Last August, Marcelo Chopa closed the beloved Caffe Vialetto after 26 years in Coral Gables, much to the dismay of many Miami diners.
However, he is set to reopen this month at a new location under the name Casa Vialetto. With his former partner retired, Chopa is now leading the operation solo at 267 Alhambra Circle. He recently shared with Miami.com that he aims to welcome his first guests by the end of May.
Twenty-Six Years on Le Jeune
Caffe Vialetto opened in 1999 at 4019 S. Le Jeune Road and ran for more than two decades as a go-to for Coral Gables regulars marking anniversaries, closing deals, and every occasion in between. The menu mixed Italian with a Caribbean lean with favorite dishes like pear-and-gorgonzola ravioli, beer-battered shrimp tempura with a chili-guava drizzle, and a dessert called “The Funk.”
New Times named it among the Gables’ best restaurants roughly a month before Chopa, and co-founder Ernie Fernandez announced that they were closing after selling the Le Jeune Road property. The final dinner was August 16, 2025, with Fernandez having since retired, but Chopa didn’t.
A Smaller Room, the Same Cooking
Casa Vialetto will seat up to 45 guests, down from Caffe Vialetto’s 80, and Chopa describes it as “a little more modern,” with a menu that’s Italian but “more European” in character…