Call Me Gaby

Should You Book Call Me Gaby?

Yes — and if you've been before, there's still a reason to come back. Call Me Gaby on Washington Avenue in Miami Beach has settled into something consistent: Italian coastal cooking that earns a 4.5 from over 1,400 Google reviewers and a Pearl Recommended Restaurant designation for 2025. That kind of sustained rating across a high volume of reviews tells you this isn't a one-visit fluke. It's a place that holds its ground on repeat visits, which in the Miami Beach dining scene is less common than it should be.

Chef Andrea Amelio's menu draws from the Italian coastal tradition — the kind of food that puts the emphasis on clean technique, good sourcing, and restraint rather than spectacle. If you're thinking about where this fits relative to, say, dining along the actual Amalfi Coast, venues like Borgo Santandrea on the Amalfi Coast or Il San Pietro di Positano represent the source material. Call Me Gaby is Miami's readable translation of that tradition , accessible, warm, and reliably executed without the price tag of a resort hotel dining room.

The room itself is part of the calculus. Washington Avenue sits in the heart of South Beach, and Call Me Gaby's setting reads as relaxed-coastal rather than scene-driven. Visually, you're getting a space that leans into the neighbourhood's beach-adjacent energy without leaning into the volume and chaos that defines nearby tourist traps. If you're arriving for the first time, you'll notice the room's proportions feel designed for conversation , not something you can say about much of Miami Beach's dining stock.

A Word on Takeout and Delivery

Italian coastal cooking can travel well or badly depending on execution. The question for Call Me Gaby is whether the kitchen's output holds up off-premise. Pasta dishes and seafood-forward plates , the backbone of this cuisine , are notoriously unforgiving in delivery containers: pasta overcooks in transit and sauced fish loses its texture. If you're considering ordering in rather than dining on-site, reserve that for the more forgiving end of the menu (think antipasti, heartier preparations, items with structural integrity). For the full experience of what chef Amelio is doing here, the room is the right call. This is food that's designed to be eaten where it's made, not reheated in a clamshell container. Delivery is a functional option on a low-effort evening; it's not how you evaluate the kitchen.

Booking and Getting There

Call Me Gaby carries an Easy booking difficulty rating, which means you won't be fighting a 6 AM release window or refreshing a reservations page three weeks out. That said, Miami Beach weekends fill faster than weekday dinners, so if you're planning a Friday or Saturday visit, book at least a few days ahead. For a solo visit or a walk-in lunch attempt, the odds are considerably better. The address at 22 Washington Ave, Miami Beach puts you in a walkable part of South Beach , if you're already staying on the Beach, you don't need a car. For broader Miami context, see our full Miami restaurants guide.

How It Compares

Within Miami's Italian and contemporary dining scene, the closest peer comparison is Boia De , also Italian, also contemporary, and priced at $$$. Boia De has a more tasting-menu-adjacent feel and tends to attract a more chef-focused crowd; Call Me Gaby reads as more accessible and less appointment-dinner. If your group wants Italian coastal without the formality, Call Me Gaby is the easier, lower-pressure choice. For something at a higher price point and a different cuisine entirely, Cote Miami (Korean Steakhouse, $$$) and Ariete (Modern American, $$$$) offer distinct formats. If you're building a broader Miami itinerary, ITAMAE (Peruvian) and L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon Miami (French) round out the city's more technically ambitious options. For hotel and bar context around Miami Beach, see our Miami hotels guide and our Miami bars guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What should a first-timer know about Call Me Gaby? Come expecting Italian coastal cooking done with restraint , this isn't a red-sauce-and-tiramisu tourist spot. It's a Pearl Recommended Restaurant for 2025 with a 4.5 rating from over 1,400 reviewers, which means the kitchen is consistent. Order confidently, the menu is designed for direct enjoyment rather than navigation challenges.
• What should I order at Call Me Gaby? The cuisine type is Italian Coastal, which means seafood and pasta are likely the kitchen's core focus under chef Andrea Amelio. Start there. Dishes that lean on the coastal Italian tradition , light, technique-driven, seafood-forward , are what this kitchen is built around. Avoid using delivery to judge those categories.
• Can Call Me Gaby accommodate groups? Miami Beach's South Beach addresses typically handle small to mid-size groups well. For larger parties (6+), contact the restaurant directly to confirm space and any group booking requirements. The room's layout and neighbourhood positioning suggest it can manage group dinners, but specific private dining availability isn't confirmed in available data.
• What should I wear to Call Me Gaby? Smart casual is appropriate for a Miami Beach coastal Italian spot at this price level. This is not a formal-dress venue. Given the Pearl Recommended designation and South Beach address, arriving in beachwear is probably underdressed; a neat, relaxed outfit reads correctly for the setting.
• Can I eat at the bar at Call Me Gaby? Bar seating is common in Miami Beach Italian restaurants and typically offers a lower-commitment way to sample the menu , particularly useful for solo diners or walk-ins. Specific bar configuration data isn't confirmed, so if bar dining matters to you, confirm when booking or on arrival.
• Does Call Me Gaby handle dietary restrictions? Coastal Italian menus typically include seafood-heavy options alongside pasta, which gives herbivores and pescatarians reasonable choices. For specific allergy or dietary accommodation needs, contact the restaurant directly , phone and website details aren't in the current Pearl record, so reach out via reservation platform messaging when booking.
• Is Call Me Gaby good for solo dining? Yes. With easy booking availability and a restaurant format built around relaxed coastal Italian eating, solo dining here is a lower-friction option than at Miami's more formal venues like L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon Miami. Counter or bar seating, if available, suits solo visits well.
• How far ahead should I book Call Me Gaby? Booking difficulty is rated Easy, so a few days out is typically sufficient for weekday dinners. For weekend evenings in Miami Beach , especially during Art Basel, winter season, or holiday weekends , book at least a week ahead to avoid losing your preferred time slot.

Pearl Picks , More to Explore in Miami and Beyond

If Italian coastal is your format, the source material is worth experiencing directly: Borgo Santandrea on the Amalfi Coast and Il San Pietro di Positano represent the tradition at its origin. For ambitious dining in other U.S. cities, Le Bernardin in New York City, The French Laundry in Napa, Lazy Bear in San Francisco, Single Thread Farm in Healdsburg, Smyth in Chicago, and Emeril's in New Orleans all offer points of comparison. Browse Miami experiences and Miami wineries to build out your trip.