Mother Wolf, Evan Funke’s Spectacular Ode to Roman Cuisine, Arrives in Miami

The restaurant is a tribute to the ancient culinary traditions of Rome.

Mother Wolf refers to the mythological origin story of Romulus and Remus, twins who grew up raised by a she-wolf, and later went on to found the city of Rome. As such, the menu pays homage to iconic Roman dishes like cacio e pepe pasta, fried squash blossoms and mezze maniche alla gricia, a classic pasta made with guanciale, Pecorino Romano, and black pepper. “Miami is a very international city, as is Rome, so it seemed like a natural fit to put Mother Wolf in Miami,” says Funke. With Mother Wolfe, Funke has created a palazzo of polished brass and marble devoted entirely to the pleasures of Roman food and Italian cocktails. It’s a place to sit in luxury and drink a mascarpone-infused espresso martini, while eating food that has a technical prowess that can make you giddy, and a lust for excess that can, at times, make you abandon any hope of quiet moderation.

So go forth a carb it up – from the homemade focaccia topped with an unctuous pomodoro sauce to the fried calzones stuffed with mozzarella di bufala, to the six different types of pizzas and the twelve types of pastas – one of our favorites being the feather-light ricotta gnocchi, doused in a buttery tomato sauce. For those with bigger appetites, there is a beautiful dry-aged prime rib eye, the hard-to-achieve crispy bone-in veal chop, and a whole grilled branzino.

The pasta preoccupation is real.

The first thing you’ll notice when approaching Mother Wolf’s lair is the glass-enclosed pasta-making atelier at the front of the restaurant. There, a solitary chef quietly and diligently rolls out and carves balls of dough into the toothsome shapes that will become the linguine al limone, the rigatoni all’amatriciana, or tonnarelli cacio e pepe. This is in keeping with Funke’s insistence that all the pastas at his restaurants be fatto a mano (made by hand), with passion and artistry. “The goal of the pasta lab has always been to create a connection between the pasta maker and the guest,” explains Funke. And indeed, one feels a certain sense of importance knowing a chef has taken the time to shape each noodle with care.

The design merges old school charm with opulence.

The culinary showmanship continues inside the cavernous restaurant where an open kitchen showcases a lively pizza bar in action. But before you get there you’ll navigate a  lush salotto (lounge), where a bespoke fountain wall and custom artwork inspired by Rome’s iconic fountains set the tone for the experience ahead. Conceptualized by London based Martin Brudnizki Design Studio with styling by Bernadette Blanc, the restaurant combines Italian drama with Miami’s penchant for maximalism – there’s Murano glass lighting, Italian terrazzo flooring, and intricate damask wall details.

The entry hall dazzles with a white piano and a 30-foot-long bar adorned with custom antique mirrors, which seems like the perfect spot for a post-shopping negroni. As you progress further, you’re hit with a main dining room, vast and bustling, with tuxedoed waiters tending to diners seated at banquettes upholstered in brocade linen and tables crafted from Horus gold marble, complemented by striking red leather dining chairs. It’s all very throwback in the best possible way, but with a booming ’90s soundtrack to remind you that somehow pasta always goes better with a side of Lauryn Hill.

Don’t sleep on the desserts.

One might be tempted to skip desserts after the pastas and proteins, but that would be a shame because the gelato program here is genuinely one of the best in town, with flavors of stracciatella with chocolate chips, meyer lemon & orange blossom, and coconut and passion fruit. If you’re after something light and refreshing, the pink pineapple and lime sorbetto is the ultimate palate cleanser. Meanwhile, the tiramisu di Miami is a playful melange of key lime cream, zabaione al mascarpone and brown butter graham while the cannoli Siciliani are a fitting coda to the Italian feast.