two blocks away.
@Michael: And the Harrison.
Just ate dinner there tonight. They had a soft opening (make that free).
Food was good. I’m sure they will get their act together for the real opening.
Very nice staff. Recommended.
Congratulations….Beautiful!… Looks like another winner.
Philadelphia is crying for a Sarabeth’s………until then, save me a seat. Good luck.and Best wishes.
I dont think any of the restaurants have to worry
A lot of staff but not great service and the food was mediocre
Sarabeth came over to see if everything was OK
We told her one of our desserts should have been served warm but it came cold
She told us she was going to take care of it in the kitchen immeadiatly
However, she still charged us for it. That left almost as bad a taste in my moth as the food did
Scallops were like rubber, Pizza not good and the risotto was made different than waiter described. If I knew that I wouldnt have ordered it
Bubbys still has the best pancakes in town
I would try Sarabeths it because its the new game in town and decide for yourself. Great space though I miss Bazzini’s for the nostalgia
Just had Brunch there today. Inflated prices with nice choices on the menu however the 3 main dishes we ordered were not so great. The muffins were so dry, we opted to discard them. The jam that came with our toast was the best item that we tasted. That was the only thing we felt they got right. Much awaited opening only to result in disappointment. There are much better and cheaper places in Tribeca for Brunch. They have only just opened so maybe they just need some time.
Looking forward to a great meal at your newest place !!!