Best Italian Fusion: Casa Vialetto

Casa Vialetto brings a familiar name back to the Coral Gables dining scene with a new setting and the same willingness to have some fun with Italian cooking. Created by former Caffe Vialetto co-founder Marcelo Chopa, the Alhambra Circle restaurant is a reimagining of a longtime Gables favorite, built around an Italian fusion menu that isn’t afraid to move well beyond the expected.

The Italian foundation is unmistakable. There is house-baked focaccia and bruschetta, creamy polenta, gnocchi, linguine alla vongole, tagliatelle Bolognese, risotto and an entire selection of ravioli. But Casa Vialetto gets particularly interesting when those traditions begin mixing with influences from South Florida, Latin America, the Caribbean and beyond. Risotto Caribbean combines sweet plantains, goat cheese, arugula and toasted almonds, while the croqueta bar includes combinations such as buffalo mozzarella with Spanish chorizo. Elsewhere on the menu are salmon sashimi, tuna toston and dishes incorporating Calabrian chile, truffle and other flavors that push the restaurant beyond conventional Italian cooking.

Ravioli and risotto are particularly important parts of the menu. Ravioli fillings include pear, fig, porcini and short rib, while risotto selections range from more traditional combinations to short rib with buffalo mozzarella, spinach and truffle essence. Pasta choices include Mac & Carbonara with guanciale and pecorino Romano, pappardelle with short rib, and orecchiette with shrimp and Calabrian chile. It is a menu designed for diners who like Italian food but don’t necessarily want the same familiar plate every time they go out.

There is also a genuine Coral Gables story behind the restaurant. Casa Vialetto represents a new chapter for a name with deep local roots. Chopa describes bringing Vialetto back as an opportunity for loyal patrons to create new memories while extending old ones, an idea that resonates in a city where restaurants often become part of family traditions.

That combination of familiarity and experimentation is what distinguishes Casa Vialetto. It respects its Italian foundation without allowing tradition to limit the kitchen’s imagination. For bringing Italian cooking together with unexpected ingredients, international influences and a distinctly South Florida point of view, Casa Vialetto is the Coral Gables Gazette’s selection for Best Italian Fusion.