“Mean Pasta and Natty Wine.” That’s the attention-grabbing tagline for Miami newcomer Otto & Pepe, a restaurant in the Wynwood district with a pasta bar, outdoor patio, and an enoteca with wines for take-away or on-site consumption.
The pasta menu, created by Italian chef Viviana Varese, breaks into three categories: red sauce, white sauce, and “more pasta,” with seafood and vegetable ingredients leading the way in this last group. These “mean” pastas can be accompanied by natural, or “Natty” wines, sourced from the in-house enoteca overseen by Karina Iglesias. Otto & Pepe co-founders Gabriela Chiriboga and Samuel Ghouzi, the creators of the nearby Asian food hall 1-800-LUCKY, round out the team here.
Together, they’ve crafted a space where every detail—from the dish to the décor—aims to transport diners to Italy while embracing the creativity of Wynwood, an arts district that draws visitors from Miami and beyond.
Pasta is front and center at Otto & Pepe. A 21-seat pasta bar offers diners the chance to watch the culinary team members as they prepare fresh house-made pasta dishes, including Cacio e Pepe, tagliatelle alla Bolognese, and other classics. There are also seafood pastas and a “Not Pasta” section of the menu with appetizers including stracciatella-laced gazpacho and fried eggs with potatoes and black truffles.
Otto & Pepe’s wine program features selections from Italy, France, and Spain, while a cocktail list created by acclaimed mixology consultant Matias Iriarte highlights Italian spirits in classics such as an Americano and in clever drinks like a Truffle Negroni, Strawberry-Balsamic Spritz, and Orange & Macadamia Mimosa.
The 147-seat restaurant, designed by Saladino Design Studios, features not only the pasta bar and enoteca but a landscaped outdoor garden patio. Like many restaurants in Wynwood, Otto & Pepe emphasizes art; look for the mascots Otto, a playful pasta, and Pepe, a mischievous wine bottle, which are part of the restaurant's branding.
Varese, who helmed the Michelin-starred but now-closed Viva in Milan, and W Villadorata Country Restaurant in Sicily, says in an opening release, “Pasta reigns supreme on Otto & Pepe’s menu, where each dish pays homage to classic recipes and the Italian principle of respecting the raw ingredient.”
Otto & Pepe is open Thursday to Monday, 5:30 pm-10 pm. 126 NW 27th St, Miami, FL 33127, 305-989-3181, @OttoandPepe, ottoandpepe.com, reservations through Resy.
