Princess Cruises is known for its outstanding food, and a favourite for many cruisers is Sabatini’s specialty restaurant. In this post, I share my thoughts on the new Sabatini’s Trattoria menu.
Sabatini’s Trattoria offers modern Italian cuisine with a rustic flair. Princess Cruises has introduced a new menu featuring handmade pasta, seafood and authentic Italian sauces. There are also exclusive Italian wines and cocktails available to order with your meal.
I have gather all the information you need to know about the new menu with photos and descriptions of the menu.
Which ships have Sabatini’s Trattoria?
The new Sabatini’s Trattoria menu can be found on:
- Caribbean Princess
- Grand Princess
- Regal Princess
- Coral Princess
- Sky Princess
- Enchanted Princess
- Discovery Princess
The classic Sabatini’s menu can be found on:
- Crown Princess
- Diamond Princess
- Island Princess
- Royal Princess
- Sapphire Princess
How much is Sabatini’s Trattoria?
The cover charge for the new menu is $25 and $12.50 for children ages 3 to 12.
The cover charge for the classic menu found on: Crown Princess, Diamond Princess, Island Princess, Royal Princess and Sapphire Princess is $29 and $14.50 per child ages 3 to 12.
Look out for special offers on embarkation day and port days because it is sometimes cheaper to eat at the specialty restaurant on these days.
When is Sabatini’s Trattoria open?
Sabatini’s Trattoria is open for lunch and dinner 5.30 to 9.30pm every day. On UK Seacation cruises, Sabatini’s is only open for dinner.
Breakfast in Sabatini’s
Breakfast is available daily for suite guests from 7.30am to 10.30am.
There is a good selection of items on this menu including eggs cooked to order, French toast and pastries.
Sabatini’s Trattoria Atmosphere
Sabatini’s Trattoria has a relaxed atmosphere but be aware that dress codes still apply and if you dine on a formal evening, you will still be required to wear smart attire.
There are various table sizes to suit those dining in couples or with friends. On request you can book a table for a larger group, which is perfect for a special occasion or to enjoy a meal with the whole family. I would recommend checking the latest dining restrictions if you want to eat with people on a separate cruise bookings.
You can book a table at Sabatini’s Trattoria using the OceanMedallion app. Take a look at my Dine my Way how-to guide. Alternatively, you can book by visiting the restaurant when you arrive on board.
The restaurant has classic Italian decor and the redesigned Sabatini’s has a contemporary look with rustic wood tables and sleek dark leather furnishings.
New Sabatini’s Trattoria Menu
The new menu at Sabatini’s Trattoria reflects Princess Cruises’ strong links with Italy. The cruise line has a long history of Italian executive chefs, with more Italians than any other nationality taking these roles. The new menu was created by acclaimed Italian Chef Angelo Auriana.
The menu is divided into five courses:
- Antipasti
- Soup and salads
- Fresh pasta
- Secondi piatti
- Desserts
The $25 cover charge allows you to choose one item from each course, additional pasta and main course items can be ordered for $10 each.
All meals at Sabatini’s Trattoria begin with the ‘Appetiser of the House’ that consists of a warm rustic whole-wheat loaf, tuscan zonzelle filled with roasted tomato and bell pepper passata, prosciutto crudo, extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
Sabatini’s Trattoria Antipasti
You can choose one item from this course. I’m pleased to see that the deep fried calamari has been carried over from the classic menu but this is the only one that remains.
It’s also worth mentioning that there is only one vegetarian option and no vegan choices. You could always ask for the fried zucchini or roasted bell peppers dishes to be slightly adapted to your preferences.
I could quite happily choose several items from this section and I’d consider dining here on a few occasions to try the various dishes on offer.
| Fried zucchini and yellow squash topped with smoked scamorza cheese and drizzled with olive oil, comes with toasted house-made crostini |
| Grilled lamb skewers marinated with oregano & extra virgin olive oil, served with artichoke and black olive relish atop arugula leaves |
| Chickpea fritters, squid, prawns, eggplant, carrots, green beans, lemon garlic alioli |
| Roasted bell peppers tossed with capers and anchovies marinated in garlic, parsley and lemon juice, dressed with basil vinegarette |
| Italian meats and olives platter mortadella, salami, mostarda di frutta and olives |
| Deep fried calamari crisp and lightly battered with tangy lemon garlic aioli for dipping |
| Burrata cheese and tomato on fresh tomato slices finished with balsamic vinegar reduction (V) |
Sabatini’s Soup and Salads
Interestingly, no soup is featured on this part of the menu! The tomato soup has gone from the previous menu and there is now a cheese fondue. The Escarole and Celery Salad is vegan.
