13 February 12-18, 2026 miaminewtimes.com | browardpalmbeach.com NEW TIMES | CONTENTS | LETTERS | NEWS | NIGHT+DAY | CULTURE | CAFE | MUSIC | MICHAEL PIROLO, JENNIFER CHAEFSKY, AND JACQUELINE PIROLO BY VICTORIA STANZIONE When the James Beard Foundation announced its 2026 James Beard Award semifinalists for Best New Bar, Bar Bucce stood out for more than its category placement. It was the only new bar in Miami, and the only one in Florida, nomi- nated this year. For a space that resists labels and avoids spectacle, the recognition felt qui- etly fitting. “The James Beard nomination means a lot to me, especially because of the category,” says chef and co-owner Michael Pirolo. “Bar Bucce isn’t what people think of as a tradi- tional bar. It’s our take on the all-day cafés you find in Italy,” and to be recognized for that shows the committee is paying attention and rewarding the family-owned restaurant group for taking a chance. Bar Bucce is the second Miami concept from 2026 New Times People to Watch hon- orees, siblings Jacqueline and Michael Pirolo, alongside chef Michael’s life and business partner, Jennifer Chaefsky. New Times sat down with the honorees to discuss their suc- cess in Miami and plans for the future. On any given day in Little River, walking into Bar Bucce feels less like entering a res- taurant and more like stepping into the neighborhood’s living room. Coffee cups sit alongside open laptops. Two young mothers share a bottle of wine on the patio while their toddlers giggle, briefly captivated by a poodle belonging to an elderly couple splitting a pizza nearby. Guests browse the wine market, deciding which bottle to open at the table or bring home later that evening, unconsciously swaying to the reggae that hums softly through the space. The room itself is expansive, filled with natural light. Guests order at the counter, watch the kitchen move with quiet confi- dence, choose a table, and let the day unfold. Bar Bucce is not simply a place to eat. It’s a place people occupy, one that reshapes itself as the hours pass. Miami is, by design, a destination city. It entertains visitors through spectacle and sur- prise, while locals often benefit from the hos- pitality infrastructure built around tourism. What the city has historically lacked are true default gathering places, spaces that function regardless of time, occasion, or agenda. Think of Café Tropical in Schitt’s Creek, less a restaurant than the connective tissue of the town. Bar Bucce operates in much the same way, just with considerably better food and a distinctly Miami sense of casual elegance. Rather than leaning into glitz, Bar Bucce opts for functionality and a sense of place. Built with intention and designed to support the rhythms of daily life rather than interrupt them. People stop in after workouts for cof- fee, work uninterrupted for hours, drift into happy hour, stay for dinner, and linger over late-night drinks without ever feeling rushed. Bar Bucce’s roots trace back through New York and Italy, but Miami was never an after- thought. Michael Pirolo began his culinary training in Italy, refined his craft in kitchens across Europe, and later earned his stripes in New York. After joining Scarpetta, he relo- cated to Miami to lead the kitchen when the restaurant opened its outpost inside the Fon- tainebleau Miami Beach, bringing with him the rigor of fine dining and a deep grounding in Italian cooking. What was meant to be a temporary move became something more permanent. Jacque- line followed her brother expecting a brief stay, but Miami offered room to grow cre- atively, particularly as her passion for wine began to take shape. Alongside their partner Chaefsky, the sib- lings opened Macchialina in 2012, quietly re- defining what an Italian neighborhood restaurant could be in Miami. Its success was immediate and sustained. Critics praised its rustic yet refined fare. Locals made it a favor- ite. More importantly, it proved something essential: Miami was not a compromise for New York–trained restaurateurs. It was a place where discipline and soul could coexist, where Italian food rooted in tradition could thrive without pretense, and where hospital- ity could feel personal. Bar Bucce builds on that foundation while expanding the idea of what a restaurant can be. It applies New York standards to a space that only Miami could support—one defined by openness, flexibility, and community. Unlike dense urban areas such as New York City, Miami allows restaurants to oper- ate within larger footprints and naturally em- braces indoor and outdoor dining. At Bar Bucce, a marketplace, wine program, bar, and restaurant coexist under one roof. That layer- ing sets the space apart and allows the neigh- borhood to truly make it its own. Jacqueline’s expertise as a sommelier an- chors the wine program. Recognized locally and nationally, she brings depth and person- ality to the bottles on offer. The selection mir- rors the food: thoughtful, genuine, and driven by experience rather than trend. Chef Michael Pirolo’s precision is imme- diately apparent. Each bite delivers balance and texture, with a simplicity that feels confi- dent rather than restrained. The menu trans- lates Italian cuisine for American diners without losing its soul. The New York–hybrid–style pizza is avail- able by the slice or as full pies, arriving soft yet crisp. Guests can keep it classic with a margherita or opt for bolder combinations like shrimp pie or zucchini with Calabrese chili, caprino, and egg jam. Salads follow the same philosophy. Ingre- dients remain distinct, dressings enhance rather than mask, and monthly pasta and pizza specials rotate alongside cheeses and cured meats. The result feels more like eating in a living room than a formal dining room. Bar Bucce was designed to feel instinc- tively familiar, a neighborhood one-stop shop that shifts with the rhythm of the day. Morn- ings are calm. Coffee stops become routine. Laptops open. Some guests grab market items, such as preserved vegetables or a bot- tle of house-made limoncello. As the afternoon turns to evening, lunch gives way to wine. Bottles move from shelves to tables, and happy hour unfolds naturally. By dinner, families gather, and couples linger over shared plates. The space feels elevated but casual, welcoming without pretense. Or- dering at the counter keeps conversation un- interrupted while the kitchen moves steadily rather than urgently. Later, lights softe,n and after-dinner drinks stretch into long evenings. What Bar Bucce has mastered is not just hosting dif- ferent moments of the day, but allowing them to coexist without friction. No one feels out of place. At Bar Bucce, hospitality balances New York discipline with Italian warmth and Mi- ami openness. Guests are greeted by name. Conversations pick up where they left off. The story began long before Bar Bucce opened in 2025. When Macchialina launched in 2012, it operated with just five staff mem- bers. Today, roughly sixty people work across both restaurants. Systems have grown, but the culture remains personal. “The most rewarding part is the everyday challenge,” Pirolo says. “How do we get bet- ter, how do we connect with our guests more, and how do we fine-tune what we already do well? It’s a grind, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything.” Photo by RC Visuals Food Food From left: Jacqueline Pirolo, Michael Pirolo, and Jennifer Chaefsky >> p14 P E O P L E TO W ATC H 2026
