Miami’s latest Italian openings have arrived promising everything from classic comfort to
modern twists on the pasta you love.
While Miami’s real estate market is booming, pasta is close behind, with new Italian restaurants popping up all over town. The best part? These local spots are raising the bar on authentic, inventive flavors. Check out a few new spots worth the splurge in the Magic City.
There’s so much to love about Otto & Pepe in Wynwood, the area’s very first pasta bar designed for locals and tourists to come together and enjoy “mean pasta, natty wine, and good vibes.”
“A place where leisure meets culinary delight, Otto & Pepe is not only a place to enjoy worldclass cuisine but is a playground for conversation and the creation of cherished memories, inspired by the genuine thirst for indulgence and the Dolce far Niente lifestyle,” shares Gabriela Chiriboga, co-founder of Otto & Pepe and a familiar face in the Miami culinary scene.
The charm starts right at the playful branding—featuring Otto the bowtie pasta and Pepe the wine bottle—making it impossible not to fall in love at first sight. From there, it’s a series of surprise and delight moments: a cozy enoteca stocked with low-intervention wines from small producers curated by Miami-local wine expert Karina Iglesias and a chic outdoor courtyard idyllic for sipping and savoring. And that’s all before you even get to the pasta!
Award-winning bartender Matias Iriarte has crafted a cocktail menu that’s as inventive as it is fun. Enjoy Italian classics, house specials, and low ABV/low sugar drinks with creative riffs, including a truffle negroni and strawberry-balsamic spritz.
The pièce de résistance is the pasta, of course, with a menu crafted by Italian Chef Viviana Varese. Diners can explore four categories: red sauce, white sauce, more pasta, and not pasta. A favorite of the evening was the orecchiette alla norma in a hearty tomato sauce with fried eggplant—a departure from the usual options. Other highlights include a vibrant tomato and pepper gazpacho topped with creamy stracciatella cheese and crispy croutons, as well as the indulgent calamarata with porcini mushroom ragu and truffle, all but guaranteeing cravings for a second visit.
When Massimo Bottura, arguably one of the most celebrated chefs on this planet, opens a restaurant in your neighborhood, you must go. You might recognize him from Chef’s Table or his documentary, but for the uninitiated, he’s the chef behind Osteria Francescana, a threeMichelin-star restaurant based in his native Modena, Italy. His latest venture now graces the rooftop of Julia & Henry’s food hall downtown with a great rooftop that you should take advantage of, especially now with the weather cooling down.
If you’re here for one thing, make it the pasta. For the full experience, dive into the 8-course tasting menu—a journey through Bottura’s favorite dishes and his whimsical style. Be sure to ask for the cocktail pairing to imbibe on curated cocktails from New York’s famous Dante, touted as the No. 1 Best Bar in North America in 2019 and 2020. Menu highlights include the Last Sip Negroni to a Nuovo martini made with Parmesan-infused grey goose.
The tasting begins with two bold chunks of Parmigiano cheese and aged balsamic vinegar, setting the tone for an adventurous meal ahead. Think perfectly al dente tagliatelle noodles dressed in Massimo’s hand-chopped ragu and his signature I Tortellini, often reserved as a finale. This dish strikes a balance between broth and sauce, with delicate tortellini bathing in a creamy Parmigiano Reggiano sauce. While the tortellini dish is a showstopper, the surprise favorite of the night might just be the cacio e pepe, elevated by a hint of Florida citrus essence that transforms this classic pasta into something truly memorable.
Craving more Italian goodness? on the pasta you love. Check out these other exciting pasta spots popping up around Miami.
This Lima-based Italian eatery, helmed by renowned husband and wife Peruvian chefs Juan Manuel Umbert and Janice Buraschi, recently opened in Wynwood, promising a commitment to homemade pasta and quality ingredients. Specialties include fettuccine with housemade ‘nduja, mascarpone, and lime, and agnolotti di funghi, underscoring the flavors of a 36-month Parmigiano Reggiano.
Enjoy celebrated Roman-inspired cuisine by two-time James Beard nominated chef Evan Funke
at Mother Wolf in the Miami Design District. Its signature “pasta lab” features dishes like rigatoncini with oxtail ragu and guanciale to linguine with Meyer lemon.
