Mitch and Nerissa McCluskey are bringing a new Italian restaurant to Miami

Mitch and Nerissa McCluskey have a knack for creating places people want to be in. Over the years, the husband-and-wife duo has been behind some of the Gold Coast’s most memorable hospitality venues, each with its own identity but a common thread of good food, great music and plenty of atmosphere.

This time, they’re turning their attention to Italian.

Sylv’s Italian is taking shape inside the former That’s Amore space at Miami Shopping Village, a restaurant that was part of the fabric of the neighbourhood for years. It’s a site Mitch and Nerissa know particularly well. The pair lives nearby, walks their dog around the block almost daily and admits they’ve always had one eye on this particular corner spot.

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While the bones remain, the long-standing tenancy has been given a distinctly McCluskey makeover. Timber wraps the walls and ceiling, globe lights hang above a long bar lined with chocolate-brown stools, vinyl records fill overhead shelves and a rust-coloured banquette runs beneath glowing circular sconces. It’s warm and nostalgic, with a tasteful touch of 70s-inspired swagger.

Italian has actually been on the couple’s radar since before they ventured into Japanese food. More recently, the success of taking over and reworking Canvas in Palm Beach prompted them to start looking for another existing venue they could make their own. When the That’s Amore site became available, the pieces fell into place.

In the kitchen, head chef Lauren Kinne will craft a succinct menu centred around pizza and handmade pasta, alongside a handful of entrees and a quality steak. The brief is premium produce without the pomp, keeping Sylv’s firmly in neighbourhood-restaurant territory.

“Fun and upbeat and not intimidating for anyone,” Nerissa says. “I don’t want anyone to go, ‘Oh no, I’m not dressed up enough to go there.’”

Pizza will be a particular focus, and Mitch and Nerissa have done their homework, undertaking an intensive course at Ciccio’s Pizza & Gelato to learn the craft firsthand. At Sylv’s, that attention to detail continues with head pizzaiolo Fabio working a traditional static oven, crafting a long-fermented dough recipe designed to hit the sweet spot between soft and crisp, with a little crunch and a properly puffy crust.

Despite the Italian lean, Mitch and Nerissa aren’t interested in getting too caught up in notions of authenticity. Instead, Sylv’s, named affectionately after Nerissa’s nana, will be their take on the neighbourhood Italian – pizza, pasta and a good bottle of wine in a room that feels special without feeling fancy.

For a corner of Miami that has been feeding locals Italian food for years, it feels like a fitting new chapter.

We’ll bring you a closer look when Sylv’s Italian is ready to open.