A 120-seat Italian restaurant named La Sponda with waterfront views of Biscayne Bay opened Friday, Sept. 18, on Grove Isle in Coconut Grove. "La Sponda" means "the shore" in Italian.
Father-Daughter Team Behind New Venture
La Sponda Ristorante & Grill is the first venture from father-daughter team Thomas and Kassidy Angelo under their Gioia Hospitality Group. The restaurant occupies space at Vita at Grove Isle, the residential development from CMC Group founder Ugo Colombo, at 4 Grove Isle Drive.
Thomas Angelo spent three years developing the concept after a conversation with Colombo about bringing a restaurant to the private island, Miami New Times reported. Angelo previously operated Fiola Miami, the Coral Gables Italian restaurant he ran under a licensing agreement with chef Fabio Trabocchi. Fiola closed in 2025 and became Daniel's, A Florida Steakhouse.
La Sponda is the first Italian restaurant Angelo has built with his daughter Kassidy, 26, who joined the family business two years ago.
"We both see things from two very different angles," Kassidy Angelo told Miami New Times. "I think that works to our benefit because we each pick up on different details."
Chef Draws on Regional Italian Cooking
The menu draws on regional Italian cooking, with dishes rooted in Puglia, Tuscany, Liguria, Emilia-Romagna and Marche. Chef Danny Ganem's kitchen makes fresh pasta daily. The ricotta cavatelli al pomodoro alone took six months to develop, according to Resy. Other dishes include spaghetti alla chitarra with Burgundy truffles, linguine with Maine lobster and a Wagyu bistecca Fiorentina.
Design Studio Adds Italian-Inspired Touches
Angelo tapped Martin Brudnizki Design Studio for the interior after admiring its work at Thomas Keller's Surf Club, Observer reported. The studio outfitted the dining room with furnishings and stone sourced from Italy, white tablecloths and a baby grand piano. A local South Florida artist hand-painted custom lamps at the bar with imagery of Coconut Grove's peacocks, flamingos and the nearby Vizcaya estate. Near the entrance hangs a Florida landscape painting from Angelo's own home, chosen because its shoreline view suits the restaurant's name.
Wine List Spotlights Italian Producers
Wine and beverage director Daniel Bishop oversees a list of more than 500 selections anchored by Italian bottles, including Barolo and Barbaresco from Piedmont, Tuscan wines and Etna reds from Sicily. Angelo said producers Antinori and Gaia are already lined up for special wine dinners.
Reservations Required for Guard-Gated Island
Grove Isle is a guard-gated private island, so La Sponda does not accept walk-ins. Reservations open 30 days in advance. The restaurant serves dinner Wednesday through Sunday: 5-10 p.m. Wednesday and Sunday, 5-11 p.m. Thursday through Saturday. Lunch and Sunday brunch are planned but have no announced start date.
Reservations can be made at laspondamiami.com or by calling 786-761-5200.
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