I haven’t ordered from this section of the menu in the past and probably wouldn’t going forward. I would much rather save room for the following three courses!
| Grana Padano Cheese Fondue with celery, foraged mushrooms, toasted hazelnuts (V) |
| Escarole and Celery Salad with pear, orange zest (V) |
Sabatini’s Fresh Italian Pasta Course
This course poses the biggest problem for because I find it very difficult to choose just one pasta dish; the first five dishes are all possible contenders.
It’s excellent to see this course has been expanded within the new menu because the classic menu only had two pasta options previously. The expansion of choices has provided the choice of various types of pasta, which are all freshly-made on board.
| Seafood Linguine Prawns and clams tossed with marjoram-infused long pasta, artichoke pesto and prized ligurian olive oil |
| Roasted Lamb Tortelloni Pasta speckled with fresh mint filled with tender roasted lamb and broccoli rabe in a peppery cheese sauce featuring Italy’s pecorino crosta nera |
| Beef Pappardelle Wide ribbon buckwheat pasta and hearty nebbiolo wine-braised beef cheek ragu |
| Porcini Mushroom Risotto (V) Vialone nano rice, the ideal variety for risotto, absorbs the earthy flavor of mushrooms along with white wine, butter and parmesan |
| Torchietti Wholewheat pasta, foraged mushrooms and rosemary oil |
| Porchetta Rolled pork belly toscana, potatoes, spinach and a roasted tomato |
| Polenta Soffice (V) Soft polenta with mushrooms, fresh mozarella and truffle essence |
| Lake Trout Rolls With lemon, capers, extra virgin olive oil and rosemary polenta |
| Linguine Carbonara Pancetta, egg yolks and a blend of castelrossa, fontina and parmesan cheeses |
| Spaghetti Pomodoro With your choice of house-made beef and pork meatballs, meat sauce or Italian sausage |
| Trattoria Oven-baked Trio Traditional lasagne bolognese, chicken parmesan and 3-cheese ziti (ricotta, mozzarella & pecorino romano) |
Sabatini’s Trattoria Menu: Secondi Piatti
Secondi piatti translates as ‘second course’ but is in fact the fourth at Sabatini’s Trattoria and the main course.
The seafood parcel featured here arrives at your table in parchment that is opened to reveal your steamed seafood dish.
The lobster three-ways dish has sadly disappeared from the new menu (it was my favourite) and there is a definite steer towards more meat dishes.
| Mediterranean Seafood Parcel Grouper, shrimp, scallops, black mussels, clams wrapped in parchment and delicately steamed in fish stock along with sliced potato and wine-poached artichoke |
| Sole Piccata Lightly breaded filets with capers and parmesan atop rosemary polenta and finished with herbed olive oil |
| Prosciutto-wrapped Pork Tenderloin Stuffed with parmesan and fresh sage, served with crispy roasted rosemary potatoes |
| Lemon and Rosemary Chicken Scaloppine With grilled asparagus, rosemary sauce, parsley pesto and creamy mashed potatoes |
| Eggplant Parmigiana (V) Hand-breaded eggplant cutlets sautéed in olive oil, baked in marinara sauce and topped with mozzarella |
| Veal Marsala Sautéed veal slices with mushrooms and marsala wine sauce |
Desserts (Dolchi)
| Chocolate Journeys Rocher A blend of chocolate, praline and hazelnut ice cream, sealed in milk chocolate, surrounded with crushed candied hazelnuts |
| Tiramisu Mascapone cream, coffee sauce, chocolate mousse |
| Vanilla Panna Cotta Vanilla cream, blueberry compote, almond shortbread |
| Zabaglione Marsala Fresh berries |
| Specialita dello Chef A mini selection of the desserts |
Sabatini’s Trattoria Drinks Menu
Other than Limoncello, I don’t recall there being much of a drinks menu on the old Sabatini’s menu but the new menu has set the bar with a real focus on Italian wines and cocktails.
If you have the Ultimate Drinks Package or Princess Plus, you can enjoy drinks by the glass at no addition cost at Sabatini’s Trattoria. Bottles of wine can be purchased at a discount but if you’re happy to order by the glass there is no need.
Occasionally there are special wine pairing dinners that help to pair dishes with the best Italian wine options so keep your eye on the daily Princess Patter and JourneyView activities found on the Medallion app for events like this.
