Miami Spice has officially arrived. Each week we’ll be zeroing in on a specific restaurant we think deserves to be on your Spice hit list. This week: Scarpetta.
The Fontainebleau Miami Beach is one of the few Miami institutions locals and tourists can agree on. While we’re not shelling out thousands to stay at the historic hotel on the reg, you can trust we’ll be there come Miami Spa Month and Miami Spice.
When it comes to the latter, there’s one Spice dinner we never, ever miss out on: Scarpetta. Sure, the dim-sum lunch at Hakkasan is tasty and the filet mignon and mashed potatoes at StripSteak are excellent, but if we had to pick just one Fontainebleau restaurant (and we do), we’re carbo-loading at Scarpetta.
When to go: Scarpetta offers its Miami Spice dinner menu seven days a week: Sunday through Thursday from 6pm to 11pm, and Friday and Saturday from 6pm to midnight.
What to order: You’re here for the world’s best spaghetti pomodoro (at least according to us) and, if you can handle two hearty starches, the creamy polenta with a fricassee of truffled mushrooms as your appetizer. A more balanced combination might be the starter of braised short ribs with farro risotto—tender meat covered in sauce and served over al dente grains—with the spaghetti as your entrée. (Sorry, branzino, you never stood a chance.) For dessert, the espresso tartufo is packed with rich coffee flavors so much so you won’t even need to order the real thing as a digestif.
Why we love it: Admittedly heavy and coma-inducing, Scarpetta’s Miami Spice menu offers the kind of satisfying comfort food our starved summer bodies have been craving. And, is there anything more soul-serving than a heaping bowl of fresh pasta? We think not.
What you’ll save: Anywhere from $10 to $30, depending on your order. Spaghetti is $22 and appetizers average $15, which means your dessert is free when you opt for the Miami Spice menu.
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