By The Slice: The Haute 5 Pizzerias in Miami

MaiTardi

Mozzarella, mushrooms and arugula, oh my! Located in the trendy Design District, this outdoor pizza lounge is a perfect location for a charming and elegant pizza night for two. Get cozy near the mosaic wall under the moonlit Miami sky and enjoy the live music. With a wood-burning brick oven, marble pizza bar and hand-cranked vintage meat slicer, you can be guaranteed your pick of over 20 different pizza varieties will top-notch and presented by dreamy servers. And leave room for desert (to share, of course). The cheesecake will bring chocolate lovers to tears.

163 NE 39 St., Miami; (305) 572-1400

Macaluso’s

Holy meatball! As one of the only restaurants in South Florida serving up real, we mean REAL Italian, you truly cannot beat the pies here. Boasting family recipes three generations old from Staten Island, New York, the pizzas are tasty renditions of homey Italian fare. Try the meatball pizza, it’s everything you imagined and more.

1747 Alton Rd, Miami Beach; (305) 604-1811

Sosta Pizzeria & Enoteca

When you’re craving the most delicious and creative lineup of pies, look no farther than Sosta. Made in a special Italian-made Morello Forni rotating pizza oven, you can’t beat the Sicilina with anchovies, capers, black olives and basil. Amazzzing. Be advised: This is not the place to make up your own concoction or to be picky about a particular ingredient. Give up your control issues for one meal and let someone who knows what they are doing surprise you with a fantastic pizza. You won’t regret it!

1025 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach; (305) 722-5454

Graziano’s Pizzeria

Calling all pizza snobs on the go. Graziano’s Pizzeria offers pizza lovers a delicious option for last-minute eating at its best. With over 15 varieties, the wood-oven baked pizzas are specialties of the house. For those who like it hot, try the South of the Border featuring Jalapenos, pepperoni, ham and pineapple. And for our tree huggers, the Vegetarian boasts tomatoes, onions, olives, bell peppers and mushrooms. Need more? Grab one of their ultra-fresh salads, Spanish tapas or Italian artisan ice cream flavors that range from mango to mint chocolate to dulce de leche for dessert. Now that’s la dolce vita…

9209 Southwest 40th St., Miami; (305) 225-369

Prime Italian

Following in the footsteps of one of Miami’s most popular steakhouses, Prime Italian features over-the-top, hearty Italian with one heck of a brick oven pizza lineup. From Maine lobster to Molinari pepperoni and trugole cheese pizza, this modern yet masculine Italian restaurant is perfect for a fancy pizza night. To sip on, the bar serves up shaved Italian-ice-tinis in lemon, cherry, blood orange and pomegranate that pair well with a slice.

101 Ocean Drive, South Beach; (305) 695-8484