ATHLEISURE LIST | SAVTA

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

Read the APR ISSUE #100 of Athleisure Mag and see ATHLEISURE LIST | Savta in mag.

ATHLEISURE LIST | PASTA CORNER

Pasta Corner is a modern and cozy eatery that's fun with details like pink neon signs, vintage black and white photos, pasta themed prints, mirrors, even a swing! Guests can see fresh pasta being made in the window before they enter. The front area has fresh pasta, pastries and other gourmet items offered to stay or to go. The dining area has exposed brick walls, comfy black banquettes and tabletops, and leads to the open kitchen counter.

The idea for Pasta Corner came during the pandemic when LA bakery owner Vincent Benoliel and his longtime friend, the French popstar Matt Pokora (married to Christina Milian) were sharing a house and cooking during the lockdown. They cooked a lot of pasta based on Vincent’s family recipes. His grandmother owned two restaurants including a Mediterranean one in Antibes in the south of France where Vincent worked and learned before coming to NY. Paris born, Vincent has French pastries in his blood. His LA bakery Michelina, an artisanal boulangerie and patisserie at The Original LA Farmers Market, is a favorite of Padma Lakshmi, who loves their croissants. They combined the two by opening Pasta Corner's first location in LA and now here in NY.

For breakfast, we suggest their signature Hazelnut Praline Croissant, and the Classic Butter Croissant - all made with butter from Normandy, France.

For lunch, we're getting appetizers that include the Cheese and Charcuterie Platter, Eggplant Parmigiana, and the Garlic Bread.

For pasta, Vincent's personal favorite is the bestselling (at every Pasta Corner location, including LA, Paris and NY) Lumache Pink Vodka, a snail-shaped pasta with vodka sauce, red pepper flakes, Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and fresh parsley. Matt Pokora’s favorite is the Black Truffle Tagliatelle with truffle sauce and fresh truffles shaved on top, as well as the hearty Beef Ragu Pappardelle.

Complete your meal with their housemade desserts - the Tiramisu, New York Cheesecake, and gluten-free Chocolate Mousse Praline are not to be missed.

For Sunday brunch, there is a large buffet with selections of pastries, charcuterie and cheeses, lots of vegetables, deviled eggs, pasta salad, and for dessert tiramisu, bread pudding, and more. There is an egg station for hot egg dishes and guests can add truffles (for an additional cost) to them.

Pasta Corner is a hybrid restaurant and grocery, guests can purchase high quality fresh pastas by the pound made with Italian Caputo flour, pastries, antipasti, charcuterie, and house made pasta sauces, along with gourmet products like olive oils, balsamic vinegar, spices, chocolates, caviar and fresh truffles.

PASTA CORNER

9 E 53rd St

NY, NY 10022

pastacorner.com

IG @pastacorner_us

PHOTOGRAPHY | Pasta Corner

Read the SEP ISSUE #93 of Athleisure Mag and see ATHLEISURE LIST | Pasta Corner in mag.