Lucali
Maybe it's the simplicity. Or the rustic look. Maybe it's the candlelights. Or the waiter with the cool tattoos. It might be the secret tomato sauce. What is it that makes Lucali one of the best pizza places in Miami?
The first thing that will surprise you when you go to Lucali is that there's no pizza menu. You can choose different fresh ingredients to put on your pie. Then, a guy will knead the dough with a glass bottle, put their secret tomato sauce on it and add your chosen toppings. Simple and straightforward. But somehow, that's more than enough to make a 20 inch pizza taste delicious.
I'd suggest you go with a group of 4 people so that you can also try the appetizers. Although you know you won't be able to eat that much, there's no way you can leave Lucali without ordering the meatballs. When you enter the restaurant, you won't see a table without meatballs or the kale salad.
I'm going to confess the real reason why I went to Lucali for the first time: They have Nutella pie. Kill me now. So yes, either starve to near death the day before going to Lucali or go in a group so you can try everything. Plus, that will reduce the check... we are talking about upscale pizza here so the bill might not be your #NotSoExpensiveCasualPizzaNight.
Even though the restaurant is in South Beach, the crowd spans from 'normal' people to level 6 of hipsterism. The restaurant is rustic and if it's not crowded it can be pretty romantic if you get one of the tables by the entrance.
