Lido Restaurant at The Surf Club

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

A Modern Italian Table in a Historic Setting

Lido Restaurant occupies The Surf Club's original ballroom on Collins Avenue in Surfside, just north of Miami Beach — a room with cathedral ceilings, arched doorways and windows, and abundant greenery that lend it a bright, unhurried quality. The setting alone would be reason enough to visit, but the real draw is Chef Marco Calenzo's cooking: a modern interpretation of Italian coastal cuisine that earns its Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star recognition through genuine craft rather than spectacle.

Chef Marco Calenzo and the Italian Coastal Kitchen

Calenzo's passion for the cuisine of his home country shapes every corner of the menu. The approach is rooted in the ingredients and techniques of the Italian coast — reinterpreted with care and precision, never straying far from their origins. Egg pasta is made in-house. Pistacchio di Bronte appears in both a tuna tartare and a dessert of choux filled with gelato. Edible flowers are laid over ribbons of zucchini; a grapefruit halva sorbet arrives crowned with edible golden leaf. The cooking is playful without being showy.

Signature Dishes Worth Seeking Out

The Tagliatelle All'Astice is the dish most often cited by guests and critics alike: fresh tagliatelle paired with Maine lobster and a Trapanese pesto, a Sicilian variation that adds brightness and depth. The Cotoletta Alla Milanese — a 14-ounce Limousin milk-fed veal, breaded and served with organic rocket — is a textbook rendition of a Milanese classic. The Lido Carpaccio takes Wagyu beef and layers it with soy mayo, pickled pioppini mushrooms and Parmigiano-Reggiano, while the Tartare di Tonno brings Bluefin tuna together with Pistacchio di Bronte and citrus.

Desserts stay true to the Italian tradition: a Tiramisu built on espresso coffee and mascarpone mousse, and the Profiteroles al Pistacchio with an orange Grand Marnier sauce.

The Wine List and the Room

The wine list is well-priced and easy to navigate, drawing from Italy's key regions — Umbria, Campania and Piemonte among them — making it a natural companion to the menu's regional range. Beyond the Forbes Four-Star, Lido has also earned Gambero Rosso's three forks, the guide's highest accolade for Italian cuisine, and appeared on OpenTable's Top 100 Hotel Restaurants in the United States for 2025.

A private dining room seats up to 15 guests for celebrations or business dinners, and The Champagne Bar — with Miami's largest champagne selection — is available for pre-dinner drinks.