12 JULY 13-19, 2023 miaminewtimes.com | browardpalmbeach.com NEW TIMES | MUSIC | CAFE | CULTURE | NIGHT+DAY | NEWS | LETTERS | CONTENTS | ingredients. The best part: Everything is made in small batches, from the cones, sauces, and toppings featuring local fruits to the baked goods and candies used to top and flavor the ice cream. You can taste the love that goes into each offering, from the satiny-smooth caramel and rich chocolate sauces to the fresh whipped cream, candied nuts and brit- tles, caramelized fruits, and candies. Find Frice on the menu at dozens of Miami restau- rants or head to the Citadel in Little River, where flavors are forever changing. The Frieze Ice Cream Factory 1626 Michigan Ave., Miami Beach 305-538-0207 thefrieze.com The Frieze has been a South Beach staple for 30 years, whipping up homemade and uniquely named flavors such as “Sassy Straw- berry” and “Get Down Boogie-Oogie Cookie,” not to mention rich-tasting sorbets. Speaking of which, the dozen or so sorbet fla- vors, made with tempting fruits like water- melon and passionfruit, are refreshing but not too watery, tart but not too tangy. If you’re feeling fancy, ask for the crowd favorite: champagne sorbet. Sweet Melody Crafted Ice Cream 15224 SW 72nd St., Miami and 3814 SW Eighth St., Coral Gables 305-280-2505 sweetmelodyicecream.com Years after its debut, “Let It Brie” remains one of Sweet Melody’s singular treats: an ice cream made with baked Brie mixed with a touch of salt, loads of apricot jam, and toasted almonds. But it’s just one of the many creamy creations concocted by chef/owner Mike Romeu, who began his ice cream venture in 2016, inspired by his daughter, Melody, for whom the shop is named. What began as a home-based operation using an ice-cream maker from BrandsMart to churn out the “Sunday Morning Hangover” — a bourbon ice cream containing candied bacon, peach, and bits of biscuits — has since grown into a suc- cessful ventanita in Kendall and a location in Coral Gables where Romeu peddles an ever- rotating selection of more than 100 recipes. V Gelato 317 NW 25th St., Miami 786-452-1080 vgelatomiami.com V Gelato chef-owner Eric Dorval makes the best vegan gelato in Miami. The chef started making gelato in 2014 in his home country of Canada after graduating from the Institut de Tourisme et d’Hôtellerie du Québec with a professional pastry degree, later furthering his skills at Carpigiani Gelato University, a school outside Bologna, Italy, dedicated to the art of frozen dessert making. Today, ice cream lovers won’t know the difference between this vegan delicacy and the real deal after a stop at his Wynwood gelateria, where top-notch equipment and a coconut- and oat milk-based recipe delivers spreadable, dense, and silky desserts. The rotating selection of Dorval’s fla- vors includes signatures like his dulce de co- conut leche and a seemingly never-ending list of creative, experimental flavors. [email protected] Cold Comfort from p11 ▼ MIAMI-DADE ITALIAN GUIDE TO TOP 50 U.S. PIZZERIAS TAPS THREE MIAMI RESTAURANTS An Italian list of the best pizzas in the U.S. was released late last month, and three Miami res- taurants made the cut. Italy’s 50 Top Pizza is the online guide behind the picks. The organization, founded in 2017 by a team of Italian food and beverage journalists, annually curates a list of the best pizzerias in It- aly, Europe, Asia, and the United States. The rankings were announced on June 30. Two restaurants included in New Times’ cur- rent list of “The Ten Best Pizzas in Miami” made the grade for the second year in a row. The MiMo District outpost of Valentina Borgogni’s Florence-based restaurant, ‘O Munaciello (6425 Biscayne Blvd., Miami; 763-907-4000), ranked seventh, while La Leggenda Pizzeria (224 Espa- ñola Way, Miami Beach; 305-763-8566) came in 11th. Larry Galper’s PizzElla (1601 Drexel Ave., Mi- ami Beach, in the former Time Out Market) was also picked, coming in at number 40. The recognition surprised Galper, who launched the restaurant as a food truck in 2021 and expanded into Time Out Market in May 2022. “When I found out we’d been selected, I was speechless. We are probably the only restau- rant without a proper brick and mortar,” says Galper, who went to New York for the official announcement. “It was crazy to be in the same room with so many pizza-making legends, in- cluding Ken Forkish, whose book was one of the first I read cover to cover before opening PizzElla.” The 50 Top Pizza’s first five spots went to New York’s Una Pizza Napoletana, New Jersey City’s Razza Pizza Artigianale, Portland, Ore- gon’s Ken’s Artisan Pizza, San Francisco’s Tony’s Pizza Napoletana, and Phoenix’s Pizzeria Bi- anco. Ten New York pizzerias made the list, while Portland, Miami, and San Francisco had three apiece. According to 50 Top Pizza founders Bar- bara Guerra, Luciano Pignataro, and Albert Sa- pere, the rankings are awarded for the entire pizzeria experience — not simply the best slice or top toque. “We have been covering pizza for many years and wanted a guide to determine the best,” Guerra tells New Times. “For our lists, we look for great pizza in a nice setting, good ser- vice, and a consistent wine and beer selection. Above all, we like designs that are consistent and express personality.” Guerra says the 50 Top Pizza judges are a group of chefs, journalists, and pizza lovers who work anonymously. They determine which piz- zerias will be vetted by the organization’s anon- ymous inspectors, who are asked to dine at each restaurant and consider the experience of the pizzeria as a whole, using a list of criteria that takes into account the quality of the dough and toppings, the service, wait time, beverage op- tions, overall ambiance, and, of course, the pie. “For the U.S. list, there are nearly 200 judges, many who live stateside. Out of those judges, about half are Americans,” Guerra says. “The others are Italian but have lived in the U.S. for years.” Galper isn’t alone in his appreciation of the honor. “To win this award means a lot, especially coming from Italy,” O’Municiello general man- ager Niccolo Chiaroni tells New Times, adding the pizzeria was notably busier following the 2022 year list announcement. “People come in and tell us why they’re visiting. For all of us, it’s a very big deal to be recognized.” Napoli-born and raised La Leggenda >> p14 Photo by Anthony Nader @52Chefs The prosciutto and arugula pizza from PizzElla. | TASTE TEST | ▼ Café
