Known for his brutally honest scoring system and signature line, "One bite, everybody knows the rules," Portnoy surprised fans with an enthusiastic rating of Bar Bucce, a new Italian restaurant-market-bar hangout from the team behind the beloved South Beach restaurant Macchialina, one of New Times' 13 Best Italian Restaurants in Miami.
"Good undercarriage, good charcoal. It's really good. This looks great. It's really good," says Portnoy about Bar Bucce's pizza.
Screenshot via Instagram/@stoolpresidente
Portnoy Just Called This Place "Perfection" (Direct Quote)
"You'd never think you're in Miami. This pizza looks spectacular," Portnoy says in his video review. "Good undercarriage, good charcoal. It's really good. This looks great. It's really good. What a great little spot. I'm probably ruining the entire vibe of this place," he says with a laugh. "There's, like, a nice outdoor patio, too. The inside's good. My only thing is the bar, if they have a bar, which, again, is a very kind of go-to. I'm a sports guy. I watch TV. But other than that, it's kind of perfection from this place. I'm going to go 8-1. Yeah, I think it's a legit 8-1."You read it here first, folks. Bar Bucce just got an 8.1 rating from Portnoy himself.
Bar Bucce, which opened quietly in the heart of the emerging Little River neighborhood, isn't your average pizza joint. The space is equal parts trattoria, wine bar, and Italian market, offering freshly sliced prosciutto, housemade pastas, boutique olive oils, and a tightly curated wine selection guests can sip on-site or cork to-go.
Not Only Does He Love The 'Za, But The Vibes Are Immaculate
"It's a very cool spot. It's like an Italian market. Like, you wouldn't think you're in Miami, you'd think you're in, like, Tuscany or something," Portnoy muses. "They have fresh pasta, fresh prosciutto. Like, wines that you can buy, cork. They have, like, olive oil, you name it, Italian market, they've got it. People sit down, getting dips, and it's just a great vibe."The pizza itself got high praise for its crispy, coal-charred crust and quality ingredients. "Good undercarriage, good charcoal," Portnoy noted while carefully examining the slice. "This looks great."
Although he docked minor points for the lack of TVs at the bar — "I'm a sports guy. I watch TV" — he had little else to critique. "Other than that, kind of perfection from this place."
Bar Bucce does not currently offer traditional takeout, which Portnoy mentioned while trying to define if "carryout" counts. But with its lush outdoor patio and cozy interior buzzing with people dipping into sauces and sipping wine, the atmosphere encourages guests to linger.
"This is in my neck of the woods,” Portnoy says. "Kind of like an up-and-coming area a little bit...great vibes, great taste, great everything."
With a coveted 8.1 score from the king of pizza reviews, Bar Bucce is now officially on the map. Expect longer lines and a lot more out-of-towners trying to find "Little River" on the map (our bad).
Bar Bucce. 7220 N. Miami Ave., Miami; 305-202-2526 (text); barbucce.com.
