A hotshot chef with stints at Barbuto and Le Crocodile is behind a new Italian restaurant that’s arrived on the Upper West Side.
Sempre Oggi, with chef Phillip Basone at the helm, is a farmers’ market-driven spot that’s all about showcasing seasonal Italian cooking and creating a space where you can really unwind Italian-style starting with aperitivo.
Owner Robert Guarino (5 Napkin Burger) has once again teamed up with his longtime collaborator Simon Oren of Chef Driven Hospitality group (UWS favorites like Dagon, Nice Matin, and Le Monde, among others) on the restaurant, so you know you’re in really good hands.
Read on for all the details on one of the Upper West Side’s most recent debuts.
What to eat
Basone trained under pioneering chef Jonathan Waxman at his NYC Italian mainstay Barbuto, so the food is decidedly top notch.
Lean into the vegetable section on the menu right now, so you can taste the first zucchini of the season that’s topped with olive oil and mint, squash blossoms stuffed with ricotta, and grilled broccolini with spicy tomato sauce. “Whatever I see at the farmers’ market is what ends up on the menu that day,” Basone says.
Pair them with heartier dishes like tumminia busiate, a hand-rolled twisted pasta dressed up in Sicilian-style pesto alla trapanese, or the impossibly crispy yet tender veal milanese.
What to drink
Given that this is an Italian restaurant, it’s not surprising that the cocktails are built around aperitivo (Sempre Oggi opens at 3 pm, so you can kickstart aperitivo hour early). You’ll find a large section of spritzes and negronis, including a twist on a classic negroni by Basone, who swaps Campari for tequila and mezcal. Aperitivo isn’t complete without snacks, so don’t miss the tutti spuntini platter of housemade potato chips, marinated olives, and pickled giardiniera. Or you can order one of the wines that spotlight low-intervention Italian producers.
Where to sit
You can expect next-level hospitality at Sempre Oggi. “Leave us a note in your reservation request, tell us what you are looking for in terms of atmosphere, and we can help make it happen,” Guarino says.
You’ll have a totally different experience depending on where you’re sitting. Grab a spot at the marble bar so you can sip a cocktail under a striking ceiling made with ceramic tiles. The alcove room, with its mid-century light-wood tables and coffee-colored banquettes is where you’ll want to post up for date night. Bring friends to eat in the festive garden room with oversized semi-circular booths. And grab a stool in front of the kitchen if you want to be up close to Basone’s cooking action.
When to go
Sempre Oggi is an ideal stop if you’re catching a show at the nearby Beacon Theater. Primetime 7 pm reservations tend to book up fast, but Guarino says spots before or after are more readily available. The restaurant is open Sunday to Wednesday from 3 pm to 10 pm and Thursday to Saturday from 3 pm to 11 pm.
Known for her pioneering food blog, The Strong Buzz, Andrea covers restaurants, chefs, trends, and big picture stories about the intersection of food, business, policy and the law for publications such as The New York Times, Fast Company, Food & Wine, New York Magazine, Eater, and more. She lives, eats, and loads and unloads the dishwasher in Brooklyn. Follow her on Instagram, @strongbuzz_.
