"This isn’t the only Italian restaurant on this guide. But it’s the only one with a giant glass chandelier, a VIP table next to the kitchen, and enough velvet to make you feel like a ring in a jewelry box. In Miami, this is normally a colossal red flag. But what distinguishes Erba from the opulent spots with no substance is its deliberate use of local ingredients and the care it puts into each dish. In other words: this is a flashy restaurant where the Italian food isn’t an afterthought—it’s the main event. You’ll meet uniquely tropical pastas with Key West pink shrimp or Bahamian conch, eat produce grown from the restaurant’s own farm, and always start the meal with a (free) butter candle. " - ryan pfeffer, virginia otazo, mariana trabanino
