The first thing you’ll notice upon entering Sofia is the pinkness of it all: From the flamingo pink, ’70s-inspired umbrellas that festoon tables in the outdoor courtyard to the rosy-hued banquettes in the main dining room, this girl loves to blush.
Inhabiting the former Estefan Kitchen space, the Toronto-imported Italian eatery from INK Entertainment (Byblos, Amal) makes good use of its Design District location in the open-air Palm Court, the glowing Buckminster Fuller “Fly’s Eye Dome” looming in the background wherever you sit outside. These tables also edge ever-so-closely to Itamae, Sofia’s hip, Michelin-recognized neighbor. Courtyard seating is the way to go on a cool Miami night.
Inside is a mirror-and-modern art fever dream, full of crimson fabrics, mirrored columns, custom Italian-imported Barovier & Toso glass chandeliers and art pieces by Marco Grassi and Mr. Brainwash. Despite all this opulence, the food is approachable and unfussy. The kitchen uses a tried-and-true approach, sprucing up midcentury Italian classics for 21st-century palates, with no wild or riffy deconstructions.
When was the last time you were blown away by a truffle pizza? At Sofia, the perfectly-chewy crust gets topped with maitake mushroom, bufala mozzarella, potato crema, truffle pecorino, chives and shaved black truffle—a fine reason to chuck the Keto diet and be much happier for it. (And at $48, you ought to be blissfully satisfied with every last bite of the pie).
The pizza was fantastic, edged out only by the revelatory magic of our favorite Sofia dish: the rigatoni alla vodka spiked with Calabrian chili, tomato, cream and 36-month Parmigiano Reggiano—a spicy, umami-flecked powerhouse that urges you on with each unctuous bite.
Other starters, like the ricotta-stuffed zucchini flowers and a hearty bowl of stracciatella with roasted tomatoes, pack an equal punch of creamy, carby goodness, but were less memorable. Same goes for the cacio e pepe, which lacked the signature peppery bite that gives this Italian specialty its transportive power. If you’re not in the mood for pasta, there are “Pesce” mains featuring branzino, aragosta (butter-poached lobster) and gamberetti (wild king prawn), while “Carne” mains highlight bistecca alla fiorentina, Wagyu filets, breaded veal, ribeye and prime striploin, among others.
Cocktails are boozy and classics-inspired. Try the Verde Speranza, made with Tromba Blanco tequila, St. Germain, Fernet Branca, lemon juice and cucumber syrup—a refreshing Italian riff on a margarita. The wine list features a nice selection of Italian options by-the-glass (though unfortunately, they were out of Lambrusco when we dined).
Overall the restaurant is a thoroughly pleasant addition to the Design District, an easy, pretty place to enjoy modern Italian cuisine and the endlessly fascinating people-watching the neighborhood affords.