The hospitality minds behind Crazy About You and Dolores But You Can Call Me Lolita have opened a new Italian restaurant in Brickell, although it’s not the traditional ristorante you may be thinking of.
Designed to feel less like a local debut and more like you’re stepping into a nonna’s house, the new Allegro Ma Non Troppo operates on a simple premise: one oven, no fryers, no phone and no reservations. Guests arrive when they arrive, take a seat and let dinner begin.
The 38-seat eatery by the Passion Restaurant Group is named after an animated Italian musical film from the 1970s and Carlo Cipolla’s book of the same name. It translates to “fast, but not too fast,” a rhythm the concept is built around.
Additionally, the restaurant is a tribute to co-owner Carlos Galan’s late mother, housing three suitcases full of her vintage objects and personal mementos to give the space an authentic feeling of her home. Intertwined with the interior design work of Helda Restrepo, these belongings alongside earthy tones, tea-jar lamps and clothing suspended from the ceiling create a homey feel.
The “4, 3, 2, 1” Menu
Because a grandmother wouldn’t hand you a 14-page menu and ask you to compare 12 risottos, Allegro Ma Non Troppo operates with a single instruction printed at the top of every clipboard: “Check without fear. Sharing is mandatory here.” The kitchen uses olive oil as its sole cooking fat and prepares everything in a single oven.
The menu is also a perfect 10… literally. It consists of only 10 items:
- Four appetizers: Caesar Salad (1924 dressing recipe with optional Chicken Milanese), Olivia Baguette (layered with stracciatella), Skinny Margherita Flatbread, Creamy Spinach & Mozzarella Dip
- Three mains: Wagyu Bolognese Lazy Lasagna, Free-Range Chicken Cotoletta alla Milanese, Whole Branzino (with olive oil, lemon and rosemary)
- Two sides: Oven Roasted Potatoes with Ricotta Cheese, Rucola Salad (cherry tomatoes, olive oil and lemon)
- One dessert: House-made specialty designed for sharing and described on the menu as, “Oh, by the way… order the dessert, you will not regret it. You’re welcome.”
The drinks are just as simple, with three Italian wines, a Prosecco and a Pinot Grigio from Cantina de la Torre, a Cantina Della Torre Chianti and a single Spanish Rioja from Con Los Pies en la Tierra, imported directly by the partners. Aperol Spritz and Peroni round out the list.
As for Happy Hour, guests get 50% off all liquor every day from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Plan your visit
You can find Allegro Ma Non Troppo at 1000 South Miami Avenue in Brickell, Miami, FL 33130. Hours are Sunday through Thursday from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. Lunch service will be launching soon.
For more information, check out their website and Instagram.
