Photo by Gary James

When you think of South Beach’s Lincoln Road, most likely you think crowds of tourists, bustling outdoor eateries, endless shopping opportunities, and street performers. But lo and behold, there exists a quiet, authentic Italian restaurant right in the middle of the action: Quattro Gastronomia Italiana {1014 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach; 305.531.4833}.

Since summer 2006, this KNR Restaurant Group restaurant has been wowing locals and visitors alike with its decadent Northern Italian cuisine, excellent wines, and inviting ambience.

Inside, the romantic space, which was designed by New York-based Studio A Design, feels worlds away from the busy pedestrian-only thoroughfare that it faces. Warm browns and deep pine greens are offset by the glimmering custom Murano glass chandeliers overhead. The focal point of the space is a Calacatta marble bar that’s surrounded by the sleek two-story wine cellar that showcases the hundreds of award-winning wines on offer. Even Quattro’s outdoor tables that line the sidewalk seem more intimate than their neighbors, as though they were plucked from a cozy Italian café and dropped straight into the South Florida sunshine.

The menu reflects this unassuming atmosphere: extensive, but not overwhelming. Overseen by Executive Chef Alex Portillo, this is Italian cuisine at its finest, with seasonal dishes that reflect the Piedmonte region of Italy, which is known for its fine cheeses, hearty local game dishes, and exotic white truffle mushrooms. In fact, the mushrooms are such an important ingredient that during truffle season (mid-October through December), the restaurant offers a special white truffle menu.

Parmigiana di Melanzane in Forma

We started with the Burrata, Pomodori, e Basilico, a gooey mozzarella and tomato dish; and the Parmigiana di Melanzane in Forma, a melt-in-your-mouth, baked eggplant covered in melted mozzarella and tomato sauce. Both appetizers were excellent, and we licked the plates clean. (What was leftover, we unabashedly sopped up with the oven-fresh bread that was brought to the table.)

Paccheri di Gragnano con Zucchine e Gamberi

Of course, we had to try the pastas, which are made in-house daily in an imported La Monferrina machine, a pasta-making device that is rarely found in the U.S. Both the Preparazione Casalinga dei Ravioli di Casa Savoia Tartufati (fontina and Taleggio cheese ravioli drizzled with white-truffle flavor) and Paccheri di Gragnano con Zucchine e Gamberi (paccheri di Gragnano with zucchini and shrimp) were exquisitely rich in flavor, and certainly filling enough to be a meal in and of themselves.

Though we made our primi piatti our main course, our waiter informed us that the seafood here is top-notch, and recommended that next time we try the Branzino Intero in Crosta di Sale Marino (Mediterranean sea bass baked in salt crust with sautéed vegetables). He also recommended the Scaloppine di Vitello al Limone (seared veal scallopini with lemon sauce, broccoli, and rosemary potatoes).

Scaloppine di Vitello al Limone

We couldn’t resist having a look at the dessert menu, and settled on the Bomboloni della Casa (made-to-order Italian doughnuts filled with vanilla custard, Nutella, and apricot jelly) and the Semifreddo al Gianduja (chocolate hazelnut semifreddo, torrone gelato, and caramelized bananas).

The verdict? The next time you find yourself strolling Lincoln Road, be sure to stop in at Quattro Gastronomia Italiana. You won’t be disappointed.

By Sherri Balefsky | Miami Editor