Contessa Miami

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

A Sophisticated Ode to Northern Italy

Contessa arrived in Miami's Design District in 2022, and the neighborhood has not been the same since. Conceived by Major Food Group — the team behind Jeff Zalaznick, Chef Mario Carbone, and Chef Rich Torrisi — the restaurant occupies a two-story space that pulls unmistakable visual cues from Lake Como: a pink-hued bar, a collection of magnificent framed mirrors, and a spectacular alfresco terrace that catches the Miami light at every hour of the day.

The Design District is already the city's most fashion-forward address, and Contessa fits it perfectly — a place to eat, drink, celebrate, see and be seen well into the night, dressed for the occasion (the restaurant takes its dress code seriously).

The Menu and the Wine List

The Italian cuisine here draws from the north of the peninsula. Piemontese carpaccio, feasts of antipasti, signature pizzas, tortellini en brodo, and a traditional bistecca Fiorentina anchor a menu that manages to feel both classic and alive. The kitchen doesn't chase trends; it refines them.

The wine program earned Contessa a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence in 2024 — recognition that reflects the seriousness of the cellar. Boston Magazine described the list as "a Nebbiolo nerd's cherry-toned, vertical-vintage playground — deep and dreamy," which says more than any tasting note could.

All Day, Every Day

Few Italian restaurants in Miami operate with Contessa's range. Weekday lunches in the sun, leisurely weekend brunches, a perfect spritz after an afternoon of luxury shopping, or a full dinner that stretches toward midnight — the room adapts to all of it without losing its sense of occasion. Bright, airy, and effortlessly refined are the words the restaurant uses to describe itself, and for once, they are accurate.