Italian Food and Cooking

Cheap Eats: La Nonna Restaurant

Cheap Eats: La Nonna Restaurant

Miami Spice Review: Soyka

Flavor Palm Beach Starts Today

Eismann Enters The Pizza Biz

Whatever happened to Toby Joseph?

Gaia Ristorante Arrives In A Bentley

Gaia Ristorante opens today at the Hilton Bentley Hotel at 101 Ocean Drive in South Beach. This is the latest venture from Tommy Billante, the man behind Carpaccio, Luna, and a whole bunch of other successful Italian places. Gaia moves into the space formerly occupied by Vivi, one of Billante's few ... More >>

Prime Italian Is Prime Turf

The sultan of SoFi's new restaurant succeeds as an all-purpose upscale Italian dining venue.

DiBono's Italian Café Opens in North Miami Beach

Savor the South Philly flavor of Cheez Whiz.

Good and Badrutt's

The new place south of downtown isn't perfect, but it's seriously versatile.

Fratelli Lyon Brings Authentic Italian to the Design District

The new place south of downtown isn't perfect, but it's seriously versatile.

Value Veal

Milan it ain't, but this basic Italian joint is a downtown deal.

Andú Lounges

Don't let the retro-future chic fool you; there's nothing new here.

Viva Vita!

A welcome revival brings impeccable Mediterranean to the Beach.

Down the Middle

La Terrazza is somewhere in the center of the Italian pack.

Unchained Charmer

Flawed but fascinating, Macchiato fights the giants in South Miami.

Gift of Gab

Il Gabbiano's impeccable Italian will silence your know-it-all friends from New York.

Escopazzo Goes Organic

Italian restaurant shows slow-food roots.

Open Just One Week, It's Bustling At Puntino Downtown

Jackie Sayet Mona's always watchingIt could be a sign of desperation for fuss-free neighborhood eats, priced right in the financial district, or merely a coincidence.  Either way, Puntino Downtown was filling to the brim quickly by noon yesterday with a power lunch crowd hungry for a tas ... More >>

Yelp Restaurant Week: $25 Prix Fixe Dinners

Jaguar ceviche spoonsYelp Eats Restaurant Week will take place starting Monday, July 20 and run through Sunday, July 26. Restaurants will offer a special 3-course prix fixe menu for $25 (does NOT include tax or tip) -- much better than that crummy Miami Spice deal.Here are the participants: 66 ... More >>

Plato Royal: Casale Pizzeria Mozzarella Bar vs. Pizza Volante

Jackie SayetTop to bottom: Margherita at Casale, Margherita at Volante Do you sometimes feel like you live in Pizzami? Well, if you've been following the munchings and musings of local food bloggers and Twitterites lately, it's hard not to. But I can't blame 'em.  There's been a flood -- er, fi ... More >>

A Devoted Fratelli Milano Customer, Inspired, Puts Feelings into Verse

Jackie SayetSidewalk caffe​What is it with downtown Miami and old world-style Italian restaurants?  And good ones, at that?  We think these diamonds in the rough may be a sign of good things to come for this metropolitan center, as long as all the businesses in the area don't go bust bef ... More >>

Casale in Miami Beach is a pizzeria with hearth!

Jackie SayetSidewalk caffe​What is it with downtown Miami and old world-style Italian restaurants?  And good ones, at that?  We think these diamonds in the rough may be a sign of good things to come for this metropolitan center, as long as all the businesses in the area don't go bust bef ... More >>

FFF: Calvin Trillin's Revised History of Thanksgiving

​The following passages have been excerpted from a story in Third Helpings, by Calvin Trillin, which can also be found as part of Trillin's The Tummy Trilogy, (Farrar, Strauss and Giroux: New York, 1994): I have been campaigning to have the national Thanksgiving dish changed from turkey to spaghe ... More >>

Tarry at Mai Tardi in the Design District

​The following passages have been excerpted from a story in Third Helpings, by Calvin Trillin, which can also be found as part of Trillin's The Tummy Trilogy, (Farrar, Strauss and Giroux: New York, 1994): I have been campaigning to have the national Thanksgiving dish changed from turkey to spaghe ... More >>

Tiramesu, Sardinia Chefs Face Off in Italian Cooking Show

​Chefs Luca Taretto of Tiramesu and Pietro Vardeu of Sardinia will face off on May 20 in an Italian cooking battle at the MiaCucina showroom in Coral Gables. The battle is the first of the Italian Cooking Show IV, a series of five monthly cook-offs organized by the Italy-America Chamber of Commerc ... More >>

Crisp Calamari

Freshly cooked, inexpensive Italian food in a casual, attractive setting.

