Chef Giorgio Rapicavoli, the Food Network "Chopped" winner behind two Coral Gables staples, is bringing his Italian cooking to Miami Beach for the first time with Luca Trattoria, set to open at 933 Normandy Drive this fall.

The new restaurant will take over the space formerly occupied by Las Vacas Gordas, an Argentine steakhouse now permanently closed, according to the Miami Herald. It marks Rapicavoli's first venture outside Coral Gables, where he operates Luca Osteria and Eating House on Giralda Avenue.

From 'Chopped' champion to two Coral Gables restaurants

Rapicavoli was born and raised in Miami with Argentine and Italian heritage. In 2011, he became the first Miami contestant to win "Chopped," a victory that launched Eating House, first as a pop-up, then as a standalone restaurant. The win earned him a spot on Forbes' "30 Under 30" list in 2012 and two James Beard Award semifinalist nods.

He opened Luca Osteria at 116 Giralda Ave. in 2021. The Herald reported Tuesday, Aug. 11, that Luca Trattoria will follow that restaurant's model with an Italian menu adjusted to appeal to the Normandy Isles neighborhood. Mixologist and bar manager Eddie Fuentes will run the beverage program.

Normandy Drive corridor already home to Silverlake Bistro, Katana

The 933 Normandy Drive space sits in a corridor already home to Silverlake Bistro and the Japanese restaurant Katana. Café Prima Pasta, a Miami Beach Italian institution operating for more than 30 years, is just across the bridge on 71st Street. Normandy Isles has historically drawn neighborhood regulars rather than destination diners, making a chef of Rapicavoli's profile a notable addition to the strip.

No specific opening date has been announced beyond fall 2026. The Miami Beach Review will update readers when an opening date is confirmed.