Campania, the newest regional Italian restaurant from restaurateurs Tony Gallo and Chef Pietro Vardeu, opened its doors, for dinner, on Thursday, January 8th at 4029 North Miami Avenue in Miami’s Design District.
Offering locals savory Southern Italian cuisine, Campania joins Gallo and Vardeu’s popular Miami dining staples Sardinia Enoteca Ristorante on Miami Beach and Moye – which recently opened in Brickell and features classic Italian fare from Puglia. Named after the region in southern Italy of the same name, Campania is a brand new restaurant concept that focuses on the sun-kissed cuisine of Naples and the Amalfi Coast with artisanal, made-to-order pizzas, calzones and pastas.
The restaurant also features a custom pizza oven, which was created to the team’s specifications in Italy and shipped to Miami, as well as an onsite marketplace where guests can purchase fresh buffalo mozzarella and burrata that is be made in-house daily.
Having already found success in giving locals a taste of authentic Italian cuisine at Sardinia and Moye, Gallo and Vardeu were motivated to bring another distinct dining experience to Miami. “Campania allows us to introduce locals to another type of beloved Italian cuisine, filled with the savory flavors of Southern Italy. We feel that Campania will allow diners to indulge in traditional dishes that they may already be familiar with, while also expanding their palate with new regional offerings,” says Gallo.
Open daily for lunch and dinner, Campania offers South Florida foodies rustic Italian offerings showcasing locally sourced, fresh ingredients which is all overseen by Chef Vardeu. Menu highlights include pizzas made fresh to order in the restaurant’s wood-burning pizza oven, with choices like the Marinara, tomato, garlic, oregano ($10); traditional pies such as the Capricciosa, tomato, mozzarella, artichokes, ham, black olives, mushrooms ($14); Ortolana, tomato, mozzarella, grilled zucchini, eggplant and cherry tomatoes ($14); and the restaurant’s signature pie, the Campania – white pizza, mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, arugula and prosciutto ($15).
Diners can also graze on dishes including the Marechiaro – a calzone filled with mozzarella, tomato, ricotta cheese, salami, pepper and basil ($13) or the Fritto Sanitá stuffed with fried pizza, mozzarella, tomato, ricotta cheese, salami, pepper and basil ($14). Other appetizer options include Gamberi in pasta Kataifi – shrimp wrapped in Kataifi pasta ($16); Frittura alla Napoletana – arancini, mozzarella in carrozza, potato croquettes and zeppoline, frittatine ($16); and Cozze – steamed mussels with oregano and white wine ($12).
Larger plates include staples like the Cotoletta alla Sorrentina – veal Milanesa style with mozzarella and basil ($24); Frittura di Mare – wood-fired shrimps, calamari and rock fish ($24); and Branzino alla Procidana – baked Mediterranean sea bass, tomato, parsley and garlic ($24). Also available are traditional pasta dishes including Gnocchi Sorrentina – baked potato gnocchi with meat sauce, mozzarella and basil ($16) and Scialatielli – homemade flat noodles served with 1lb. fresh Maine lobster ($22).
An abundance of sweet Italian treats round out the menu and include the Babá, Delizia al Limone, Cannoli con Ricotta di Bufala and Torta Ricotta e Cioccolato, all priced at $9 each.
Campania also offers guests a full bar with a great selection of moderately-priced regional wines, ranging from $9 to $16 a glass, to complement their meal, while beer and other cocktails are also be available. Locals are also be able to order takeout from the restaurant, so that they can enjoy Campania’s Southern Italian cuisine at home or at the office.
Campania’s décor reflects the rustic and casual feel of its menu, with distressed off-white chairs and tables filling the spacious dining room, as well as an intricate wine wall showcasing the extensive wine collection. Pearl white mosaic pillars and black and white framed photos of the Campania region also complement the restaurant’s warm tones. The dining room is illuminated by large windows, washing the restaurant in a warm glow for the lunch and early-dinner crowd. Teardrop-shaped lamps hang above Campania’s hi-top marble bar and subtle overhead lighting in the dining room creates a warm and welcoming atmosphere in the evening. The custom-made pizza oven is tiled in a blue and white mosaic to balance Campania’s sleek marketplace design, which has several glass showcases filled with freshly-made products available for purchase.
Campania is located at 4029 North Miami Avenue in Miami’s Design District. Dinner is served nightly from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Sunday-Thursday and from 4 p.m. to midnight on Friday and Saturday. Lunch service will launch on Monday, January 19h and will be served from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., reservations and walk-ins welcome. Valet parking is also available in addition to ample street parking. Telephone: (786) 615-3301; www.campania-ristorante.com.