Massimiliano Guerri and Grace Messick are two Florentines lost in Miami who met up 14 years ago over a shared love of the food of their homeland. Now, they are finally able to share this love with their adopted home thanks to Mattarello. This is as close as you will ever get to sampling fresh Italian food in a café setting outside of planning a trip to the motherland.

The space is small but quaint. Guerri and Messick aren't as interested in design as they are food, so expect the dining area to be minimal. The food will more than make up for any sore eyeballs. There is no set menu. Every day new dishes are served based on the availability and freshness of the ingredients. One day you could be eating braised oxtail, another day it could be braised lamb shank or roasted chicken with zucchini fritters. It all depends on what the boys feel like serving. But regardless of what they choose, you certainly won't be disappointed.

The dining area is always bustling with life (again, making the experience feel more authentically Italian) and regardless of what you order it is tough to spend more than $10 on a meal. Considering the consistent quality that the kitchen is able to serve up, that's quite a bargain. And if you can't eat in (or can't bear to eat from anywhere else) there is also a fully stocked deli counter selling prosciutto, pecorino cheese with bits of truffle, honey, olive oil and dried heirloom beans and tiny pink chickpeas, plus a variety of baked goods, pastries, and pizzas.

From now on anyone crazing Italian food in Miami will be going to Mattarello. Well, I'm sure a few people will go to Pizza Hut, but they're idiots. Don't listen to them. In fact, don't even be friends with them.-PB