Francesco Martucci has finally landed in the U.S., and he chose Miami’s Wynwood neighborhood to do it. The Caserta-born chef behind I Masanielli, adored by pizza obsessives for his slow-fermented doughs and over-the-top attention to detail, has opened Francesco Martucci Miami. The restaurant will focus on a multi-course pizza tasting rather than the usual grab-a-slice setup.
Martucci works with long fermentation and high hydration to get those tall, airy crusts he’s known for in Italy, then sends them into a wood-fired oven built with Italian brick and cement from the volcanic hills of Campania. Toppings are classic southern Italian, like buffalo mozzarella, tomatoes, anchovies, escarole, and mixed with local produce and a few Florida touches. There’s also a serious gluten free program with its own dedicated space, so guests who usually skip pizza can actually join the table.
Martucci has the awards to back up the hype. He was named World’s Best Pizza Chef 2025 and his Italian flagship was awarded Best Pizzeria in Italy by 50 Top Pizza, with attention from outlets like The New York Times, Food & Wine, and more.
Appetito caught up with Martucci to ask why he built a multi-course pizza menu and how Miami is already influencing the way he cooks.
This interview was conducted in Italian and has been translated into English.
What does a multi-course pizza tasting allow you to express as a chef that a traditional pizzeria format does not?
In Caserta, Italy, we were among the first to introduce a tasting menu experience. I believe it is important to offer this option in order to showcase our work in a complete, 360 degree way.
This is your first restaurant in the U.S. What felt most important to get right for American diners while staying true to your philosophy?
The most important thing in my first approach here in the United States is to listen to the needs of the client and shape them in my own way. The client is everything.
Can you walk us through one pizza on the Degustazione menu that best represents what Francesco Martucci Miami is about?
One of the pizzas from the tasting menu that I most enjoy sharing with my guests is the calzone with escarole. It includes capers, olives, pine nuts, tomatoes, mozzarella, anchovies, escarole and pecorino. It is essentially like serving a piece of Italy altogether, while remaining faithful to a cosmopolitan palate.
What are you most excited for people in Miami to discover about your approach to pizza?
I am excited by the synergy that forms between different gastronomic cultures. Miami, in particular, is one of the cities where this exchange is especially stimulating.
How does cooking in Miami challenge or inspire you in new ways compared to Italy?
I would not call it a challenge, but rather a dialogue. I am a curious person, and as a result, I allow myself to be influenced and inspired by the place.
To bring the project to life in Wynwood, Martucci partnered with Toronto-based Liberty Entertainment Group, the hospitality company behind several high-profile restaurants and venues. Their experience with design, service and high profile openings sets the stage; his pizza does the talking.
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