Gigi Rigolatto Makes the Delano Feel Like the Delano Again
Paris Society’s first U.S. restaurant lands at the newly renovated Delano Miami Beach with a 24-clam linguine and a foot-tall tower of pistachio gelato
The Delano hotel is finally back after years of renovation, and this was my first time inside since the doors reopened. Walking through that lobby felt like walking through years of my own memories. Same bones, major facelift. The restaurant makes its case before you reach a table: you enter through a little boutique at the front, and past it, candles sit on every table in the dining room. At night the room runs mostly on candlelight. We arrived too early to catch it in full, but I watched the room start to glow around 9 as we were heading out. It gives the whole space a vibe.
Gigi Rigolatto is the first U.S. restaurant from Paris Society, the hospitality group Laurent de Gourcuff founded in 2008 that now runs more than 70 venues, with Gigi outposts in Paris, Saint-Tropez, Rome, Dubai, and Bodrum. The Miami location opened in May as part of the Delano’s full renovation, in a build-out designed by Hugo Toro, and it shares the hotel with Mimi Kakushi, the group’s 1920s-Osaka Japanese concept on the fourth floor. The space Gigi rebuilt has cycled through concepts for decades, Blue Door and Bianca and Leynia among them, and I’ve watched most of them come and go. I didn’t realize who was behind this one until the end of the meal, and once I did, the polish made sense.
Is the buzz warranted? Yes. Miami has more fancy Italian restaurants than it needs, and this one lands near the top of the list.
The Space: You feel transported to Italy the second you walk in. A big tree anchors the dining room, surrounded by yellow Sienna marble, carved wood paneling, and seats comfortable enough for a three-hour dinner. Outside there’s a huge patio and the Bellini Bar, which has its own feel entirely, more aperitivo hour than dining room. Come winter, the team told us, Gigi will take over the Delano’s entire patio and bar area and run the food and beverage for a space that can hold hundreds of people.
What to Eat & Drink: We started with the fiori di zucchine and the calamari fritti. Both came out light, fried without any heaviness, and both disappeared fast. I would say neither were particularly memorable, but they were done right.
Walking in, my husband counted the pizzas on three or four tables and made the call: “Okay, that pizza looks bomb.” He wasn’t wrong. As a self-appointed amateur pizza baker, I can report the crust was perfect. Seasonal black truffle and truffle stracciatella on top were decadent.
The linguine alle vongole is the star of the show and the must-order. It comes with 24 clams, a count the staff will mention more than once, on a long plate built for the reveal. I’ve had a lot of linguine alle vongole in this city. This was the most memorable version: pasta cooked right, a sauce that doesn’t overpower, with clams peppered throughout sans shell.
The Riviera salad is their take on a niçoise, with fresh tuna and a soft-boiled egg. A niçoise isn’t my vibe, and this one didn’t convert me, but it’s an interesting version if it’s yours — and for what it’s worth my dining partner did enjoy it very much. The whole dover sole, listed as sogliola alla mugnaia, earned every recommendation I’d I got before the visit, which is cut table side, well executed, and sized to share. The tagliata di manzo is the other table order, steak sliced for sharing with salsa verde and rosemary jus, enough to split between two or three people.
Service impressed me all night, knowledgable, attentive without hovering, with a manager who kept making rounds between tables.
Dessert is where the sticker shock is the most prevalent — but also where the fun is. The gelato pistacchio arrives at least a foot high, a tower of pistachio green finished with caramelized pistachio and olive oil. I’m lactose intolerant and ice cream is my number one nemesis. I snuck in a few bites anyway, it didn’t make me sick (truly a miracle), and it was worth every risk. The tiramisu spread out to the size of both of my hands combined. It could feed four or five people. The prices sting until you see the portions.
Perfect For: A celebration dinner. Out-of-towners you want to impress without explaining anything. Groups that order for the table. A long lunch that turns into the Bellini Bar.
Pro Tip: The sharing desserts feed four to five people. Order one for the table, not one per couple, and make it the gelato pistacchio.
Expect to Pay: Around $200 to $250+ per person with drinks, more if the table goes in on the whole sole or the tagliata di manzo.
How’s the parking? Valet at the Delano runs $45 for up to three hours for non-hotel guests. On this stretch of Collins, take the deal.
@gigi_restaurant_miami // 1685 Collins Ave., Miami Beach