Pizza Tropical photo
Audio By Carbonatix
Another Wynwood institution is closing its doors, and this one has us muttering, “Cheesus Crust.” Pizza Tropical, the cult favorite pizza joint tucked into the courtyard of Wynwood’s beloved Gramps, is closing after nearly a decade of serving some of the most obsessively loved slices in Miami. The beloved pizza spot’s final night of slinging slices will be on Wednesday, December 10, according to an Instagram post published on Monday, December 8.
Gramps’ owner Adam Gersten captioned the post, “This hot oven’s gone cold. Goodbye, ‘La Hawaiiana.’ Goodbye, ‘El Queso.” Goodbye, “El Peppe.’ Goodbye, ‘Honey Garlic Wings.’ Oh, God, those beautiful, delicious, crispy wings. Come get your final slices this week. You’ll really be able to taste the tears. Maybe bring some flowers to place on top of the pizza window. Thank you all for your patronage of our pizza over the years. Not a pepperoni will be forgotten.”
This news is shocking to fans, as Gramps won’t close itself until January. Devastated customers flooded the comments, with some writing, “For the love of God, please keep that oven and pass it to good hands. You can’t pay for the years of seasoning in there,” and “Any plans to continue this business? I stand by this being some of the best pizza in Miami, and it will be dearly missed!”
Screenshot via Instagram/@grampswynwood
A Legendary Late-Night Spot for Fire Pizza
For the late-night crowd, the concert regulars, the karaoke die-hards, and anyone who wandered into Gramps hungry, this closure hits like the end of an era. Few food spots in Miami have ever managed to capture the magic of a neighborhood hangout quite like this bright yellow and red ventanita, which smells not of pastelitos, but of perfectly blistered Brooklyn-style pies.
When Pizza Tropical opened in 2016, it became an instant sensation. Miami had never seen anything quite like it. If you were craving Brooklyn-quality slices but wanted something casual and immediate, you headed to Gramps and found chef Frank Pinello’s take on classic New York pizza tucked behind the bar. Developed in collaboration with Adam Gersten, the concept married Pinello’s expertise at Best Pizza in Brooklyn with the Wynwood venue’s eccentric, artistic spirit. The result was a slice window that felt both wildly unexpected and absolutely essential.
Pizza Tropical photo
Gersten always said the partnership made sense. Pinello brought authentic, simple, perfectly executed Brooklyn-style pies. Gersten brought a venue that celebrated artists and misfits and the kind of energy that defined early Wynwood.
Together, they built something that felt handmade and heartfelt. They even spent that sweltering Miami summer hunting for the perfect oven, convinced they were building something special. And they were.
Pizza Tropical photo
From “La Hawaiiana” to “El Queso,” Fans Are Devastated
Over the years, Pizza Tropical, which won New Times’ Best Pizza in 2020, developed its own canon of hits. “La Hawaiiana,” a controversial delight, featured char-grilled pineapple, chili oil, and cilantro. “La Blanca,” dripping with ricotta, caramelized onions, and toasted sesame seeds. And of course, the classic cheese and mushroom slices that kept the lines steady well past midnight. It even served Cuban coffee because a true ventanita always does.
Pizza Tropical was open late, depending on whatever chaos or brilliance was happening inside Gramps. It fed a generation of Wynwood nights. And now, with its closing, the neighborhood loses a little piece of its soul.
Pizza Tropical at Gramps Wynwood. 176 NW 24th St., Miami, at Gramps Wynwood; 855-732-8992; pizzatropical.com. Closing Wednesday, December 10.
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