Chef Adrianne’s new Italian restaurant in Coral Gables is opening. Make that reservation

2020 was a tough year for the restaurant industry, but that didn’t stop Chef Adrianne Calvo from opening two restaurants.

Now, she’s opening a third.

Coming on June 11 to the former Cibo Wine Bar space on Miracle Mile in Coral Gables, Forte by Chef Adrianne will serve Italian classics in the atmosphere of a Tuscan-style villa. The restaurant, which Calvo is opening in partnership with the Barreto Group, will seat 260 guests at indoor and outdoor dining areas.

Calvo, the driving force behind Redfish by Chef Adrianne in Matheson Hammock Park and Chef Adrianne’s Vineyard Restaurant & Wine Bar, says she has long wanted to explore Italian cuisine.

“I’ve always been in love with it,” says Calvo, who also created the fine-casual concept Cracked by Chef Adrianne. “It’s synonymous with the culinary arts. To me, it calls for a pause to savor the moment, whether you’re having a cocktail or wine or pasta. It makes you take in the moment a little longer. It’s less hurried. It might even be a state of mind.”

Named after Calvo’s mother, who has a Sicilian background, Forte will serve a crossover of traditional and modern Italian “done Maximum Flavor style,” Calvo says. Expect reimagined dishes that pay tribute to timeless recipes, some of them 150 years old.

“Italian recipes are passed down from generation to generation,” Calvo says. “It’s one of the only types of cuisine where people want to know ‘How do you interpret this?’ or ‘How is your family recipe different from everybody else’s?’ Everybody’s got a Sunday sauce.”

The news about the local favorite comes at a time when New York restaurateurs are flooding into Miami because of lax COVID rules. The pandemic was hard on Miami-based businesses, Calvo acknowledges, which is why she’s thrilled she has been able to take on a new challenge.

And yes — as Miami slowly emerges from the pandemic, guests may crave those long, relaxed dinners with family and friends.

“I do think it’s a good time for the Italian state of mind, but it’s always a good time for it,” Calvo says. “We have busy lives. People yearn for that type of pause.”

Forte by Chef Adrianne

Address: 45 Miracle Mile, Coral Gables

Opening: June 11

Hours: Dinner only until June 25; after June 25 the restaurant will serve lunch and dinner. Closed Mondays.

Reservations here: https://www.sevenrooms.com/reservations/fortebychefadrianne

This story was originally published March 9, 2021 at 5:25 PM.