Miami's Next Great Italian Restaurant Just Opened in Doral
Even during rush hour, it's closer than Italy
Italian food is kind of like lip filler: There’s just a lot in Miami these days, and nobody was asking for it. So when a restaurant comes along that doesn’t just talk about serving authentic, inventive, straight-from-a-hillside-village Italian food, and actually makes it, that’s almost as novel as finding someone whose face has never seen a plastic surgeon.
Such is the case at Altamura Trattoria e Forno, a spanking-new Italian spot whose food is both amazing and unassuming. It’s the creation of Massimo and Elisabetta Tundo, the chef couple who wowed us with Dal Pin in the MIA Market. Their new venture is named after their hometown of Altamura in Italy, and set three miles west of the Palmetto in Doral. But don’t think of it as a shlep. Think of it as a culinary journey past landfill mountains and rock quarry lakes, to a charming little village filled with nail spas and veterinary offices.
Miami has more Italian restaurants than insured drivers. Why’s this place so good?
The people running it. They’re the quintessential charming Italian couple who look like they just wandered out of a kitchen in a Tuscan village, working the dining room with broken English and big smiles. Their food tastes like the love they clearly put into it, and their staff embodies the same authentic, warm hospitality. Dishes aren’t rehashings of stuff you see in a hundred other places, they’re old-country recipes which rarely appear on American menus. In a sea of pretty-good Italian restaurants, Altamura Trattoria is destined to be a standout.
The Space: Is clean, modern, and light, the picture of modern suburban luxury. A pizza oven sits in the corner of the dining room, where the resident pizzaiolo works tirelessly putting out wood-fired pies. The tables all surround an elegant rectangular bar, whose energy extends into the rest of the space. It strikes the difficult balance between upscale and welcoming, and even on its opening weekend seems like the kind of place that’s going to have a long list of local regulars.
What to eat and drink: Italian restaurant claims of using imported ingredients and old-world recipes are usually half-believable at best. Here, the food tastes so Italian, they don’t even need to tell you. Grandma Ivana’s gnocchi with caramelized butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon is a salty-sweet masterpiece. The tortellini al forno stuffed with prosciutto and fig glaze offers a creamy reminder of terraced farms on the med. One of the more intriguing dishes is the naked ravioli, which is essentially spinach and ricotta ravioli, served without a shell. It’s a low-carb diner’s dream, until you take a bite with the brown sugar around the plate. Which you absolutely must.
The true flavor of home comes in the braciole al sugo della nona, a long-braised beef roulade that tastes like it’s been stewing on your grandmother’s stove all day. It’s stuffed with pecorino, garlic, and pine nuts, and no matter your background will remind you of Sundays with family.
The best thing about Altamura’s food is that the portions are small – like they are in Italy. And the smaller portions and far-flung locale make prices a little lower. That means you’ll feel light leaving, but your wallet will not.
Perfect for: Casual dinner out. It’s not special occasion food, it’s just great food at a reasonable price.
Expect to pay: $50-75 per person, if you don’t go crazy ordering. Add $25pp if you want to drink.
Pro tip: Share everything. There is not a miss on this menu and it’s the easiest way to try it all.
How’s the parking: Unlike in quaint Italian villages, Midtown Doral has a massive parking garage. And nary a Vespa to be seen.
@altamuratrattoria // 7835 NW 107th Ave., Doral
