The 15 Best Italian Restaurants in Miami Right Now

Transplanted New York City restaurants have become about as impressive to Miamians as dudes demanding “DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM??” But Osteria Morini is the real deal, a Michelin-starred favorite up north that’s set up shop along the Collins Canal. The waterside setting pairs perfectly with housemade pastas like the Gnocchetti, strewn with black kale pesto and smoked ricotta. And if the calming waves and twinkling lights have you lingering a little longer, the Lady Finger Tiramisu stands as the most original presentation of the classic dessert we’ve ever seen.
How to book: Reserve via SevenRooms or order take-out and delivery via Toast, Caviar, and DoorDash.

After shuttering his much-beloved Eating House, Giorgio Rapicivoli returned to his Italian roots with this pasta-filled masterpiece in the Gables. His creations lean a little lighter and more tropical than traditional Italian offerings, with plates like Pasta al Limone dusted with 24-month aged Parm and a whole lemon, and Sea Scallops alla Cacciatore with fennel and San Marzano tomato sauce. That’s not to say you’re going to walk out here with a bounce in your step. But by the time you stroll Giralda Plaza and get back to your car, you may just escape that inevitable post-mangia food coma.
How to book: Reserve via OpenTable.

Perhaps no restaurant signifies South Miami’s emergence as South Dade’s top dining destination like Mi’Talia, Jeff McInnis and Janine Booths’ venture into the world of fresh pastas and stone-fired pizzas. The menu is bursting with hits, but cheffy originals like Sunflower Pizza with yellow squash and Pesto Ravioli with asparagus and mint set this place apart. It’s also a boisterous, joyous space where making friends with the folks at the next table is part of the experience.
How to book: Reserve on OpenTable or order take-out and delivery via Uber Eats, Postmates, and Toast.

The red-checkered, neighborhood Italian joints of yesteryear have mostly been priced out of anywhere east of the Palmetto. But you’ll get that same simple, welcoming feel at Crust, where a menu of overly generous portions, best-in-Miami pizzas, and the city’s top Chicken Parm ensures you’ll always leave full and happy. The airy, dimly-lit dining room is the odd space that’s perfect for both quiet dates and big groups. And the husband-and-wife team that runs the place makes sure everyone who walks through the door gets treated like family.
How to book: Reserve via OpenTable, order take-out online, or get delivery via Uber Eats, DoorDash, Postmates, GrubHub, and Caviar.

It’s hard not to love a restaurant that’s only identifiable by a giant purple neon exclamation point. But even without Miami’s best restaurant signage, Boia De is a winner, filling its intimate environs with modern Italian fare and a rare wine list. Many offerings vary daily depending on what’s fresh, a sign of true, old-world cooking. But mainstay items like Crispy Polenta with marinated eggplant and Pappardelle alla Lepre with rabbit, rosemary, and tomato are consistently fantastic.
How to book: Reserve via Resy or order take-out and delivery via Caviar and DoorDash.

It’s easy to forget about Casa Tua—and the sleek Italian kitchen’s many devotees definitely like it that way. This South Beach classic hides behind plant-covered walls on 17th Street, a poorly-kept secret for wealthy Europeans with beach condos nearby. The food is absolute mastery, with rich risottos and fresh grilled seafood served in a dining room that feels elegant yet homey. If weather permits, enjoy your meal al fresco on the lush, tropical patio. Dinner at Casa Tua isn’t always easy to come by, but if you’d like a more-accessible version, you can always hit up its eponymous food hall in Brickell City Centre.
How to book: Reserve via OpenTable.

Under Scott Conant’s watchful eye, Scarpetta has gone from a place you’d go for an ocean view to a contender for best Italian restaurant in the city. The Fontainebleau’s signature eatery has notched an AAA Four Diamond award, boosted by a menu of fresh innovations like Duck and Foie Gras Ravioli and Tagliatelle with lobster and fennel. Scarpetta’s seafood is also some of South Florida’s top stuff, much of it caught in the very waters you’ll admire during dinner.
How to book: Reserve via OpenTable.

While Miami might have an Italian restaurant or 15 that thinks $35 is a reasonable price for a plate of noodles, the guys behind this ham-hawkery don't really buy into that. Here you can get your hands on any one of the spot’s eight different types of imported charcuterie for a reasonable price, and if you want to venture into something more substantial like the Tagliatelle Bolognese, it won't set you back more than $20. Plus, unlike so many Miami eateries, the portions will actually fill you up without emptying your wallet.
How to book: Reserve via OpenTable or order via DoorDash, Uber Eats, GrubHub, Postmates, and Caviar.

