Principe NYC: A Dual-Level Dining Experience Rooted in Artistry and Italian Soul

Introduction: Where Art, Ocean, and Italy Collide

In a city overflowing with luxury dining rooms and trendsetting concepts, Principe in Soho has quietly crafted an identity that’s both visually arresting and deeply soulful. Step inside and the raw bar immediately pulls you into another world—one of turquoise marble, mother-of-pearl shimmer, and a composition worthy of Botticelli’s palette. But just beneath this shell of coastal glamour lies a culinary story grounded not only in Italian inspiration but in personal reinvention.

What makes Principe exceptional isn’t just its dazzling design or the briny seduction of oysters and sea urchin. It’s the chef leading the kitchen below—a fine dining veteran known more for his polished résumé than coastal cuisine. Here, in the basement kitchen of this stunning two-level restaurant, he’s rewriting the rules, dish by dish.

The Story Behind the Concept: From Saint Theo’s to Principe

Principe is the younger, more adventurous sibling of Saint Theo’s, the West Village Italian restaurant that blends timeless Venetian charm with modern Manhattan cool. While Saint Theo’s leans into classical Italian escapism, Principe takes a more interpretive path, built around New York’s appetite for seafood and seasonal dining.

Situated in the heart of Soho, an area known for its fashion-forward energy and design-forward spaces, Principe was always envisioned as more than just a seafood spot. The idea was to create a bipartite experience—with an upper-level raw bar capturing the elegance and spontaneity of the sea, and a lower-level dining room where composed plates speak to deeper technique and emotional storytelling.

A Chef’s Culinary Philosophy: Elevation Through Emotion

At the helm of Principe’s kitchen is a chef with credentials that span some of New York’s most elite kitchens. Yet rather than recreate the precision and formality of his past work, he’s chosen to let instinct and memory guide the menu here. The result is Italian-inspired food that feels elegant yet intimate, layered but never overwrought.

His culinary philosophy centers on ingredient purity and emotional resonance. Dishes are designed to evoke feelings—nostalgia, comfort, surprise—rather than just impress with flair. Drawing loosely from coastal Italian cuisine, he allows seafood to shine while incorporating nuanced influences from other Mediterranean and even French techniques.

The chef views his kitchen as a canvas for expression—less about replication, more about reinterpretation. This approach resonates in every detail, from the structure of the menu to the subtle flavors of a house-made fish fumet folded into hand-rolled pasta.

What Makes the Menu Special: A Dialogue Between Surf and Soul

Principe’s menu is a study in contrasts—between raw and cooked, minimal and complex, familiar and foreign. Upstairs, the raw bar showcases the best of the day’s catch. Think Kumamoto oysters served on ice with mignonette granita, live scallops nestled in their shells, and sea urchin artfully placed atop warm brioche toast.

Downstairs, the composed dishes unfold more slowly, revealing depth and technical precision. Some signature elements might include:

• Agnolotti filled with sea bass, swimming in a saffron-shellfish broth that nods to Ligurian kitchens.

• Charred octopus with preserved lemon, balanced by a creamy chickpea purée and pickled shallots.

• Crudo of fluke with basil oil and finger lime, served in a vessel as elegant as its flavor profile.

The chef’s mastery lies in his restraint—knowing when to let ingredients speak and when to elevate them through a poetic layering of acid, fat, and texture. While rooted in Italy, this menu isn’t bound by its geography. It’s free, creative, and above all, deeply personal.

Design & Ambience: An Underwater Dreamworld in Soho

The visual narrative of Principe is as compelling as its food. The raw bar glows with hues of the Mediterranean—turquoise, shell pink, and creamy alabaster—bathed in soft lighting that dances off mirrored surfaces and marble counters. It’s a space that invites lingering, ideal for oysters and a chilled glass of Franciacorta.

Below, the main dining room contrasts with moodier elegance. Velvet textures, polished wood, and warm candlelight create an enveloping space where diners can focus on the food without distraction. Every detail, from the handcrafted plates to the cutlery, reflects the restaurant’s devotion to thoughtful, holistic luxury.

The design cleverly mirrors the menu’s duality: open and bright upstairs, intimate and refined below. Whether guests are stopping by for a dozen oysters or settling in for a five-course meal, the environment enhances every bite.

Wine, Cocktails & the Beverage Pairing Experience

No fine dining experience is complete without a compelling drink program, and Principe delivers. The wine list is a celebration of Italian coastal regions—Liguria, Campania, Sicily—alongside select bottles from France and the U.S. A sommelier is on hand to suggest pairings, particularly those that enhance the salinity and umami of the seafood-forward dishes.

Meanwhile, the cocktail menu draws inspiration from marine botanicals and seasonal fruits. Expect citrus-forward spritzes, gin infusions with fennel and thyme, and a standout Negroni made with aged vermouth and a splash of seawater tincture.

This tight alignment between beverage and cuisine ensures that the entire meal—from aperitivo to digestivo—is symphonic in its flow.

Why It Matters: A New Standard for Italian-Inspired Dining

Principe’s arrival signals a shift in how New York defines Italian cuisine. Rather than the red-sauce classics or rustic trattorias that dominate the landscape, this is modern Italian dining reimagined for the sensory-savvy diner.

By embracing fine seafood and subtle technique over expected clichés, Principe joins a small group of restaurants elevating the city’s Italian scene. It also serves as a platform for culinary risk-taking—led by a chef who’s unafraid to turn away from past accolades to forge something more authentic and introspective.

Conclusion: A Love Letter to the Sea, the Craft, and the City

Principe is more than a restaurant—it’s a layered experience, a celebration of seafood and self-expression, design and detail. From the dazzling raw bar upstairs to the chef’s refined tasting menu below, it offers diners a rare chance to engage with both artistry and emotion.