New-Look Café Prima Pasta Celebrates 17 Years

The Cea Family​Café Prima Pasta has completed its remodeling project just in time to celebrate its 17th anniversary. The new look brings an expanded copper-and-mahogany u-shaped bar, additional dining room seating, a private special events room, and a dessert-and-cappuccino bar. Geraldo Cea helms ... More >>

Pascal's Gnocchi With Oyster Mushrooms, Mascarpone, and Truffle Oil

Lee KleinNot your Italian grandmother's gnocchi. Better.​Pascal's on Ponce is flat-out one of this city's best spots for dining. The food is prepared so delicately, and the flavors are divine. Pascal's isn't necessarily known for its gnocchi, but this stuff is unbelievably good: twisted, spätzle- ... More >>

Racks Italian Kitchen: Topnotch pizza, casual fare, and cocktails

Lee KleinNot your Italian grandmother's gnocchi. Better.​Pascal's on Ponce is flat-out one of this city's best spots for dining. The food is prepared so delicately, and the flavors are divine. Pascal's isn't necessarily known for its gnocchi, but this stuff is unbelievably good: twisted, spätzle- ... More >>

Miami Spice: Deal or No Deal? Coral Gables

Lee KleinPascal is offering berries instead of his baked alaska​In parts one, two (Asian), three (steakhouses) and four (hotels) of our series, we perused Miami Spice deals from various participating restaurants and put in our two cents as to whether or not the deal was worth taking advantage of. ... More >>

Miami Spice: Deal or No Deal? South Beach

Quattro: Is it a deal?​In parts one, two (Asian), three (steakhouses), four (hotels), five (Coral Gables), six (Coconut Grove), and seven (all points North) we perused Miami Spice deals from various participating restaurants and put in our two cents as to whether or not the deal was worth taking ... More >>

Best of Miami Spice 2010

Quattro: Is it a deal?​In parts one, two (Asian), three (steakhouses), four (hotels), five (Coral Gables), six (Coconut Grove), and seven (all points North) we perused Miami Spice deals from various participating restaurants and put in our two cents as to whether or not the deal was worth taking ... More >>

Top Five Inexpensive Restaurants on South Beach

Photo by Jacquelynn D. PowersB&B's beer-battered onion rings with cheddar-jalapeño dipping sauce are only $6. ​While South Beach is home to some of the fanciest, priciest, poshest, most celeb-driven eateries in the county, there are also many inexpensive spots where one can nosh without break ... More >>

Sneak Review: Osteria del Teatro

Lee Klein​The photo above is osso bucco over risotto Milanese from Osteria del Teatro, which not only leads us to the following snippet from next week's Cafe review, but likewise provides the answer to our What It? Where It At? post earlier in the week:Osteria also serves to remind us of those asp ... More >>

Osteria del Teatro: South Beach old-school done right

Lee Klein​The photo above is osso bucco over risotto Milanese from Osteria del Teatro, which not only leads us to the following snippet from next week's Cafe review, but likewise provides the answer to our What It? Where It At? post earlier in the week:Osteria also serves to remind us of those asp ... More >>

Escopazzo Wine Dinner this Wines-day

​An oldie, but goodie, Escopazzo, features a four course wine dinner on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. Maybe one of the last places in Miami where a diner can get white glove service and perfectly prepared nibbles, this Italian enclave charges $72 for the degustation and wine pairing. Chef Giancarla B ... More >>

