Our Absolute Favorite Italian Restaurants in Miami

The quaint Italian trattoria has been an Alton Road mainstay and now it’s giving guests an option to dine in its lush garden patio just a few steps away. Housemade pastas are curated with simple ingredients – like the spaghetti pomodoro or tagliolini al funghi – but bursting with flavor. Classics also include the cavatelli with meatballs and the veal parmigiana. You really can’t go wrong with your selections, but if you’re stuck, then opt for the chef’s tasting menu, add the wine pairing and enjoy the show.

Stepping inside this downtown haunt, you instantly feel like you’ve discovered a secret, dimly lit cocktail lounge where the glitterati go to sip chic cocktails and savor indulgent dishes. It certainly is a vibe. Whether you relax by the bar or snag a table, order a classic fino martini, an herbaceous refreshing start to your evening made with gin and fino sherry. Then dive into the refined pasta journey with options like cacio e pepe bucatini, agnolotti with blue crab, and rigatoni in a spicy pork sauce.

Regardless of what Italian dish you’re craving, this dapper restaurant’s menu has it all. The antipasti include beef carpaccio, spicy mussels marinara, and the beloved creamy burrata. The pizzas, both with red and white sauces, proceed the extensive pasta selections. For alfredo lovers, the tableside presentation tosses the pasta in a Parmigiano-Reggiano wheel before it hits your plate. Other options include lasagna, gnocchi pesto, frutti di mare, true carbonara sans cream, and mushroom risotto. For those searching for non-pasta options, buckle up because there are chicken, steak, lamb, and veal options galore. 

Even before Michelin bestowed one (very deserving) star, it was a mission to get a Resy at this intimate restaurant. The neighboring laundromat and supermarket throw you off the scent but it’s a hearty one, so you’ll quickly reroute to its low-profile space. Once inside, emerald walls and warm woods put you at ease as you pull up a bar stool or settle into your chair. The menu fluctuates, but staples include the tagliolini nero with king crab and during truffle season look for the fungi to make a splash onto dishes.

This New York City import’s prominent corner view of South Beach makes it an effortless choice when craving carbs. With food hailing from the Emilia-Romagna region, or the northern part of the boot, its menu is centered around all the best prosciutto, cheese, and the freshest ingredients. You might think burrata is burrata at any restaurant but order this one and be pleasantly surprised with Morini’s take. The polpettine, or meatballs, and charcuterie boards are other must-tries here. Pastas with black kale pesto, black truffle, and shrimp ragu share the menu with veal Milanese and branzino.

Sitting on a dead-end street away from the art-loving legions is this Italian oasis. Expect a fine-dining experience with dedicated service and noteworthy dishes without any pretention. The space has a sense of understated sophistication that’s translated onto its menu. 

Call 786-953-6946 for reservations.

This Italian institution has been a part of the community for decades. Its dimly lit tables have hosted celebrities, socialites, and locals hungry for comfortable Italian dishes. Start with the meatballs topped with saucy marinara and ricotta before enjoying hearty portions of pasta and classic mains like veal parmigiana, chicken limone and shrimp scampi. 

Call 305-867-0106 for reservations.

James Beard-nominated chef Jose Mendin’s spin on Italian food is rustic and satisfying. Tucked inside the beach’s quiet Sunset Harbour neighborhood, it sits in the same Pubbelly space that put Mendin on the map. Start with the cheesy arancini and follow it up with the rigatoni alla vodka. 

Call 786-558-5787 for reservations.

If you’re looking to impress, this swanky space delivers elegant sophistication, decadent dishes and an extensive wine list. It’s the sister property of chef Fabio Trabocchi’s Michelin-starred Washington D.C. concept after all. Service here is top notch, regardless of if you come for a prix fixe three-course weekday lunch, aperitivo hour or dinner. It recently debuted La Terrazza rooftop for private events and weekly activations including cigar nights, sunset happy hour, and Sunday jazz brunch. Plus, it hosts exclusive wine pairing dinners throughout the year with renowned Champagne houses and wineries. 

We’d be remiss if we left this Manhattan import off the list. With its famed reputation for bewitching gatherings, it has cemented itself onto Miami’s vivacious dining scene. This is the place to see and be seen. Nostalgic cocktails like the Hemingway, Gibson, and Rusty Nail set the mood and pave the path for the straightforward menu spotlighting essential Italian dishes like spaghetti puttanesca, spicy rigatoni alla vodka, dover piccata, and veal marsala. 

You might miss it if you don’t know you’re looking for a storefront. The space is both a market that sells imported goods and a quaint restaurant that serves quality dishes hailing from the Emilia Romagna region. Housemade pastas are prepared daily and range from vegetable pastas with seasonal ingredients like artichoke and pumpkin,

Call 786-216-7150 for reservations.