One day in, San Babila’s new Upper East Side café is already drawing the kind of reviews most spots take years to earn.
The Milan-inspired bakery and café officially opened Wednesday at 1247 Third Avenue (at 72nd Street), a different concept from the brand’s original location — a restaurant that opened last year at 1355 Second Avenue (between 71st and 72nd streets) — trading the sit-down format for pastries, coffee, and grab-and-go sweets.
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The early response has been strong. San Babila has already racked up 40 Google reviews with a 4.9 out of 5 rating, and the praise has spilled onto social media, too. In an Instagram post, local food account @sauce_in_the_city_ called it “hands down the BEST cafe on the UES and maybe all of nyc,” singling out the freshly made croissants and pastries along with the pistachio gelato and fro-yo.
San Babila is built as an all-day place rather than a quick coffee stop, the kind of café meant for an early espresso, a casual breakfast, a midday bite, or an afternoon sweet. The look and feel lean on everyday Italian café culture, with a more playful, modern spin on the traditional version.
The menu’s signature item is the Croissant Gelato Cone — a butter croissant baked into a cone shape, filled to order with Italian gelato and finished with toppings. Beyond that, expect Italian froyo, specialty coffee, gelato, pastries and croissants, macarons, made-from-scratch custom cakes, and topped focaccia.
The café comes from Gianmarco “Gianni” Di Michele, who moved to the United States in 2015 and worked alongside his grandmother — a name tied to the Numero 28 brand — before branching out on his own. His other spots include Papi at Moxy Times Square, Pandoro in Bryant Park, Zeppola NY, and Zeppola Venetian.
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“With San Babila, the goal has always been to create a place that feels welcoming, energetic, and rooted in the kind of hospitality people remember,” Di Michele said. “This new location brings together everything we love about Italian café culture—from exceptional coffee and pastries to the feeling of taking a moment to slow down and enjoy where you are.”San Babila is open weekdays from 7:00 a.m. to close and weekends from 8:00 a.m. to close. More details are at sanbabilanyc.com, or follow along at @SanBabilanyc.
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