A longtime Los Angeles resident, Vincent Benoliel is bringing his West Coast flair in the kitchen to New York with Savta, his California-inspired restaurant located in Greenwich Village. It is his second project in NYC following the opening of Pasta Corner (shared in the SEP ISSUE #93 2023 of Athleisure List) in the summer of 2023 with friend French pop star Matt Pokora. Vincent owns another branch of Pasta Corner in LA, along with his bakery there, Michelina. The inspiration behind Savta (meaning grandmother in Hebrew) is Vincent’s grandmother Lisou Dahan, who ran two restaurants in the south of France and first taught Vincent about cooking.

The decor and ambiance at Savta is very Greenwich Village and cozy with exposed brick and inviting wood line the intimate space that features a welcoming outdoor back garden that is heated during cooler months. There is a long bar that leads to the dining room and garden filled with plants.

Savta is offering lunch from 12-5pm Wednesdays - Fridays. We suggest these 3 dishes for your next meal here: The sandwiches on pizza dough have been a smash hit for lunch at Savta. Don't miss the Parma Affair with grilled chicken, prosciutto, burrata, pesto and basil; Skirt Steak with chimichurri and a spinach salad with shaved parmesan cheese; and the Mushroom Toast with creme fraiche and thyme.

Dinner is from 5pm Wednesday through Sunday, with pizza and drinks served until late on Fridays (1am) and Saturdays (2am). The dinner menu is already packed with favorites like the Sauteed Corn with feta cheese, cilantro and a yogurt sauce; Spianata Pizza with piccante calabrese salumi, grilled peppers and fior di latte cheese; and the Dry-aged Ribeye with hand cut fries. Vincent also recommends trying a new dish, the Sea Bass with mint tzatziki and roasted pumpkin seeds.

Brunch is on the weekend from 11am-4pm. It's been a favorite on Bleecker Street since its opening weekend. We suggest the Eggs Benedict with smoked salmon on a homemade croissant; the Japanese Eggplant with agrodolce, tahini, sumac and cherry tomatoes; and new to the menu is the Bleecker Street Hot Dog — two beef sausages on pizza dough bread served with onions, mustard, ketchup and sweet relish.

They offer wines from California, Italy and France, including prosecco on tap, plus beer. Some low ABV cocktails Vincent recommends include the Bleecker Mule (the house take on a Moscow Mule), Espresso Martini and Passion Margarita with passion fruit puree and a black-salt rim.

If you're swinging by for Happy Hour, it takes place from 5pm - 7pm Wednesday through Friday. You can enjoy a glass of Pinot Grigio or Malbec for $9, a glass of Prosecco for $11, and a Bleecker Mule for $14.

SAVTA

259 Bleecker St

NY, NY 10014

savtanyc.com

IG @savtanyc

PHOTO CREDITS | Francesco Sapienza