Food

Chefs from a Michelin-starred restaurant in Spain just opened a new spot in Miami

By Connie Ogle

Updated March 18, 2025 2:04 PM

The dining room at Novatore Cucina & Bar, which recently opened in Wynwood. Lemon Pop

Yet another upscale Italian restaurant has opened in Wynwood.

This time, it’s Novatore Cucina & Bar, led by two internationally notable chefs: Chilean Fernanda Fuentes-Cárdenas and her Italian partner and husband Andrea Bernardi, known for the Michelin-starred restaurant Nub in Tenerife in Spain’s Canary Islands. Fuentes-Cárdenas was the first Chilean chef to have a restaurant earn a Michelin star.

At Nub, which earned its star in 2017, the pair focused on cuisine that blended Latin and Italian culinary traditions. At Novatore, which is named after Bernardi’s grandfather, they will focus on Italian cuisine. On Tenerife, they highlighted local island ingredients, and they hope to make use of Florida ingredients here.

Novatore seats 45 diners indoors, with 50 extra seats soon to come on the outdoor patio. The interior design is inspired by the temples of ancient Rome, with wine on display and a window where diners and passersby can watch chefs make pasta and baked good.

The interior of Novatore Cucina & Bar in Wynwood. Lemon Pop

For Bernardi, who was born in Rome, invoking his hometown is important.

“My grandfather believed that a good table, good company and good food were more valuable than anything,” he said. “At Novatore, we carry forward his legacy by creating an experience that blends Italian heritage with modern techniques, where every dish is crafted with the same passion and authenticity that shaped my upbringing.”

The menu will include classics like cacio e pepe and carbonara that are finished in a pan over charcoal, which adds an unique smokiness to the dishes.

There’s also a lot of care taken with dishes like Il Carciofo, an artichoke brined in salt water, then cooked at a low temperature with herbs, oil and lemon, then grilled. It’s served with a cream made from the outer layers of the artichoke and Taleggio fonduta.

Spaghetto Freddo with tomatoes, tuna, anchovy extract and bottarga.

Also on the menu is the Gnocco, gnocchi stuffed with fish and shrimp, then lightly grilled and served with a seafood bisque topped with sea urchin, and risotti verde, with a sauce made from chard, spinach and chicory and served with venison, Kefir and fungi. The Aragosta e Midollo marries lobster with the richness of bone marrow.

Bernardi and Fuentes-Cárdenas will split their time between Miami and Tenerife. When they’re gone, executive chef Marco Rama will helm the kitchen. Rama ran the kitchen at the Michelin-starred Andreina in Loreto, Italy, which was famous for its grilled cacio e pepe.

Marcelo Marocchino, co-owner with Gabriel Mendelzon, said the experienced of all three chefs makes a difference to the restaurant.

“Novatore was born from a desire to bring an exceptional and authentic Italian dining experience to Miami,” he said. “Our team is honored to collaborate with three Michelin-starred chefs whose expertise not only enhances the flavors of our cuisine but also elevates our techniques to the highest level of precision and artistry.”