Brunch: Café Bastille, Miami
In the heart of Downtown in the vibrant Miami, this small café with a hint of French charm offers one of the city’s best late breakfasts. I call it late because the selection of delights on its menu is so impressive that it’s worth showing up with a healthy appetite. It’s best to start with its pastries, generously sized, such as the pistachio croissant or the monkey bread, before leaning toward one of its many savory dishes. You’ll find eggs Benedict, served on a croissant base, as well as all the brunch classics (pancakes, eco-friendly avocado toast, burgers…). Straying a bit from the norm, among the best seller options are Turkish eggs, with poached egg, feta cheese, mint, olives, tomato, cucumber, smoked chili oil, and yogurt. The coffee is superb, but it’s also the perfect place to try matcha, available in several flavors (the strawberry one is highly recommended). No reservations, so it’s best to go with time. It fills up quickly. It has two other locations (in Miami Beach and Fort Lauderdale).
The Main Course: Luca’s by Paulo Airaudo, Florence
After almost a decade away, a few months ago I returned to Florence for the Pitti Taste gastronomic fair. There was time to wander through its magical streets, infinitely more crowded than I remembered, and to revisit two places I fondly remembered: Trattoria Mario (a landmark for traditional bistecca) and La Carraia’s gelatos. I also brought back new culinary favorites. One of them, Luca’s, the fine dining restaurant housed in the beautiful La Gemma hotel.
Entering this palatial townhouse feels like stumbling into a whole new universe—one that exudes elegance as much as refined taste. It’s not easy to pull off velvet without tipping into clichés; here they pull it off, and then some. Every detail is present, and its five stars are well deserved, because silent luxury surrounds everything, from the modern yet palatial style of the 39 rooms to the spa, the only one in the city to work with Biologique Recherche’s high-tech techniques. The gastronomy isn’t far behind, which is what we came here to discuss. With a Michelin star awarded just months after opening, Paulo Airaudo (Amelia, two stars) is behind this project rooted in Italian tradition but with a forward-looking soul.
Nothing can go wrong when the consommé that opens the feast carries you home. Luca’s consommé has an oil and vanilla base, giving it a velvety, unforgettable touch. Among Italian emblems, there’s a miniature cone of mortadella and pistachio, and travel-inspired creations—as an exquisite sole sashimi with shrimp, where the oil carried a pure tomato flavor (a journey, yes, but always with a return home)—there’s always room for one of Luca’s icons, present since its beginnings in 2023: its haute-cuisine take on the traditional cappelletti di piccione, pasta stuffed with roasted squab. The sauce, from the bird itself with butter, will have you finishing the entire loaf of bread that accompanies the menu. This dish, by the way, pairs perfectly with a Nebbiolo. If you can, try a glass of Castello Tricerchi. Here they even offer Brunello di Montalcino A.D. 1441, a wine produced only from the best vintages of the famous Tuscan noble house. Indeed, one must mention the place’s wine list: 400 labels and counting. And about their Cocktails, because there is a bar dedicated exclusively to delight the palate with creations like their Margarita, which here features an anchovy twist.
