La Gazzetta in Miami draws crowds for its pizzas, happy hour, desserts

The who: Restaurateurs Umberto Sorbo and Stephan Fortier (Tosca) have produced La Gazzetta, a date-worthy Italian spot in Miami’s Brickell district. 

The space: The former El Vato tequila bar is reborn as a funky Italian trattoria with brick walls, an outdoor movie screen and a gurgling fountain on the patio. 

The dishes: Modern Italian, with moderate prices in the $12-$29 range. Pastas and focaccia are made in-house. An extensive menu encompasses cheese, charcuterie, pizza, pasta, fish and meat as well as off-the-boot plates like ahi tuna sashimi pizzette and miso salmon. 

An extended daily happy hour from 5 to 8 p.m. includes $5 sangria and bites of salumi, smoked salmon pizzettes and escolar carpaccio. Desserts like creme brûlée, Nutella mousse and dulce de leche pot de crème already have garnered a following.

The bottom line: A popular happy hour and a buzzing patio scene draw the crowds at this Brickell trattoria.

This story was originally published June 28, 2014 at 11:06 PM.