Best Gelato 2013 | Gelato-Go | Best Restaurants, Bars, Clubs, Music and Stores in Miami | Miami New Times
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Antonio Arminio barely speaks English. Growing up in a town near Naples, Italy, there really wasn't a need to learn it. But now he's in Miami, and along with two buddies, Alessandro Alvino and Domenico D'Addio, he's opened a gelateria on Ocean Drive. Gee, that's exciting: a gelateria. Miami has only a thousand of them. Perhaps that's the case, but Gelato-Go implores you to understand how Italians enjoy gelato — the way it's meant to be enjoyed. None of that powdered product and franchise crap. Small business. Small batches. Big difference. Because Arminio has an actual degree from a gelato-making school in Italy (yes, those exist), you can be sure he knows what he's doing. The gelato machine in the backroom is tiny, which can mean only one thing: Everything must be made in small batches. The brains behind the South Beach establishment are not trying to be trendy by saying their stuff is "artisanal" or "handcrafted." Arminio argues that French is the best kind of vanilla to use for gelato, and that's why he doesn't employ the Mexican or Madagascan stuff. Don't argue. Pistachio gelato here is made with pistachios from a specific farm in Sicily — because those are the best and purest and certified by Italy. It's safest not to argue about that either. A small cup with two flavors costs $4.40. Medium and large increase by just a buck per size (but you can fit more flavors in). Ultimately, the quality of Gelato-Go's flavors are topnotch, but there are also funky twists on the menu, including strawberry spaghetti (spaghetti-shaped vanilla gelato served with fresh strawberries). That's unlike anything Miami has ever seen. Go get acquainted.

Icebox Café, which recently relocated a short distance from its space off Lincoln Road to the new restaurant mecca of Sunset Harbour, offers a creamy, tart, deep-dish beauty of a key lime pie. Made with a robust and sturdy graham-cracker crust, this Conch Republic treat is made with a rich custard-like filling that strikes the right balance between sweet and tart. The bakers at Icebox also put in a considerable amount of time to get this key lime pie right: 40 minutes of prep, 12 to 14 minutes in the oven, followed by three hours in the fridge. To make this delicious confection, Icebox uses eight whole graham crackers, two tablespoons of sugar, five tablespoons of melted unsalted butter, a half cup of sugar, one tablespoon of grated lime zest, eight ounces of softened cream cheese, a 14-ounce can of sweetened condensed milk, a third cup of vanilla instant pudding mix, one and a quarter teaspoons of unflavored gelatin, one cup of fresh lime juice from six to eight limes, and one teaspoon of vanilla extract. At $7.50 a slice, it's a sinful steal.

Best Of Miami®

Best Of Miami®