Inside Gioia Italy's Modern Approach to Traditional Italian Cooking

At a Glance

• Gioia Italy is an Italian restaurant and pizzeria at Atlantic Village in Hallandale Beach, Florida
• Co-owner Massimiliano Stamerra is a 20-time award-winning pizza champion with restaurant experience in Florida and Italy
• The kitchen centers on classic Italian technique, premium ingredients, BIGA pre-ferment pizza dough and a two-minute bake at 650°F
• A dedicated gluten-free station supports a selection that includes pizza, bread, every dessert and many main dishes
• The restaurant offers free parking, a covered monitored garage and an outdoor patio nearly the size of the indoor dining room

South Florida has no shortage of Italian restaurants, which makes tradition less a point of distinction than something a kitchen must prove. At Gioia Italy in Hallandale Beach, that proof begins with the fundamentals: ingredients sourced with intention, disciplined technique, recipes rooted in Italian culinary tradition and a willingness to evolve them without diluting their identity.

Set within Atlantic Village, the restaurant brings together award-winning pizza, handcrafted pastas, seafood, meat dishes and desserts, alongside an unusually extensive gluten-free program that broadens who can fully participate in the experience. Guiding that culinary perspective is co-owner Massimiliano Stamerra, a 20-time award-winning pizza champion whose career spans Florida and Italy and whose approach reflects a larger ambition for Gioia: to preserve what makes Italian food unmistakably Italian while giving it relevance in contemporary South Florida.

“Our vision comes from extensive knowledge of the restaurant industry, developed through years of professional courses and experience, as well as through the creation of the Accademia in Miami. Everyone is welcome. We do not have an overly defined target audience, from younger and older couples to groups of friends and families celebrating anniversaries or special occasions, as well as weddings,” Stamerra says. “What distinguishes us is a warm welcome and genuine hospitality, the best gluten-free food you can find in the area, and the fact that all our products are Made in Italy. Gluten-free is an aspect that we would like to make more visible. We have a dedicated gluten-free station, which is something very difficult to find elsewhere, as well as a cocktail bar and the opportunity to watch sporting events at Gioia Italy.”

“Our entire kitchen staff has been trained to follow the traditions of Italian cuisine, understand and appreciate its history, and reinterpret it for the times we live in and for another continent.” That reinterpretation, he insists, never compromises the original. The standard extends across the menu. “Because, for us, food and every dish we serve are serious matters.” Stamerra adds, “High-quality ingredients and the careful balance of every single element make each dish the perfect combination of flavors and sensory experiences,” always with a strong connection to how the dish is made in Italy.

Pizza gives you the clearest look at the technical side. “Our highly digestible dough is one of the keys to our success. We use the BIGA, a pre-ferment, together with carefully selected toppings and thoughtfully designed combinations. From the classic Margherita to our most elaborate pizzas, every one of them is crafted with great care. The baking process is also very distinctive: this dough is cooked for two minutes at 650°F.”

Yet Gioia reaches well beyond pizza. “Italy has an incredibly strong food and wine culture. It is no coincidence that Italian cuisine is consistently recognized as one of the best in the world, not only because of its variety, but also because of its ability to promote well-being. The Mediterranean diet continues to be studied, and the many people in Italy who live beyond the age of 100 are one of the clearest examples of its benefits. At Gioia, for example, we serve Bolognese ragù made with 100% beef and traditional tomato sauce, our delicious carbonara, meatballs, seafood pasta, fried calamari, and much more.”

Carbonara is where Gioia draws a firm line. “Among these dishes, our spaghetti carbonara is never made with cream, as unfortunately often happens elsewhere. Our chicken parmigiana is reinterpreted as a dish that Americans have always loved, while we continuously strive to make it even more flavorful and refined, a true explosion of flavors. All these dishes are created using recipes and preparation methods that we carefully protect in our kitchen, without revealing how they are made. The precise proportions and combinations of ingredients make these dishes truly unique to Gioia Italy, one more reason to come and experience them for yourself.”

