Best Italian Restaurants in Miami
18 hand-picked restaurants, critic-reviewed and ranked
Last Updated: February 2026
Our Top Pick
Boia De
A Michelin-starred, 24-seat neighborhood gem from a husband-wife chef duo, serving inventive Italian plates in a strip-mall setting with nothing over $35.
Essential Picks
#1
Boia De
9.2
Husband-wife duo Luciana Giangrandi (Scarpetta, Carbone) and Alex Meyer (Animal, Eleven Madison Park) opened this 24-seat strip-mall spot in 2019, and it's held a Michelin star ever since—making it one of Miami's most decorated restaurants relative to its size. The Italian-leaning menu pivots seasonally but leans on textural contrasts: crispy potato skins with molten stracciatella, pappardelle alla lepre with gamey depth, and a reimagined tiramisu built on shatteringly crisp Pavesini biscuits instead of soggy ladyfingers. The room is tight and reservations require 30-day-advance planning via Resy at noon sharp, which filters out casual drop-ins but can feel exclusionary. Come here when you want cooking that punches above its weight class in a space that feels like a neighborhood secret rather than a scene.
Must-Try Dishes:
Tagliolini Nero with King Crab, Pappardelle Alla Lepre, Crispy Potato Skins with Stracciatella and Caviar
What Makes it Special: A Michelin-starred, 24-seat neighborhood gem from a husband-wife chef duo, serving inventive Italian plates in a strip-mall setting with nothing over $35.
Notable Picks
8.5
Owner Niccolò de Zambiasi named this spot after his philosophy—pasta and that's it—and built the menu around his grandmother's recipes from Bassano del Grappa, executed by a Sardinian head chef who brings regional range to the kitchen. The rigatoni carbonara with properly rendered guanciale and the beef short rib ragu have earned a devoted following, and the $22 weekday lunch special (pasta plus dessert) is one of Midtown's best deals. The 60-seat space splits between a classic European interior and a backyard patio shaded by olive trees where tomatoes grow for the house sauce. Servers like Mirko and Allan get called out by name repeatedly, which says something about the hospitality culture here.
Must-Try Dishes:
Rigatoni Carbonara, Truffle Cacio e Pepe, Beef Short Rib Ragu
What Makes it Special: An intimate Wynwood-area gem serving handmade pasta with family recipes and pasture-raised ingredients at neighborhood-friendly prices.
#3
Mother Wolf
8.4
Vibes:
Birthday & Celebration Central
Luxury Dining Elite
Group Dining Gatherings
Instagram Worthy Wonders
Two-time James Beard nominee Evan Funke brought his LA pasta temple to Miami's Design District in October 2024, complete with a walk-through pasta lab and Martin Brudnizki interiors dripping with Murano glass and Italian terrazzo. The tonnarelli cacio e pepe showcases Funke's obsessive technique—peppery, emulsified, texturally perfect—while the mortazza (mortadella mousse on focaccia) has already become a signature. Execution can be uneven across the broader menu, and at $100-200 per person, you're paying scene tax alongside your rigatoni. This is where you go when you want to feel like you're somewhere important, with pasta that mostly delivers on the promise.
Must-Try Dishes:
Tonnarelli Cacio e Pepe, Rigatoni All'Amatriciana, La Mortazza
What Makes it Special: James Beard-nominated Chef Evan Funke's East Coast debut, featuring a walk-through pasta lab and dogmatic Roman cooking techniques.
Chef Angelo Masarin trained at Harry's Bar and La Locanda Cipriani before opening this trattoria with the Graspa Group in 2011, and it still operates like a neighborhood salumeria where you can buy imported salumi by the pound alongside your dinner. The cavatelli regularly gets called out as some of Miami's best pasta, and Masarin's vitello tonnato channels his Veneto upbringing. The rustic dining room and patio won't win any design awards, but portions are generous and prices stay under $20 for most pastas—a rarity for this quality level. Weekend evenings pack out, so book ahead or slide in for an early weekday dinner when the pace slows down.
