10 January 22–28, 2026 miaminewtimes.com | browardpalmbeach.com NEW TIMES | MUSIC | CAFE | CULTURE | NIGHT+DAY | NEWS | LETTERS | CONTENTS | Seeing Red The eight best old-school, red-sauce Italian joints in Miami. BY NICOLE LOPEZ-ALVAR M iami has no shortage of great Italian restaurants with white tablecloths, truffle shavings, and pastas that cost as much as your FPL bill. Although those are absolutely wonderful (and worthy of a great night out on the town), this story is all about the best old-school, red-sauce Ital- ian joints in Miami. This may shock out-of- town folks from New Jersey, but Miami truly does have them! These are the no-frills neigh- borhood institutions that have been feeding local families for generations, where lasagna arrives sizzling, spaghetti is generously slath- ered in marinara, garlic rolls are unapologeti- cally buttery, and nobody is rushing you out the door. These joints have fueled Miami na- tives after Little League games, late nights, bad days, good days, and everything in be- tween. They’re family-run, deeply nostalgic, proudly unfancy, and they remain the beating heart of Miami’s neighborhoods. From Casola’s, a sacred time capsule for born-and-raised Miamians, to Di Papa’s Ital- ian Restaurant, which feels like the kind of spot Tony Soprano would order takeout from, these eight classic Italian joints prove that comfort food never goes out of style. Here, you’ll find big plates, dishes slathered in chunky marinara and cheese, and dining rooms packed with regulars who’ve been coming for decades. Casola’s Casola’s is probably Miami’s most legendary red sauce Italian joint, if only because it proudly features a menu section called “Pasta Dinners,” which feels like a beautiful time warp straight back to the 1990s. In this glori- ous pasta corner, you’ll find every spaghetti imaginable for a shockingly low $10 to $13, a price point that simply does not exist in mod- ern Miami. Add baked ziti, a solid late-night pizza with toppings ranging from olives to anchovies, and its sacred status among Uni- versity of Miami students, and it remains a ten out of ten after more than a few question- able late nights here. It ain’t fancy, but that’s why true, born and raised Miamians love it. You’ll find locals here for sure. Oh, and you know it’s a true “red sauce joint” because they serve great garlic rolls. 2437 SW 17th Ave., Mi- ami; 305-858-0090; casolas.com. Di Papa’s Italian Restaurant Di Papa’s Italian Restaurant in Kendall is the kind of old-school red sauce joint where the marinara flows freely, the portions are un- apologetic, and nobody’s counting carbs. The build-your-own pasta menu lets you slather noodles with meatballs and enough marinara to make Nonna proud, while classics like lasa- gna, baked ziti, and gnocchi prove they’re not messing around. By the way, their chicken parm is insane. If Tony Soprano ever found himself stuck in Kendall, he’d nod in approval, loosen his belt, and declare this his official neighborhood joint (RIP Tony). 9877 N. Kend- all Dr., Miami; 305-271-5441; dipapas.com. Di Napoli Italian Restaurant I’m not sure what Pinecrest, South Miami, and Dadeland-area families would ever do without Di Napoli Italian Restaurant along U.S. 1. This is the definition of a classic Miami Italian joint: warm wood, brick walls, zero frills, and plates that show up exactly how you hope they will. Under new management, it’s somehow just as good as ever, with brick- oven pizza sporting a thin, flaky crust, “Pasta à la Nonna Maria” doing the heavy lifting, and sauces (bolognese, marinara, meat) that taste like someone’s been babysitting the pot all day. It’s not fancy, it’s not trying to be, and if you live anywhere near Pinecrest, this is the kind of place you end up going back to again and again because it simply gets it right. My family has been coming here for over 15 years. Maybe even more. 11755 S. Di- xie Hwy., Miami; 305-255-0331; dinapoliital- ian.com. Giovanni’s Restaurant Giovanni’s Ristorante is the kind of old- school Italian spot where the smell of fresh bread hits before the door even fully opens, and suddenly you feel like a regular, even on your first visit. The pasta tastes homemade, the sauces are rich, the portions are generous, and the service delivers fine-dining-level care without the arm-and-a-leg price tag. It’s cozy, unfussy, and endlessly reliable, the type of place you go once and immediately start plan- ning your return as you’ve just been adopted into the family. P.S. – They also have great sea- food dishes and Argentine staples. 8522 SW Eighth St, Miami; 305-262-6966; giovannisital- ianristorante.com. Little Louie’s Italian Kitchen Little Louie’s Italian Kitchen isn’t trying to re- invent Italian food; it’s just here to feed you well, fast, and with an aggressive amount of garlic. The no-frills spot delivers thin, light pizza, solid chicken parm, fried calamari, and those warm, buttery garlic rolls that quietly become the main event. It may not be the flashiest Italian joint in Miami, but when you need a dependable red sauce fix with plenty of seating and zero drama, Little Louie’s abso- lutely gets the job done. 4254 SW 152nd Ave., Miami; 305-225-1500; littlelouiesmiami.com. Pauloluigi To Go Pauloluigi To Go is Coconut Grove’s favorite red sauce Italian joint, even if you’d miss it completely without knowing exactly where to look. Tucked off Bird Avenue, this takeout- only gem delivers massive New York-style slices, rich sauce, handmade manicotti, and a mean chicken parm that would absolutely hold its own in Brooklyn, all courtesy of a Mi- ami restaurant vet who’s been at it since the ’80s. When garlic rolls are affordable, the slices are enormous, and Magic Johnson is rumored to have been a fan, that’s all the en- dorsement we need. 2859 Bird Ave., Coconut Grove; 305-446-6664; pauloluigi.com. Salvatore Pizza & Pasta Who says you can’t find great Italian food in the middle of Hialeah?! Salvatore Pizza & Pasta is proof that legendary red sauce joints can be found anywhere in Miami. Family- owned since 1994, this Miami Lakes-Hialeah staple serves legit New York-style pizza, fet- tuccine Alfredo absolutely drenched in creamy sauce, and garlic rolls so aggressively garlicky they should come with a warning. Add genuinely warm service that makes you want to stay longer than planned, and sud- denly the trek to Hialeah feels less like a mis- sion and more like a requirement. Plus, the prices are great. The pizza can be a lil’ greasy, so go for the pastas, lasagna, and garlic rolls. 1550 W. 84th St., Ste. #1, Hialeah; 305-821- 7016; salvatore305.online. The Big Cheese Miami Founded by the late and beloved Bill Archer, the Big Cheese isn’t just a pizzeria; it’s a Mi- ami landmark that’s been holding court on the same corner for over 25 years, feeding ev- eryone from police officers to Pinecrest fami- lies with zero pretension and maximum carbs. The menu is famously overwhelming in the best way, with bargain-priced lasagna, piled-high pasta plates slathered in layers of cheese and red sauce, and enough Italian classics to satisfy just about everyone, all made with two percent part-skim cheese, which they proudly claim is the “best and most expensive cheese in the country!” It’s won more than a few trophies along the way, including New Times’ Best Inexpensive Ital- ian Restaurant and multiple Kids Crown Awards, because yes, the kids know what’s up. Winning a New Times award in 2000 and again as a Readers’ Choice award in 2024 isn’t nostalgia; it’s longevity, consistency, and a staff that’s been there long enough to know exactly how you like your order. 8080 SW 67th Ave., Miami; 305-662-6855; bigcheesemi- ami.com. [email protected] Di Papa’s Italian Restaurant photo ▼ Café Please look at this chicken parm and a side of spaghetti slathered in marinara from Di Papa’s. You’re welcome.