Every city has to have a tiny hole-in-the-wall Italian restaurant run by actual Italians and stocked with amazing food that costs half of what its big, sexy competitors offer. And while everyone in Miami has their opinion as to which one it is, our pick is this spot wedged onto Washington Avenue between Fourth and Fifth Streets. Not only does it have an extensive menu that tastes straight out of Italy, but the pizza just might be Miami’s very best.
How to book: Reserve via OpenTable or order take-out and delivery via Slice, DoorDash, GrubHub, Postmates, Uber Eats, and Caviar.

Miamians seem to be split into two groups: natives who still live with their parents and transplants who moved as far away from their parents as humanly possible. If you fall into the second group, but occasionally want to feel like you're eating with family, head to this tiny Downtown location run by an old Italian couple who close the place on American AND Italian holidays (or whenever they feel like it). The mismatched furniture makes it feel like home, but unlike home, you can still bring your slightly questionable dates here, as it's also one of Miami's most romantic restaurants.
How to book: Reserve via OpenTable or order take-out and delivery via Uber Eats, Postmates, and GrubHub.

This might be the best damn restaurant experience you can have in Miami without ever ordering a thing. Not that the folks who run this high-end Downtown eatery would condone that, but combine the front-row seat to Biscayne Bay and the Miami River with a selection of fresh cheeses, charcuterie, and focaccia served gratis before you even look at the menu, and you're already looking at a better time than a lot of places around town could even hope to offer. But don't quit while you're ahead—the Filetto Farcito (AKA choice filet with foie gras) and Risotto ai Frutti di Mare will make you forget all about that refill of focaccia you asked for.
How to book: Call 305-373-0063 to reserve or order take-out via Wine N Dine.

South Beach pro tip: If you don't feel like waiting until 9:30 for your 8 pm reservation at Prime 112, the same delicious dry-aged steaks are available across the street here, at Myles Chefetz's Italian offshoot, where they actually seat you on time. But if steak's not your objective, the softball-sized meatballs are some of the tastiest in Miami. And the Kobe Bolognese Buffalo Mozzarella Lasagne is, shockingly, one of the best values in the city—unless you’re an offensive lineman, it'll last you two meals and clocks in at only $29 each.
How to book: Reserve via OpenTable or order take-out and delivery via Uber Eats and Postmates.

Nobody makes you feel more convincingly like you're in Italy than former-Scarpetta chef Michael Pirolo does at Macchialina. This cozy Alton Road hideaway not only survived the volatile Miami restaurant industry, it survived the demolition of Alton Road, a global pandemic, and last year’s Spring Break. It’s persevered thanks to the richest red sauces, freshest pastas, and most inventive cocktail menu on this list. And while dozens of transplants boasting northeastern pedigree have come to town thinking they’ll impress us, Macchialina still outdoes them all.
How to book: Reserve via Resy, order take-out via Toast, or get delivery via Postmates.

You wouldn’t think a place crammed next to a Papa John’s would weigh in as the most rustically romantic restaurant in South Beach. But as soon as you pass the Italian deli and market at the entrance, Via Emilia 9 reveals itself as a wooden table- and metal fixture-filled Italian oasis. The lights are dim and the wine selection is carefully crafted, creating the perfect atmosphere to enjoy housemade pastas like Tortellini en Brood or Tagliatelle al Ragu while soaking up this little slice of northern Italy before heading back to the reality of South Beach.
How to book: Reserve via OpenTable or order take-out and delivery via Postmates, Uber Eats, DoorDash, GrubHub, and Caviar.

When you literally have a guy making pasta in your front window, you’re setting the bar pretty dang high. And unlike a lot of impressive South Beach exteriors, this joint actually delivers. It’s a small, narrow restaurant that serves wine in tumblers to a modest jumble of tables, a place where you can easily overhear the conversations of the diners next to you but no amount of chatter could possibly distract you from food this good. You literally can’t go wrong with any pasta on the menu, and the service is astonishingly friendly, fast, and competent. Exceptional anywhere, but almost unheard of in South Beach.
How to book: Reserve via Yelp or order take-out and delivery via GrubHub and Postmates.