Must-Try Dishes:
Cavatelli, Fettuccine Nere, Vitella Tonnata
What Makes it Special: A rustic trattoria where Chef Angelo Masarin makes all breads and pastas in-house daily, plus exclusive imported salumi you can buy by the pound.
8.3
A family-run Roman-style pizza al taglio shop where the dough achieves the rare combination of airy interior and audibly crispy bottom crust, built on imported San Marzano tomatoes, real pancetta, and creamy mozzarella that require no condiment intervention. The owner walks you through the ingredients and process with the enthusiasm of someone who genuinely cannot stop talking about dough hydration. It's a tiny, easy-to-miss counter on a residential stretch—park on the side streets, order the amatriciana and funghetto, and accept that you'll drive back.
Must-Try Dishes:
Amatriciana, Funghetto, Quattro Formaggi
What Makes it Special: A family-run Roman-style pizza al taglio shop using imported Italian ingredients—San Marzano tomatoes, real pancetta, creamy mozzarella—with dough that achieves the rare balance of airy interior and crispy bottom crust.
#6
Tutto Pasta
8.3
Chef Juca has hand-made every pasta, bread, and dessert in this open kitchen since 1994, building a loyal following that spans generations of Miami families celebrating milestones here. The neighborhood trattoria feel and reasonable prices deliver authentic Italian flavors without pretension, backed by three decades of consistency and staff who have worked there for 20+ years.
Must-Try Dishes:
Pear and Gorgonzola Ravioli, Black Lobster Ravioli, Pappardelle with Short-Rib Ragu
What Makes it Special: Family-owned neighborhood gem since 1994 where you can watch Chef Juca hand-make all pasta, bread, and desserts daily in the open kitchen.
#7
PASTA
8.1
A husband-and-wife chef team from Lima work the open kitchen steps from your seat, and the technique shows—the Agnolotti Di Funghi seals mushroom broth inside each dumpling so it bursts on the bite, a method the chef learned in New York and brought to Miami at prices that undercut every serious pasta competitor in Wynwood with most dishes under $25. The gorgonzola-mascarpone cheesecake and Peruvian lúcuma desserts signal a kitchen thinking beyond the expected Italian playbook.
Must-Try Dishes:
Pici Cacio E Pepe, Pappardelle with 15-Hour Braised Beef Cheek Ragú, Agnolotti Di Funghi
What Makes it Special: A husband-and-wife chef team from Lima, Peru cook right in front of you at a quartz-top open kitchen—the Agnolotti Di Funghi uses a technique where the sauce is sealed inside the pasta, and most dishes are under $25, making this the most affordable serious pasta in Wynwood.
Vibes:
Luxury Dining Elite
Birthday & Celebration Central
Instagram Worthy Wonders
Trendy Table Hotspots
The Venice dynasty behind Harry's Bar brings 90+ years of Italian hospitality heritage to Miami's waterfront, serving the original Bellini and carpaccio in a Florentine-designed space with Murano chandeliers and bay views. The imported pasta and classic preparations justify special occasion splurges, though service inconsistencies and aggressive pricing draw criticism from those expecting Harry's Bar-level refinement.
Must-Try Dishes:
Carpaccio Alla Cipriani, Baked Green Tagliolini with Praga Ham, Homemade Potato Gnocchi al Pomodoro
What Makes it Special: Venice's legendary Harry's Bar dynasty brought to Miami's waterfront, serving the original Bellini and carpaccio in a nautical-chic Florentine-designed space.
8
A Le Cordon Bleu-trained operation where the ficelle baguette and laminated pastries carry real technical weight—backed by competition wins judged by world pastry champions, not just local popularity. The River Landing café draws a steady mix of remote workers and weekend pastry runs, with enough Parisian visual cues and a baker-visible kitchen to make the experience feel intentional rather than transactional. Best approached as a bread-first bakery where the croissant and baguette programs anchor everything else.
