Michael White Opens the Italian Restaurant Santi in New York City

Celebrated chef Michael White is making his return to New York in style.

On Thursday, White will debut Santi, a modern Italian restaurant focused on the flavors of the Emilia-Romagna region, influenced from his time spent across Italy and France. A collaboration with his business partner Bruce Bronster, the new eatery is the latest entrant in their BBianco Hospitality Group and its first restaurant in New York.

Santi’s menu spotlights what White does best: crudo and pasta. The former is exemplified in plates like canestrelli (scallops, black truffle, celery root, and hazelnut oil) and gamberi rossi (red prawns, caviar, mushrooms, and pistachio). The latter, meanwhile, includes busiate with saffron, blue crab, sea urchin, and lemon oil, as well as garganelli with prosciutto ragu and Parmigiano Reggiano and risotto with veal sausage and chestnuts. These heavier meats and truffles are the star of the show now, but the menu will switch over to showcase green-market produce in the spring.

On the larger side, Santi’s parmigiana forgoes chicken and veal for crispy cactus, with salsa pomodoro and scamorza. There’s Maine lobster with Romanesco cauliflower and lobster coral crochettes, plus seafood soup accompanied by grilled focaccia. Omnivores can choose from roasted guinea hen with wild mushrooms and cabbage or grilled Wagyu strip steak along with chickpea panelli and red-wine bordelaise. For dessert, pastry chef Francis Joven has whipped up delights like a tartaletta featuring pistachio, ricotta, and pear and millefoglie with caramelized apple and bay leaf.

The wine list veers toward French and Italian wines, especially lighter and fresher bottles that pair well with the acidity that comes from ingredients like tomatoes and lemons. A few of the cocktails, meanwhile, riff on classics: The Diavolo Fashioned pairs rye with amaro, blood-orange liqueur, and chocolate. Other quaffs are Italian-influenced creations from beverage manager James Lamb—the Saint’s Cure mixes chamomile-infused scotch with grappa, chamomile liqueur, honey-ginger syrup, and lemon juice.

To mark his return to the city, White has teamed up with designer Michaelis Boyd to create a grand space. A central pendant light made of handblown glass comes courtesy of L’Observatoire International, and hangs in the double-height Courtyard dining space. There’s also a horseshoe bar with a yellow-onyx backsplash, an intimate Den with half-moon banquettes, and a mezzanine floor where diners can watch over the Courtyard action.

White’s show doesn’t just end in the kitchen, then.

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Click here to see all the images of Santi.