Throughout his illustrious career, fashion maven Roberto Cavalli has conquered, year after year, the world’s most exclusive runways. A lesser-know facet of the Florentine designer is his passion for entertaining. After opening eponymous clubs in Milan and Dubai, Cavalli launches a new restaurant lounge along Miami Beach’s fabled Ocean Drive. We are sure we’ll find, in the club, celebrities and personalities from the fashion world who will bring to South Florida the glamour and elegance that always accompany the renowned couturier.
In a two-story villa, in Miami’s iconic Art Deco neighborhood, the Cavalli Miami Restaurant and Lounge made its debut this January. Armed with Italian fare and impeccable design, the restaurant is destined to become a Miami hotspot. Designed in collaboration with Italian based architect Italo Rosa, the restaurant provides the perfect setting to enjoy a wonderful meal followed by a night of dancing and cocktails. Enlisting the aid of restaurant and nightlife impresarios Karim Masri and Nicola Siervo of KNR Hospitality Group, Cavalli puts his hospitality stamp on the US, following the success of similar ventures in Milan and Dubai.
For Cavalli, Miami was a clear choice for his first US restaurant and lounge. The distinguished couturier looks to merge Italian elegance with all that Miami has to offer. “Miami is such an exciting and lively city, full of places to visit and see. It is becoming one of the centers of style, design and fashion. It is constantly changing and evolving, and I wanted to be a part of that process,” says Cavalli.
The restaurant’s design is pure Cavalli, displaying an exotic mix of patterns in an intimate setting. Zebra and jaguar print chairs are stylishly paired with floral tablecloths, set beside a backdrop of beautiful wallpaper, all from the Roberto Cavalli home collection. Upstairs, a fun, glamorous lounge offers guests room for dancing, live music and featured cocktails mixed with fine spirits. On sunny days and balmy Miami nights, guests can dine on a large terrace. If red wine is to accompany a meal, Tenuta Degli Dei, produced in the Cavalli family’s Tuscan winery, is on the menu.
At the helm in the kitchen, Executive Chef Stefanno Mazzi prepares traditional Italian meals, infused with Tuscan flavor and incorporates new-style dishes. With over 30 years of experience, Mazzi looks to pay homage to his Italian roots with his stellar cuisine. “Wherever you’re from, you love the food you grew up eating. The taste and aroma of each dish passed down through your family creates a memory and joy unlike anything else”, said the chef.
In Cavalli Miami, the designer’s passions shine through, making it clear that he has touched every aspect of his new endeavor. Offering up fashion, food and design, Cavalli Miami looks to deliver a luxurious, intimate experience that visitors will find worth repeating. “My restaurant is the place where people will want to keep coming back, where they feel immersed in the Cavalli lifestyle,” concludes the designer. ■
