Fiola’s La Terrazza rooftop you can actually enjoy year-round

Rooftops are a hard sell for Miamians. We love the view, we hate the elements. Actual rooftop weather is fleeting—about five minutes in January, if we’re being honest—unless you happen upon one of those few and far between places that offer a year-round option, one that’s covered and preferably air-conditioned. Enter La Terrazza, Fiola’s upstairs lounge, bar and restaurant that serves an Italian menu in a relaxed, al fresco setting.

Head there on Sunday afternoon for a delightful jazz brunch—think a lively band playing to a packed (and air-conditioned!) rooftop, spritzes flowing and a Bloody Mary Cart doling out freshly made brunch cocktails on demand. Follow our lead and make yours a surf-and-turf with a skewer of bacon and shrimp.

Unlike most brunches these days, this one is á la carte, allowing guests to choose from a selection of raw bar items, breakfast dishes and various types of pasta. You’ll want to ease into the experience with a refreshing Venetian Spritz and something from the raw bar menu: think a half-dozen Oysters with shallot and escabeche mignonette; Cobia Ceviche with leche de tigre, crispy chickpeas and red onions; and Hamachi Crudo with mandarin segments, red endives, shaved celery and cerignola olives.

Silence the voice in your head telling you not to fill up on bread and dive into the warm, toasted Sullivan Bakery Loaf as soon as it hits the table. You won’t regret a single calorie, especially if you’re lucky enough to get yours with a side of caviar as we were. Look around you’ll see the Double-cut Bacon swinging on several tables and want to order your own clothesline of pork to share. Just do it.

Brunch entrees run the gamut from light, like the Swordfish Milanese with fried egg on top to you’ll-need-a-post-meal-nap, including Fettuccine Carbonara, Lasagna and Eggplant Parmesan. The Panettone French Toast was an unexpected dish that could work both as an entree or a shareable dessert. It’s served with an orange blossom marmalade, pistachio zabaglione and Vermont maple syrup. Though if that doesn’t satisfy your sweet tooth, Fiola’s Grand Chocolate Cake will do it. The massive, $36 (!) slice features layers of Piemontese Gianduja ganache and hazelnut streusel and is served with a scoop of fior di latte gelato.

Perhaps the most impressive thing about brunch is the massive outdoor kitchen built exclusively for La Terrazza. Servers aren’t running plates between Fiola and the rooftop so everything you’re getting upstairs is fresh, warm and meant to be enjoyed outdoors without any of the inconveniences of actually eating outside.

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