City Shuts Down Sant Ambroeus's Outdoor Seating

The city recently banned outdoor seating at West Village upper crust favorite Sant Ambroeus, and the once scene-y sidewalk cafe is now a barren wasteland of concrete. The restaurant, which is known for its uptown approach to food and prices (and where Blue Ivy made her debut), posted a plea for support in its window, saying, "without outdoor seating this beloved restaurant will be closed." It's unclear why the city decided to suddenly crack down, considering that the patio seating has existed for even longer than the ten years that Sant Ambroeus has been in business. The move pretty much cuts the restaurant's covers in half, but as fall sets in that becomes less relevant for several months. There's also a petition to bring back the sidewalk cafe posted in the window, but nothing online.