Lamb Chops and Tiramisu

Restraint carries into the lamb chops and tiramisu. “For every dish, including our lamb chops and tiramisu, we always say that every detail matters. We use very few spices because the meat we serve is fresh and of excellent quality.” Outstanding ingredients, he says, do the rest. “For the lamb, all that is needed is excellent-quality meat, parsley, rosemary, olive oil, and salt. When the meat is exceptional and the person preparing it has extensive expertise and knows exactly how to cook it, the result is a delicious dish like ours. Tiramisu is another of our signature specialties. We never use cream, only gluten-free ladyfingers, as all our desserts are gluten-free, mascarpone, coffee, and an ancient recipe that makes it delicious, suitable for people with celiac disease, and naturally full of flavor.”

The gluten-free program reflects years of work rather than a recent menu trend. “Since 2004, I have devoted extensive study to gluten intolerance and the related health concerns. It was becoming increasingly important to understand how to create gluten-free food that did not sacrifice taste or flavor, and today, we can proudly say that we have achieved that goal.” Stamerra is equally direct about the dedicated station. “As mentioned earlier, gluten-free is a genuine health concern, not a trend. Having a truly dedicated gluten-free station to prevent cross-contamination, combined with constant research and our love and dedication toward people with celiac disease, makes us truly unique within the gluten-free restaurant scene in South Florida.”

Adapting traditional dishes remains difficult, and Stamerra says preserving their character in gluten-free form is the hardest part. “However, years of study, research, testing, and perseverance have led us to a result of which we are extremely proud.”

Atlantic Village gives the restaurant a destination context. “We chose Atlantic Village because it represents a great opportunity for Hallandale Beach and the growing community surrounding it.” Within the destination, he says, Gioia offers a distinctive Italian dining experience while sharing the address with a mix of dining, wellness, retail and everyday experiences that have made Atlantic Village a gathering place for locals and visitors alike.

Stamerra sees Hallandale Beach itself gaining importance. “Hallandale Beach is one of the most centrally located areas between Miami and Fort Lauderdale, and it will continue to become an increasingly important destination connecting these two cities. Evidence of this can be seen in the many major investments driving the area's growth, including the construction of large luxury condominiums and the development of new commercial businesses that will become increasingly necessary to meet the needs of the many people moving to this urban area. As the community continues to grow, Atlantic Village is evolving alongside it as a destination where people can gather, dine and enjoy a variety of experiences in one place.”

Practical details matter once you arrive. “We offer a large parking area, as well as a covered, monitored, multi-level parking garage that is always free of charge. Our restaurant also features an exceptionally large patio, which, in terms of size, is almost like having a second restaurant alongside our indoor dining room.”

Co-owner Amauri de Oliveira's international soccer career has also shaped Gioia's clientele. “We often welcome prominent guests, particularly from the world of soccer, because Amauri de Oliveira, one of the restaurant's owners, is a famous former international soccer player who played for Juventus, Palermo, and many other renowned teams. He has a strong following, and personalities such as Ronaldinho, Mascherano, Higuita, Jankulovski, Zamorano, Lugano, Quaresma, and many others have visited us. We have also welcomed celebrated singers such as the great Jon Secada, who took part in a truly unforgettable evening last year.”

The discipline behind Gioia's flexibility matters. BIGA fermentation, classic carbonara, an American-influenced Chicken Parmigiana and gluten-free tiramisu can share the same menu because the restaurant treats Italian culinary history as working knowledge. The modern touches have a reason to be there. For travelers moving between Miami and Fort Lauderdale, Gioia also gives Hallandale Beach a concrete culinary reason to become the stop rather than the space between destinations.

RESIDENT was hosted by Gioia Italy for the purposes of this review. Opinions are the writer's own.

For more information, visit gioiaitaly.com.