Must-Try Dishes:
Almond Croissant, Chocolate Almond Croissant, Strawberry Caramel Éclair
What Makes it Special: Le Cordon Bleu-trained brothers running an award-winning French bakery where the ficelle baguette—winner of best baguette honors in New York and Florida—is baked fresh daily in a kitchen you can watch through a window.
#10
Sparrow Italia
8
The production value here outpaces every Italian restaurant in this ZIP code—a sunken dining room with chandeliers, wood arches, plush booths, and a nightly live band on a real stage, backed by a London Mayfair original that's drawn Alicia Keys and Serena Williams. The Bone Marrow Cappelletti with Barolo reduction and the Truffle Cacio e Pepe tossed tableside in a pecorino wheel are well-executed enough to hold up their end, but at $200+ per person with a no-kids-after-7pm policy and enforced dress code, you're buying the spectacle as much as the plate.
Must-Try Dishes:
Bone Marrow Cappelletti, Mikey's Spicy Rigatoni alla Vodka, Crispy Arancini
What Makes it Special: An 8,700 sqft Italian steakhouse with a sunken dining room, chandeliers, nightly live band on a real stage, and a bar-only pizza-by-the-slice menu—the only spot in Wynwood combining luxury Italian dining with a genuine nightlife-caliber entertainment production.
Worthy Picks
#11
Contessa Miami
7.9
Major Food Group opened this Lake Como-inspired two-story restaurant in 2022 with dramatic design accents and Northern Italian ambitions, and reservations are surprisingly easier to snag than their other Miami properties. The spicy lobster capellini is the move—regulars order it every visit—and the lamb chops land well, but across the broader menu you're paying location tax for food that doesn't always justify the bill. Downstairs gets loud enough that upstairs or patio seating is worth requesting in cooler months. It's more successful as a scene than a serious Italian destination, which is fine if that's what you're looking for on a Design District evening.
Must-Try Dishes:
Spicy Lobster Capellini, Tonnato Crudo, Lamb Chops
What Makes it Special: Major Food Group's Lake Como-inspired glamour destination with two-story seating, dramatic design, and Northern Italian elegance.
#12
MAMO Miami
7.9
This SoHo transplant brings generous truffle portions and refined Italian technique to Brickell's dining scene, with standout dishes like the cacio e pepe fried artichokes and truffle ravioli. The marble-accented dining room offers a chic setting where you can actually hold a conversation, though expect upscale pricing including marked-up bottled water.
Must-Try Dishes:
Carciofi Alla Giudia (Cacio e Pepe Fried Artichokes), Truffle Ravioli, Capelli D'Angelo with Shrimp and Pistachio
What Makes it Special: SoHo import blending Italian tradition with French Riviera influences, known for generous truffle portions and a chic marble-accented dining room.
#13
Rosemary's Miami
7.9
The NYC West Village transplant brought its farm-to-table identity to a 7,000 sqft Wynwood property where a working herb garden grows ingredients used in dishes marked with a rosemary sprig icon on the menu—Executive Chef Craig Giunta (ex-Mother Wolf, Macchialina) built Miami-exclusives like the Florida Rock Shrimp Linguini with bomba chili that you can't get at the original location. The bougainvillea-lined garden patio under twinkling lights is one of the strongest outdoor dining settings in the area, though the $35 corkage and $5-per-slice cake fee remind you this is a polished operation that prices every detail accordingly.
Must-Try Dishes:
Pappardelle Verde, Meatballs, Crispy Artichokes
What Makes it Special: A NYC West Village transplant with an on-site herb garden cultivated by Little River Cooperative—dishes tagged with a rosemary sprig icon on the menu use ingredients grown steps from your table, and Executive Chef Craig Giunta (ex-Mother Wolf, Macchialina) crafted Miami-exclusive dishes like the Florida Rock Shrimp Linguini you can't get at the NYC location.
