10 January 8–14, 2026 miaminewtimes.com | browardpalmbeach.com NEW TIMES | MUSIC | CAFE | CULTURE | NIGHT+DAY | NEWS | LETTERS | CONTENTS | ▼ WESTON THERE GOES THE NEIGHBORHOOD For 35 years, La Torretta has been a corner- stone of Weston life, a cozy, family-owned Italian restaurant where neighbors gath- ered after Little League games, families marked milestones, and regulars ordered their favorite dishes so often the staff knew them by heart. Now, the beloved staple at 308 Indian Tr. is preparing to close in January. New Times has confirmed the restaurant will close on January 11. The news has left longtime pa- trons heartbroken, nostalgic, and they are making plans to visit as many times as possi- ble before the final day of service. This is be- cause the news comes just months after another Weston staple, Lucille’s American Cafe, closed its doors. Therefore, this is the second major closing the community must face this year. La Torretta has always described itself simply and proudly as a casual, family-run Italian restaurant built on long-standing fam- ily recipes. From its gourmet pizzas to its au- thentic pasta dishes and house-made pastries, the restaurant has long felt like a passport to Old World comfort. As many lo- cals put it, if you could not make it to Italy, the next best thing in Broward was to head to Weston. The dining experience at La Torretta was just as much about the atmosphere as it was about the food. Inside, guests were welcomed into a cheerful dining room framed by warm red brick walls, lively conversation, and the familiar hum of a place that watched genera- tions of Weston families grow up around its tables. Outside, the patio ringed with pink columns and lined with ficus trees offered an inviting outdoor space that felt tucked away from the bustle of the plaza. And then there was the food. The restaurant’s garlic rolls, airy and ten- der, are made fresh on-site with just the right amount of chopped garlic and have become legendary among regulars. The kitchen’s pasta e fagioli was often described as “soul-warm- ing,” thick with beans and pasta and layered with long-simmered flavor. Veal was pounded to order, and the veal Marsala arrived fork-ten- der beneath a glossy brown sauce filled with mushrooms and Marsala wine. The menu read like a comforting catalog of Italian-American favorites: veal Francese, baked ziti, manicotti, ravioli, penne with chicken and broccoli, chicken Marsala and parmesan, lasagna, mussels marinara, cala- mari, and snapper Francese. It was a menu that rewarded loyalty. Many guests returned week after week for the same dish because it was always exactly as they remembered. That consistency is part of why the closing feels so personal for so many longtime diners, especially those who are expressing their concern across Weston’s Facebook groups. Families who have been ordering from La Torretta for more than two decades say it is hard to imagine Weston without it. One resi- dent shared in a Weston group that their son ordered takeout the same night they heard the news, holding onto a ritual that has de- fined much of their family’s life in the neigh- borhood. Others recalled favorite meals, familiar faces, and a warmth that made the restaurant feel like an extension of home. Customers say the closure stems from rent increases that made continuing operations unsustainable, a story that has become in- creasingly familiar among independent res- taurants across South Florida. Some hope the owners may one day reopen elsewhere, while others simply want the chance to say thank you in person before the final day of service. For many in Weston, La Torretta was never just a restaurant. It was a constant in a rapidly changing community, a place where comfort lived in every plate of pasta and where hospitality felt genuine and deeply rooted. As January approaches, loyal customers say they will return again, not only for one last meal, but to honor 35 years of food, com- mitment, and community. La Torretta. 308 Indian Tr., Weston; 954- 389-0551; latorrettaweston.com. Closing January 11. NICOLE LOPEZ-ALVAR ▼ FORT LAUDERDALE HOW SWEET THE SOUND Sweet Melody Ice Cream, the family-run Mi- ami favorite adored for its heartfelt backstory and wildly creative flavors, is finally heading north. The beloved creamery is opening its first-ever Broward County location in Fort Lauderdale, giving Flagler Village and Victo- ria Park residents their own taste of one of South Florida’s most cherished small-batch ice cream brands. For longtime fans who have been asking for a Broward store for years, this debut feels like a very sweet Christmas gift. The ice cream shop was founded by Mike Romeu in 2016, when he began making ice cream in his home kitchen with the help of friends and family who served as taste testers and supporters. Named after his daughter, Melody, Sweet Melody soon expanded be- yond its beginnings and was eventually seen on menus at local restaurants and even Miami stadiums. Thanks to its loyal following, the brand opened its first storefront in Kendall and later launched a location in Coral Gables. Romeu’s journey has always been rooted in family and creativity. In 2019, he opened Sweet Melody’s ice cream factory and dairy plant in West Kendall, naming the company after his daughter, who inspires flavor ideas and appears in the brand’s logo. In January 2020, he introduced what became known as Miami’s first ice cream ventanita, allow- ing customers to walk up to the factory window for scoops and pints. The playful shop, paired with rotating flavors like “Salty Unicorn” and “Café con Leche,” helped transform Sweet Melody into a be- loved local staple. Over the years, the brand has grown, adapted, and remained closely connected to its community, maintaining its identity as a heartfelt, family-driven success story in Miami. Now, Sweet Melody is preparing to write its next chapter in Fort Lauderdale with a new shop opening at the Hive in Flagler Village, right next door to Glitch Bar and Heritage Fort Lauderdale. The Hive is a col- lection of creative retail, food/beverage, en- tertainment, and art, and is part of Flagler Village’s MASS District Downtown Experience. The team shared the announce- ment on Instagram, writing: “We’re so excited to announce that our very first Broward County location is opening in a few weeks! You guys have been asking for years for a Broward store to open, and we’re so excited to announce we’re opening Sweet Melody Fort Lauderdale at the Hive in Flagler Village. We fell in love on our first visit to this fun, artistic neighborhood! And the portrait of Bob Marley next to our door really sealed it for us! With amazing new neighbors like Glitch Bar and Heritage, we look forward to exciting new collaborations and growing our presence in Broward County, where we have more lined up! We’re so excited to meet you, Fort Lauderdale!” With its artistic energy, walkable streets, and thriving dining scene, Flagler Village feels like a natural fit for the Miami-born brand — and just the beginning of Sweet Melody’s Broward story. Sweet Melody Ice Cream, Fort Lauderdale. sweetmelodyicecream.com. Opening in Flagler Village in 2026. NICOLE LOPEZ-ALVAR [email protected] | TASTE TEST | ▼ Café Beloved Weston Italian restaurant La Torretta will close in January 2026 after 35 years of pastas and pizza, shocking Broward residents. La Torretta photo