Two Deviously Delicious Halloween Menus on Lincoln Road

www.creatureseast.com​What are you eating this Halloween? Sure, candy is a must, but why not stock up on some hearty foods before you start chowing down on those Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and mini Snicker bars. Some restaurants on Lincoln Road will offer a Halloween prix fixe menu for your treat. ... More >>

Cecconi's Miami Beach: Romantic, tasty, not cheap

www.creatureseast.com​What are you eating this Halloween? Sure, candy is a must, but why not stock up on some hearty foods before you start chowing down on those Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and mini Snicker bars. Some restaurants on Lincoln Road will offer a Halloween prix fixe menu for your treat. ... More >>

Cavatelli Italian Trattoria in the Roads: A Preview

Photo by Michael Flores InterianoBest. Mussels. Ever.​I was invited to preview the menu of Cavatelli Italian Trattoria which opens tomorrow in the Roads. A brother-and-sister team made up of executive chef Imanol Achurra and his sister, owner Julene Achurra. Chef Achurra and sous chef Michael Flor ... More >>

DolceVino Offers a Bit of La Dolce Vita For Your Taste Buds

​DolceVino is the newest eatery on Miami Beach to deliver an Italian menu with a modern twist. It's located in The Claridge Hotel on Collins Avenue, Don't be fooled by the non-descript facade. A trifecta of Italian stallions are behind the concept, ensuring both food, ambiance and service make you ... More >>

Tagliatelle Dishes Classic Italian South of Fifth

​Tagliatelle, a traditional Italian restaurant with an emphasis on seafood, quietly opened November 1 at 124 Collins Avenue in South Beach (in the space formerly...wait, I forgot...oh, right, Amnesia). Restaurateur Matthieu Mineo, from Nice, France, has two restaurants in his home country. Does So ... More >>

Caffe Da Vinci Deconstructed: Liquid Nitrogen, Fruit Caviar, and Molecular Gastronomy

Chef Eric Druckmann deconstructs Da Vinci.​Caffe Da Vinci's chef/owner Eric Druckman knows his stuff. He also loves food. You can tell when his eyes light up as he explains how he uses liquid nitrogen to freeze vodka so he can use the normally non-freezable alcohol in a dessert recipe. Caffe Da Vi ... More >>

Miami Spice 2011: The Good, The Great, and The Grudging (Miami Beach)

Does 1500 Degrees deliver on its Miami Spice menu?​Miami Spice 2011 begins in five days. Each year, we like to take a look at the menus being offered and share our take on them. Some restaurants, as most already know, embrace this annual $35, three-course promotion with more enthusiasm than others ... More >>

Making Flatbread At Home With Chef Oscar del Rivero

Peacock Garden Cafe​It's one of those things everyone is reluctant to make for themselves. Baking bread just seems like so much more of a pain in the ass than simply picking up a loaf at the grocery store. Sure, the visual will be just as pleasing if you buy focaccia or lavash, cover it in accoutr ... More >>

Beyond Best of Miami 2011: Top Five Inexpensive Italian Restaurants

Lesley ElliottThe rigatoni with radicchio in a "4-formaggi" sauce at Joey's in Wynwood.​Last week, we told you what Italian spots are worth the splurge, but today's round up is the list we really love -- outstanding cuisine at a more reasonable price. Our winner for the absolute Best Inexpensive ... More >>

Vic & Angelo's South Beach: Coal-fired pizza and upscale Italian-American

See a slide show of Vic & Angelo's.

Dining Out on Christmas in Miami, Part One

Kyle TaylorDoes your XMas plate usually look like this? It may be best to go out to dinner this year.​If you will be spending several days cooking for relatives, good for you (and best of luck on that), but for the rest of us slackers, here's an early round-up of which restaurants will be open, wh ... More >>

Salumeria 104: Midtown's Candy Store For Meatheads

Lesley Elliott​Salumeria 104, Midtown's newest restaurant contender, is really a candy store for meatheads, offering a little taste of Italy courtesy of Chef Angelo Masarin. The native of Treviso who has spent the last few years making the rounds of Miami's best Italian kitchens, including Casa Tu ... More >>