Home away from Home (Sabrina’s Cafe Review)

Authored by Nina Wilson and Dynisha Murray

September 21st, 2022

Pictured above from top to bottom, Shrimp and Grits ($16.99), Vecna’s Blueberry Lemon Pancakes ($11.99), Espresso Martinis ($13.29 /each), Breakfast Tacos w/ Turkey Sausage ($13.88). Photo Courtesy of the Brunch Besties.

There are not too many restaurants that we can say we have an established history with. Especially because a lot of the restaurants that we intend to review are new, or if they’re not new, they are new to us. However Sabrina’s is an exception.

The first time we visited Sabrina’s Cafe was back in 2015 or 2016. We went to the flagship location, which at the time was located in the Italian Market. It was a cozy boutique style BYOB restaurant. It was decorated with lots of distressed wooden tables and chairs, with various antique and modern decorations made to make you feel at home. Our experience that day was amazing. The service was quick and the food was fresh and delicious. With the past few years, it is always difficult to say if a restaurant can maintain consistent quality over time. Especially with COVID-19, and how that has impacted the service industry. However time and time again, Sabrina’s has not disappointed, no matter the location, time of day, or what you get.

Sabrina’s Cafe is co-owned by Robert and Raquel DeAbreu, and the flagship location in the Italian market opened in May of 2001 (Sabrina’s Cafe). The cafe was named after their daughter Sabrina Isabella. The couple wanted to open a restaurant that was divergent to the normal impersonal restaurant chains in the area, which sparked the idea to open Sabrina’s (Sabrina’s Cafe). Their Italian Market location, although now closed, plus the artful creation of signature brunch dishes ,thanks to Chef Lance Silverman, made Sabrina's wildly successful. It was due to this success that the DeAbreus opened five more locations, within the Philadelphia area. They have locations in Fairmount, University City, Wynnewood, Collingswood, and with the newest location in Graduate Hospital having opened less than six months ago.

We visited the Graduate Hospital location, on August 20th, 2022. Most of the seating at Sabrina's is on a first come, first serve basis. So there was no need for a reservation. The location on South street was the antithesis of the location in the Italian Market. It is spacious and open with a lot of natural lighting, because there are near floor and ceiling windows that frame the entire exterior of the restaurant. However it still had a warmth to it that all of Sabrina’s locations have. The table was a rustic slate gray color, with metal seats. And Pale blue walls, with antique and modern decorations alike.

During the time of our visit, there was a Strangers Things themed special menu, which we thought was really cool as a concept. Most restaurants generally do not incorporate references to pop culture in their menu, so it was fun to see Sabrina’s have offerings that referenced the latest season. We ordered Espresso Martinis ($13.29 per drink) , Breakfast Tacos with Turkey Sausage ($13.88), Shrimp and Grits ($16.99), and Vecna's Blueberry Lemon Hotcakes ($11.99).

Espresso Martini

We have to admit that this was our first time trying espresso martinis. The presentation of the drink was simple and clean. The drink itself was the right balance between being sweet, smoky, creamy, but refreshing simultaneously. The best way to describe it as a slightly boozy latte. If you’ve never had an espresso martini before and you want to give it a go, then getting one Sabrina’s is the best way to drive into them. All in all, we rated this drink 4 out of 5 stars.

Vecna’s Blueberry Lemon Pancakes

This dish captured our attention for the name, and it did not disappoint. The menu described it as being a “full stack of Lemon and Blueberry ricotta pancakes topped with mixed berry compote.” The presentation was beautiful, and that alone got 5 out of 5 stars. But the flavor of this dish was absolutely amazing. The pancakes were fluffy and weren’t dense, but were very filling. The tops of the pancakes also had a light crust, so it had a soft crunchy texture, which nicely juxtaposed the fluffy texture of the pancakes. The mixed berry compote was layered in with the pancakes, and was tart but rich with flavor. The mixed berries in the compote were very fresh as well. The lemon meringue sauce that was drizzled on top of the pancakes was also really delicious. It was the right amount of bittersweet, and balanced well with the rest of the dish.

This dish was a mix of nostalgia and a dream all on a plate. It was so good it was hard to put our forks down. Thus why we gave these otherworldly pancakes 5 out of 5 stars.

Breakfast Tacos with Turkey Sausage

Breakfast tacos can be the best or the worst dish on a restaurant's menu. Normally a mix of simple ingredients to create a tex mex morning delight, that’s just what these breakfast tacos from Sabrina’s were. A delight. The menu describes this dish as “ Three soft corn tortilla stuffed tacos served with pepper jack scrambled eggs topped with chipotle aioli, homes, and pico de gallo. Served with a side of guacamole.” The option to add various kinds of meat is also listed on the menu at various price points. But the standard dish is vegetarian.

The presentation of this dish was again simple and clean. We gave that 4 out of 5 stars. But the flavor rendered both of us speechless. The chipotle aioli was delicious and paired well with the potatoes and eggs, The guacamole was fresh and accompanied the rest of the dish really well. And overall, the dish was bursting with flavor, but no one element overshadowed any of the other components in the tacos. Dynisha felt like she could have eaten six of these, and I didn’t want to stop eating them. So I think it’s safe to rate this dish 5 out of 5 stars.

Shrimp and Grits

If you are looking for a new comfort meal, look no further than the shrimp and grits. The menu describes this item as containing “ sauteed shrimp, garlic, onion, pico de gallo, and bacon served over pepper jack cheese grits and topped with scallions.” The presentation was amazing. It looks as appetizing as it tastes. 5 out of 5 stars hands down. The grits were rich, creamy and decadent. They simply melt in your mouth. The shrimp was perfectly cooked and seasoned and were seasoned in a delicious creole blend. The cheese in the grits paired well with the other toppings and shrimp, and the bacon bits amplified all of the flavors in the dish.

This is one if not the best shrimp and grits we have had in the city so far. And because of that we give this dish 5 out of 5 stars.

Closing Remarks…

Sabrina’s cafe is a place where you can feel the love that the owners have put into the restaurant. The executive chef is clearly creative and wildly talented, which begets consistently amazing and delicious food. Every. Single. Time. I only mention that because consistency is something that restaurants in the Philadelphia area struggle with and it is somewhat rare if a place can consistently serve good food time and time again.

Something we did not mention earlier, was that our server and the service we received was amazing. Our server was very amicable and bubbly, and communicative. Which are all important when it comes to receiving good service.

All in all, our experience here felt like a nice big hug from your favorite person. The atmosphere was warm, the food was amazing, and the service was just as good. Thus why we rated our experience at Sabrina’s 4.75 stars out of 5. We definitely recommend you pay any Sabrina’s location a visit.

Thank you for reading this week's post! If you would like to read more of our previous posts, to see some of the other restaurants we have reviewed, please feel free to do so. Otherwise, please follow us on our social media, and Until Next time….

XOXO,

The Brunch Besties.