This Italian mother-and-son duo just opened their second restaurant in Miami

A mother and son team from Italy have opened their second restaurant in Miami.

Giovanni and Silvia Moretti, who took over and transformed a Miami Beach restaurant into the current neighborhood spot Giotto, have opened a new downtown Miami location near Edgewater.

Giovanni Moretti said that the move won’t change the homey feel of Giotto

“With downtown Miami evolving so quickly, we saw an opportunity to bring something that feels intentionally slower, more personal and rooted in tradition,” he said.

“The new location is not about changing what Giotto is but about extending it and creating a space where people can step away from the bustling pace of the neighborhood outside and experience the same sense of familiarity, hospitality and consistency that has defined us from day one.”

The Morettis took over the first Giotto restaurant in 2019, infusing it with the sort of Italian pies they loved from home.

The new spot will offer the same menu as its predecessor, with an emphasis on Neapolitan-style pizzas like the Capricciosa (tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, ham, mushrooms, artichokes and kalamata olives) and the Sfiziosa (tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, arugula, stracciatella, prosciutto di Parma and cherry confit).

You’ll also find white pizzas like the Boscaiola (mozzarella, roasted potatoes, Italian sausage, porcini, parmesanand truffle oil) and the Tirolese (mozzarella, blue cheese, speck, nuts and honey). And while you can order simple pies like pepperoni or Hawaiian, there’s even a tuna and red onion pizza.

Entrees include Italian meatballs in tomato sauce, chicken Milanese and chicken parm and a variety of foccaccia sandwiches.

There are also pastas, including favorites like the lasagna for which the restaurant has become well known on the Beach. And Giotto’s other specialty — Silvia Moretti’s tiramisu — will be offered as dessert.

Designed by Eduardo Suarez, the new restaurant is bright and eye-pleasing, with more space than the original. There’s room for 55 diners, and the bar is bigger, too.

But despite the different, more contemporary look, the new Giotto won’t deviate from what made it a hit on West Avenue, Giovanni Moretti said.

“Giotto has always been about preserving the rituals of Italian dining, from how the food is prepared to how people are welcomed,” he said. “In a world where servers are being replaced with automated systems and efficiency often takes priority over connection, we’ve made a conscious decision to hold onto that sense of warmth, familiarity and genuine interaction that makes dining feel personal.”

Giotto

Where: 75 NE 16th St., Miami

Hours: 4-10 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday

Reservations: 305-677-0727

More information: giottomaestrodellapizza.com