Photo by World Red Eye
Audio By Carbonatix
Less than a year after opening to major fanfare, world-renowned Italian chef Massimo Bottura’s first and only Miami restaurant, Torno Subito, unexpectedly hit pause this summer. The rooftop Italian restaurant atop Julia & Henry’s food hall in downtown Miami officially closed on June 29, just ten months after its splashy debut in August 2024. The closure was billed as a “summer break,” with spokesperson Nidal Barake calling it a strategic “reset” and promising a return in the fall. But in a city where summer closures can quietly become permanent, the news left diners buzzing: Would Torno Subito really return?
Now, Bottura’s next move is coming into focus — and it’s a big one. According to a New Times source with direct knowledge of the deal, the highly acclaimed Italian chef has either just signed or is in the final stages of negotiating a new restaurant inside the historic Moore building in the Miami Design District. Crucially, the source confirmed that this will be a separate concept from Torno Subito, not a relocation, signaling Bottura’s continued investment in Miami, despite the city’s challenging fine-dining climate.
Photo by Todd Coleman
All Eyes on the Moore, One of the City’s Most Stunning Spaces
The Moore, a 1920s architectural landmark, reopened in April 2024 after an extensive transformation. Today, it houses Elastika, a modern American restaurant helmed by executive chef Joe Anthony, along with a members-only club and boutique hotel. Elastika occupies the building’s first floor beneath the breathtaking Zaha Hadid “Elastika” sculpture, a site-specific installation suspended dramatically across the atrium. The dining room, with its 18-seat bar, velvet banquettes, and soaring four-story space, is one of the Design District’s most stunning interiors.
So, the big question is this: Is Bottura eyeing Elastika’s coveted space? If so, this could mean one of several things — Elastika could be quietly preparing to close or relocate, Bottura might be negotiating to take over another floor or area of the Moore, or the building could house both concepts simultaneously. There’s been no official word of Elastika shuttering, but the timing raises eyebrows: Could one of Miami’s most architecturally significant dining rooms soon get a Bottura makeover?
Whether this new project complements or eventually overshadows Torno Subito remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: Bottura isn’t done with Miami — he’s doubling down, and he may be doing it on one of the city’s most beautiful stages.