#14
Casa Tua Cucina
7.8
This 18,000-square-foot Italian food hall delivers genuinely fresh, flavorful dishes across 12 culinary stations inside Saks. The buzzy, sophisticated atmosphere draws a Brickell crowd seeking upscale casual dining, though service can feel disjointed during busy periods and the automatic 18% service charge catches some diners off guard.
Must-Try Dishes:
Tagliolini Alla Carbonara, Black Truffle Tagliolini, Cacio e Pepe
What Makes it Special: An 18,000 sq ft Italian food hall with 12 distinct culinary stations inside Saks, combining upscale ingredients with a buzzy, casual atmosphere.
#15
Italica Midtown
7.8
Founded in Buenos Aires in 2019 by Pablo Sartori of the Negroni restaurant group, this corner spritz bar and trattoria brings Argentine-Italian sensibilities to Midtown with a flaming pizza presentation that's become its calling card. The risotto e seppie with saffron aioli shows more ambition than your average neighborhood Italian, and the Saturday brunch buffet at $29 with optional bottomless Aperol Spritz is genuinely good value. Service can be slow when the patio fills up, and the air conditioning struggles on hot days. It's a solid casual option for happy hour spritzes or a laid-back weekend meal, just don't expect fine-dining polish.
Must-Try Dishes:
Risotto e Seppie, Angus Italian Style Meatballs, Truffle Gnocchi
What Makes it Special: A corner trattoria and spritz bar offering modern Italian-Mediterranean plates with a signature flaming pizza and Buenos Aires roots.
An LA transplant operating inside a contemporary art museum, serving nostalgia-driven Italian-American food designed to be eaten with your hands and shared across the table. The thin-crust pizzas deliver—crispy edges, good flop, reliable toppings—while the gem lettuce salad with Calabrian chili dressing quietly outperforms the pastas. The playful indoor-outdoor space with oversized green booths and crayon-on-the-menu energy makes it a natural post-gallery landing pad for groups and families who want flavor without formality.
Must-Try Dishes:
Spicy Fusilli, LA Woman Pizza, Gem Lettuce Salad
What Makes it Special: LA's cult-favorite Italian-American restaurant operating a limited-run residency inside the Rubell Museum, merging contemporary art with nostalgia-driven red sauce cooking from South Florida-raised chefs.
#17
Otto & Pepe
7.8
Michelin-pedigreed chef Viviana Varese designed a tight pasta menu that critics have praised without qualification—the orecchiette with eggplant and aged ricotta and the fried egg with black truffle both deliver on technique in ways that justify the 22-seat pasta bar's front-row format. The natural wine enoteca with an on-site sommelier who matches bottles to your taste on the fly adds genuine value, though $$$ pricing against portions that multiple reviewers call small means you're paying for craft over volume.
Must-Try Dishes:
Orecchiette alla Norma, Paccheri con Branzino, Uovo Fritto con Patate e Tartufo Nero
What Makes it Special: A Michelin-pedigreed chef (Viviana Varese) designed the menu for a 22-seat pasta bar where you watch every dish made from scratch—paired with a natural wine enoteca curated by an on-site sommelier who'll match bottles to your preferences on the spot.
#18
Piola - Brickell
7.5
This Treviso-born chain serves ultra-thin brick-oven crusts at wallet-friendly prices, with individual pizzas ranging from $9-16 in a lively, casual setting. The variety of creative toppings and attached Italian market appeal to families and budget-conscious diners, though service pacing can be inconsistent with wait times occasionally stretching past an hour.
Must-Try Dishes:
Margherita Pizza, Burrata Pizza, Rio de Janeiro Pizza
What Makes it Special: Treviso-born pizzeria serving ultra-thin brick-oven crusts thinner than Neapolitan style, with an attached Italian market for imported goods.