Dining on board a Princess cruise ship is a joyful celebration in the truest sense with every dish “designed for fresh” and crafted to please even the most discerning palates. From hand-tossed pizza to dazzling multi-course gourmet dinners, you’ll find enticing food and dining options throughout the day, as lovingly prepared as a home cooked meal. From your first bite, you’ll discover why Princess Cruises was awarded “Healthiest Cruise” by Shape Magazine. In this article, I’ll feature one of Princess Cruises’ Specialty restaurants, where dining is elevated to new heights.
Sabatini’s is Princess Cruise’s Italian Specialty restaurant that has been voted one of the “Best Cruise Ship Specialty Restaurants” at sea by USA TODAY. On the Island Princess, you can savor Sabatini’s authentic offerings featuring signature pastas, Italian wines and an irresistible selection of delectable desserts, all celebrating their Italian culinary heritage.
For nearly two decades traditional and innovative cuisine has made Sabatini’s Princess Cruise Line’s signature Italian restaurant. Now, they’re proud to introduce pasta selections crafted exclusively for Princess through their collaboration with Chef Angelo Auriana. Chef Auriana’s cuisine is inspired by fresh Northern Italian flavors from his hometown of Bergamo, and is earning acclaim at his own L.A. restaurants The Factory Kitchen and BRERA Ristorante.
At Sabatini’s you’ll experience an inspiring new menu featuring fresh handmade pasta designed by acclaimed Chef Angelo Auriana, plus treasured recipes curated by Princess Cruises’ family of Italian chefs. Available exclusively at Sabatini’s Italian Trattoria onboard select Princess ships. You can see a short video featuring Chef Auriana here.
Chef Angelo Auriana partnered with friends Matteo Ferdinandi and Francine Diamond-Ferdinandi to launch Factory Place Hospitality Group in 2013, opening opening The Factory Kitchen that year, followed by BRERA Ristorante (formerly Officine BRERA) in 2016. Known for his pride in Italian cuisine and heartfelt desire to introduce diners to authentic dishes from the Italian countryside, Auriana utilizes seasonal California produce and traditional techniques to craft approachable Italian Heritage Cuisine for the trattoria-style Factory Kitchen and Milan-inspired BRERA Ristorante.
A native of Bergamo, Italy, near the culinary capital of Milan, Auriana graduated from the San Pellegrino Hotel School at age 17 and opened his first restaurant soon afterwards. By age 23, Auriana arrived in the U.S., first cooking in Miami before coming to Los Angeles, where he initially worked at renowned restaurateur Piero Selvaggio’s Primi. Selvaggio quickly transferred the promising young chef to his flagship establishment, Valentino in Santa Monica, CA, highly regarded by discerning audiences like Wine Spectator, the James Beard Foundation, and the Michelin Guide for its fine Italian cuisine. Auriana served as executive chef with Selvaggio for 18 years before opening his own restaurant in Lake Tahoe, CA, in 2003, which he then left to join San Francisco’s Farina.
Auriana personally maintains an extensive wine collection, which highlights his passion for Barolo, and holds an honorary diploma from the mayor of Beragamo, Italy for sharing the town’s culture and traditions with the United States through his Italian Heritage Cuisine.
At Princess Cruises, Italian cuisine runs in the family. Across the Princess fleet, more Executive Chefs hail from Italy than from any other nation. Princess has invited them to share favorite items they’ve prepared on board, as well as treasured family recipes from their childhoods in distinctive Italian regions. Explore tempting dishes such as Homemade Pappardelle with Shrimp and Broccoli, Roman Seafood Papillote and Osso Bucco alla Piemontese. Sabatini’s is proud to share the contributions of their Italian culinary experts, and showcase the best of their homeland’s cuisine.
Sabatini’s features the exquisite wines & cocktails of Italy. With its lush vineyards and sophisticated bars, Italy has earned a reputation for beverages that inspire. At Sabatini’s Italian Trattoria, we’ll introduce you to them all. From Prosecco and Pinot Grigio, to Chianti and Barolo, our all-Italian wine list offers popular favorites and exciting new discoveries. Our wide choice of cocktails includes iconic classics such as the Negroni Sbagliato, modern masterpieces such as the Vesper Martini, plus Limoncello, mandarin and walnut digestifs, and much more.
A sample menu from Sabatini’s can be seen here, along with a drinks menu here.
When you cruise on the Island Princess, will Sabatini’s be a “Must-Do”? If you would like additional information about Princess Cruises, send me a message! I’ll be visiting Israel, Greece, Turkey, Malta & Cyprus aboard the Island Princess in November 2021, you can read all about that amazing itinerary here.
Cleared For Take-Off! 