Lincoln Road has been a Miami Beach hotspot since it was first paved in the 1920s, heralded for its top-notch people watching and, with its lines of restaurants spilling out onto the streets, distinctly European feel. And when Quattro Gastronomia Italiana {1014 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach; 305.531.4833} joined the scene in 2006, it brought a real taste of Italy to this Miami slice of European paradise.
Next time you’re craving some good ol’ Italian cuisine, grab a seat inside or on the promenade and let the team at Quattro wine and dine you until you’re full and happy. Considering the culinary team comes straight from northern Italy and the wine list is made up of 300+ bottles—all covering the different regions of Italy—that shouldn’t be too hard.
Because we love this spot so much, we sat down with Roberto Sanso, Partner and General Manager of Quattro Gastronomia Italiana, to find out just what makes this Italian mainstay so special. Here’s what he had to say:
Tell us about Quattro. What makes it stand out from other Italian restaurants in Miami?
It stands out for consistency. We’ve been open for 12 years, which in Miami, is almost a record! We don’t want people to just be impressed with the décor and the DJ. We want people to come and eat a good meal and leave feeling like “that’s what an Italian meal is,” without having to travel for 11 hours. So many restaurants here focus on the parties or how everything looks. We want the food to be the main experience; we believe when you go to a restaurant, the food is what you should remember.
And how does Executive Chef Luciano Sautto make the food so memorable?
We use the best pasta in Italy, our tomato sauce is from the south of Italy, and our Parmesan cheese is made using only Italian ingredients. We buy ingredients from the parts of Italy that are famous for those ingredients.
Speaking of food, what’s the most popular dish on the Quattro menu?
I can’t name just one—I have to name four. There’s the Parmigiana Di Melanzane In Forma, which is a baked eggplant layered with mozzarella and Parmesan; Ossobuco Alla Milanese; Vitello Tonnato Con Capperi, which has thin slices of veal, capers, and tuna from the Italian island of Favignana; and the Preparazione Casalinga Dei Ravioli Di Casa Savoia Tartufati, which is ravioli stuffed with fontina and taleggio, and drizzled with white truffle oil. They’ve been on the menu as signature dishes for the past 12 years. I think we make it better here than you’ll find in Italy. Those four dishes are things people remember.
According to your expertise, what’s the secret to good Italian cooking?
If you put too many ingredients in an Italian dish, you ruin it. You just need fresh ingredients and simple recipes.
Why is Italian food so popular?
There’s a variety of everything, and it can be healthy or not healthy. It’s up to you! I think simplicity is the key to its success; you can eat Italian everyday because it’s simple.
Why is Lincoln Road the perfect location for Quattro Miami?
There’s a European style over here and I like that. It’s the only part of Miami where people walk and enjoy the city, the weather, and the stores; that’s what I love about it. It matches the style of our restaurant.
Here in Miami, so many restaurants come and go. Why do you think Quattro has been able to stick around for so long?
In Miami, people are always looking for something new and different. In Europe, restaurants will be open for 100 years, and they’re known for doing what they do best. So we have to continue to do what we do best. It’s good to try new things, but at the end of the day, there’s a history behind the Italian tradition. Eating should be a genuine, simple thing, and your menu should always be based on what you’re good at. Food should be simple. Even when guests read the menu, they shouldn’t’ be intimidated. If someone is doing something for 100 years, it’s because they’re doing it right. Why should we want to change that? Some people tell us we are too Italian—we take it as a compliment. We want to be too Italian.
Happy dining!
By Jennifer Agress | Miami Editor