White wine
Authentic Italian wine on the menu can be purchased by the bottle and by the glass in some cases.
| Anthìlia Donnafugata Sicilia, Italy | $8/36 |
| Coppo “La Rocca” Gavi Monterotondo Di Gavi, Italy | $34 |
| Ruffino Orvieto Classico Umbria, Italy | $29 |
| Pinot Grigio, Danzante Delle Venezie, Italy | $8/32 |
| Ferruccio Sgubin Sauvignon Blanc, Friuli, Italy | $3/32 |
Red wine
The red wine list mostly offers wine by the bottle with a few higher price tags for discerning wine lovers. You can order from the main Princess Cruises wine list so you aren’t limited to what’s on the Sabatini’s Trattoria menu but you may need to wait a little longer for it to arrive.
| Zeni Valpolicella, Valpolicella, Italy | $28 |
| Amarone Classico, Valpolicella, Italy | $59 |
| Marchesi de Frescobaldi Chianti Castiglioni, Toscana, Italy | $8/32 |
| Ruffino Chianti Ducale Riserva, Toscana, Italy | $42 |
| Marchesi De’ Frescobaldi Rosso Di Montalcino, Toscana, Italy | $49 |
| Giordano “Tradizione” Barolo, Piemonte, Italy | $12/45 |
| Ferruccio Sgubin Schioppettino, Friuli, Italy | $10/40 |
| Luce Della Vite Montalcino-Toscana, Italy | $115 |
| Tenuta Dell’Ornellaia Bolgheri-Toscana, Italy | $240 |
Champagne and Sparkling wine
| Nicolas Feuillatte Brut Chouilly, France | $60 |
| Veuve Clicquot Brut Reims, France | $89 |
| Domaine Chandon Brut Cuvée Napa Valley, California | $38 |
| Villa Sandi Prosecco Veneto, Italy | $34 |
Prosecco Cocktails
Prosecco is the Italian equivalent of Champagne and these cocktails are made with Prosecco (Glera) grapes from Trieste in Italy, where many of the Princess cruise ships are built.
| Bellini Prosecco, peach puree | $10 |
| Aperol Spritz Aperol, Prosecco, soda water | $7.75 |
| Rossini Prosecco, strawberry puree | $7.50 |
Sabatini’s Trattoria Cocktails
The cocktail list is inspired by old and new Italy, with recipes from iconic places such as the Excelsior Hotel in Rome and drinks are served in uniquely-shaped glasses. The Campari Punch is great for sharing with friends or possibly for those who like a challenge!
| Americano Campari, Sweet Vermouth, club soda | $7.75 |
| Negroni Sparkling Wine, Campari, Sweet Vermouth | $8.25 |
| Cardinale Hendrick’s Gin, Campari, Dry Vermouth | $8.75 |
| Angelo Azzurro Tanqueray No 10 Gin, Cointreau, Blue Curacao | $8.75 |
| Godfather Johnnie Walker Red Scotch, Amaretto di Saronno | $7.75 |
| Boulervardier a modern day twist on the Negroni this variation swaps out gin for Bourbon | $7.75 |
| Funky Diva Caipirinha LeBlanc Cachaca, Aperol, Grand Marnier, Prosecco, blood orange, simple syrup | $8.25 |
| Vesper Martini Tanqueray No. 10, Stolichnaya Vodka, Lilet Blanc, lemon peel | $8.25 |
| Campari Punch (Serves 8) Campari, Grappa, Prosecco, red currant juice, pomegranate molasses, lemon & orange slice | $62 |
Limoncello and liqueurs
After dinner liqueurs to enjoy after your meal at Sabatini’s.
| Limoncello A natural liqueur that has been crafted by prized, handpicked Sfusato lemons | $7 |
| Liquore di Mandarini This fragrant and well balanced liqueur is infused with fresh picked mandarins of Sorrento | $7 |
| Liquore di Noci The finest Sorrento walnuts, traditionally picked on June 24 (the day of St. John) are long-infused to create this beautiful and totally unique liqueur | $7 |
Overall, the new menu has been well-received by cruise passengers and has been a welcome change from the classic menu. Very little has been carried over from the previous menu and unfortunately some favourites have disappeared.
On a positive note, the expansion of the pasta course choices is a great improvement. Now there is an array of different pastas and sauces to choose from.
The new drinks menu have been thoughtfully created with Italian-inspired cocktails and original recipes. I particularly enjoyed the Prosecco cocktails and Tiramisu Martini.
The $25 cover charge is reasonable, given the quality and number of courses and is lower than the $29 classic menu but doesn’t feature lobster anywhere on the menu.
Personally, Sabatini’s Trattoria is now my favourite specialty restaurant on Princess Cruises ships because the menu has so many options to enjoy. I could very easily dine here on several occasions and try different dishes.
As much as I am salivating over your photos (and I really am!!!), the reality is that I would never get to eat in here with my good lady because of the lack of vegan options. I could always go on my own but I’m not that selfish despite the temptation, it really does look amazing. Sadly, none of the major cruise lines seem to cater for vegans even in the MDR, let alone in their speciality restaurants and the Italian ones are probably the worst for her as well. Ahh well….big sigh…….. Buon appetito
Author
Yes I have noticed that there is very little for vegans in particular across a few cruise lines. Hopefully in the future there will be more developments with menus to suit a wider audience. Sorry for making you feel hungry!