La Locanda

Best, authentic Italian restaurant in Miami! From the outrageously delicious food, beautifully updated location and the warm greeting (every single time) from the owner himself - this is a must!! I highly recommend their pear-stuffed pasta; it's out of this world!! more

An Italian restaurant ran by Italians. Good service, good pizza, great place! more

What do you look for when you go out to eat? Good food, polite staff, reasonable prices & an evening or day to just sit back & relax for a bit? Magnify that experience by 100% & you have your dinning experience at La Locanda in SOBE. Being Italian, I'm always skeptical of eating Italian food in very touristy areas. Even in Rome, the saying always holds true "go where the Romans go". But having celiac has made it difficult for me to venture out regardless. So when I saw this restaurant listed as gluten-friendly & I wanting to take a break from cooking while on vacation, convinced the family to go out & try it. Best decision. Food was excellent, good wine, relaxed, fun atmosphere, it has it all. The best part? What makes this place stand out in addition to their true Italian way of cooking? It's owner...Francesco Cavalletti & his wife Cherie. They are two of the kindest people I have ever met. They make you feel like family. The whole staff does. I felt like I had come home to visit my cousins. The positive reviews on this place are all true. This is the real deal, in an area where that is scarce, you can be sure you will not leave La Locanda unhappy. Should you feel to do so, Francesco will make it right. His warmth, professionalism & energetic personality will draw you in & the food is no joke either. Gianluca, their chef is fantastic! All fresh, true ingredients & doing what Italian food should do, let the food speak for itself, no fussing around, just honest excellent food. If there is one place you need to try when in SOBE, go to La Locanda. more

Hi everybody! I had a dinner in lalocanda last week. It's an awesome plaice to eat, very good food and the best service I'v ever seen! more

The pizzia is great and the entrees are even better. Had a seafood risotto that was to die for. more

I am not one to write reviews but I had the best pizza at La Locanda in the South of Fifth neighborhood of Miami Beach.. Luca, the pizza chef, made this incredible "white" pizza - pears, gorgonzola cheese and basil. Thin, crispy crust which says a lot for Miami.....and I am not one for gorgonzola...I was in heaven! You have to go..Francesco or Massimo are the best in making you feel at home. And, the pizza...Mama Mia!! Needless to say, I ate the whole thing = it was that good...with a nice glass of red wine. The ambiance is nice and the staff top notch when in comes to service. Go...you will not be sorry! Prices are moderate...they won't break the bank. more

We love it! We like the friendly staff and my favorites are the mini meat balls, veal milanese, the penne appennino and the cherie pizza. The tiramisu is unforgettable and simply amazing. I highly recommend this restaurant!! more

On the Florida trip in August 2011, we have tried several pizzas. Whether in Ft. Lauderdale, Daytona, Orlando, Ft. Myers and Key West .... was never better as the pizza at La Locanda in Miami Beach. It was also the owner, Francesco, very friendly and very good mood. Too bad that we have only eaten there once.\r \r Greetings Sascha and Nina from Germany more

Like most Italian I've had in Miami, the dishes are hit or miss. I had the fiocchetti ripieni and it was unreal. My friend had the penne dell'Appennino and it was... not so much. I'd go again. more

Highly recommend eating here. Food was excellent, tab was not bad at all. more

My wife and I were visiting some family in the area and they took us to La Locanda and we loved it! Our entrees were great, the wait staff was so friendly and they really took time to be gracious hosts. One person in our party did not know what he wanted and after a few questions, the waiter said to him...don't worry...I know what you'll like. And he sure did! The owner and manager were personal and took the time to talk, even while the owner had a few tools in hand, fixing a minor maintenance problem. The deserts were also very good...my tiramisu was delicious. When we come back to town...we will be walking through their door once again. more

I tried this restaurants with great expectations after reading so many positive comments. What a disappointment. The food here IS NOT authentic Italian. I lived in Italy for over 15 years and I can honestly say that here they serve Italian food customized for the American taste. Once again an Italian wannabe place. If you feel like trying real Italian food in South Beach go to Sardinia, Casa Tua, Escopazzo and Quattro or even next door to FLB for a more affordable fare. more

Most authentic in Miami more

I didn't think this restaurant lived up to the great reviews I had read about it. Sure, the food was great. But the rest of the experience was slightly frustrating. We made reservations for 4 at 8:30. We got there at 8:25 and were told it would be a 5-15 minute wait. We weren't seated until 9:30. We watched a party of 4 come in after we had been waiting for 30 minutes and get seated before us. The hostess was perpetually confused the whole time. She came over and asked us twice what our name was and if we had reservations (both of which we had already told her, obviously). Once we finally got seated, we ordered wine and appetizers. We never got the appetizers. After our main meal came out, we just cancelled the appetizer order because who wants carpaccio after pasta?? The food definitely was delicious but not worth the hassle and frustration. more

This restaurant has amazing food and service. This is the best pizza in Miami. The people are so nice and take the time to get to know you. This is definitely worth going to. The Nutellino is delicious as is the chocolate soufflé cake. Its an excellent restaurant. It is a little piece of Italy in South Beach. more

We would like to inform that La locanda moved a new location\r \r 419 Washington avenue Miami Beach Fl 33139\r \r just next door where we were before.....\r \r new look.....full bar......pizzeria.....see you soon!!!! more

I am a huge fan of this place for a number of reasons, great, fresh authentic cuisine - at a price I can afford to treat my friend to dinner! Great location...intimate environment, friendly staff (always make me feel like family or a queen :-) It is a local gem...can't say enough about this spot! I always return when I am in Miami! more

Good service. Very good food. Good price and very nice Italian staff. more

Outstanding! more

Coming from NYC you have a certain expectation as to how Italian food should be...needless to say this far exceeds even that. The staff are professional, the owners welcome you, and no one rushes you through dinner. I would highly recommend this restaurant. Pros: delicious food, laid back atmosphere more