Italian restaurant TiramesU has an extensive history with the city of Miami Beach. It was initially owned and operated by the Fregonese family from Treviso, Italy when it first opened its doors in 1988 on the corner of Ocean Drive and 5th Street. Nine years later, the restaurant relocated to Lincoln Road, back when it was just an emerging pedestrian-friendly street in the heart of Miami Beach. Fast forward another 18 years, Valeria Longoni is the managing owner behind the revamped TiramesU, now situated in South of Fifth at 101 Washington Avenue. Longoni still abides by the Fregonese family ways of offering authentic Italian cuisine including homemade pastas and other traditional dishes in an atmosphere whose chic decor pays homage to the 25-year-old restaurant.

TiramesU Restaurant has made its way through a number of Miami Beach locations and now lives in the sophisticated South of Fifth neighborhood. Managing owner and 15-year employee Valeria Longoni has taken over the new 75-seat venue and has appointed Fabrizio Pintus as Executive Chef. Staying true to 25-year-old tradition, TiramesU continues to execute time-honored Italian classics with unique variations on both cuisine and cocktails.

Italian interior designer Francesco Fregonese executed a contemporary feel with rooted connections to the original restaurant. Remaining true to TiramesU‘s history, the color blue remains in the logo and curtains, playing into the ocean waves that are just a few steps away from the restaurant. Guests are invited to dine al fresco or inside the elegant yet unpretentious dining room. Photographic canvases adorn TiramesU’s beige walls. Now embedded into the walls themselves, they are the same photos that hung in the Lincoln Road location for 17 years.

Entering TiramesU, patrons are welcomed by a contemporary wrap-around dark grey quartz bar. Mirrored shelves are lined with a wide selection of premium liquor— components to their short but thoughtful cocktail list. TiramesU’s libations expel flavors that play on tradition but with an Italian twist. The Sage Old Fashioned ($13), for example, consists of Basil Hayden Bourbon, sage and one final secret Italian ingredient, Amaro Averna. Amaro Averna is an Italian liqueur produced in Caltanissetta, Sicily. Its notes of herbs, roots, citrus and caramel are evident in this cocktail. It is unlike any other Old Fashioned we have ever tried and a preview of the modern Italian spins we will encounter across TiramesU’s culinary menu.

Begin your evening with Executive Chef Fabrizio Pintus’ Capesante ($14). Fresh scallops are thinly sliced yielding a perfect carpaccio. The dish is adorned with bite size pieces of strawberries and citrus. This colorful plate is almost too beautiful to devour. The citrus flavors of the fruit perfectly complement the seafood and makes for an excellent light appetizer.

The heartier Risotto ($20) is a creamy concoction made up of carnaroli rice, castelmagno cheese and Barolo reduction. Barolo is known to be one of Italy’s greatest wines. Its bold and tannic characteristics of drying out the palate make it ideal for reducing in a rich dish like risotto. Chef Pintus adds a hint of sweetness to the dish with small pieces of pears and grape confit.

Our secondi piatti of choice is the 8-ounce Sterling Silver beef tenderloin. Chef Fabrizio lightly sears the Filetto di Manzo ($38) to a perfect medium-rare before lightly dressing it with a flavorful and aromatic rosemary jus. The protein is served with a side of smoked eggplant, soft and tender with just the right amount of char.

Indulge in TiramesU’s namesake dessert, the Mixed Berry Tiramisu. This is a fresh interpretation of a traditional Italian treat. The conventional chocolate and coffee is replaced with fresh blueberries and strawberries. Ladyfingers are still classically layered with a whipped mixture of eggs, sugar and mascarpone cheese, yielding a very light and fluffy dessert. This was an appropriately sweet ending to our evening at TiramesU.

TiramesU is located at 101 Washington Avenue, Miami Beach. They are open for dinner from 6PM - 12AM Monday - Friday and 6PM - 1AM on Saturday and Sunday. The bar is open every night until 2AM. Stay tuned for news about their upcoming lunch menu, set to be available in about one month. Click here to make a reservation.