ViceVersa Bar and Restaurant Opens in Downtown Miami, Florida
Tonight, bartender Valentino Longo will debut ViceVersa, an Italian aperitivo bar offering modern takes on classic Italian cocktails paired with small plates and pizzas.
ViceVersa’s cocktail menu, developed with help from the founders of nearby Jaguar Sun, includes 14 drinks in three categories: The Negroni Family, Martinis, and Signature Cocktails. Highlights include the MI-TO blend, a Dolce amaro base used in drinks like the carbonated Americano, and the Negroni Punch. Martini variations feature the Avanguardia and the Affogato Martini, while cocktails like the Italian-VICE and Brucio in Bocca offer creative twists on classic flavors.
The food offerings, created by Jaguar Sun’s chefs Carey Hynes and Justin Flit, include a raw bar, appetizers, and neo-Neapolitan pizzas. The menu features a raw bar with dishes like Treasure Coast oysters with citrus mignonette, Royal Red Shrimp with cherry bomb relish, and tuna tartare with pistachio and green olive. Appetizers include wood-fired flatbread with chicken fat, chives, and cultured butter; house-made culatello and coppa; and Caesar salad with cantabrian anchovy and aged parmesan. But the star of the food menu are the neo-Neapolitan pizzas such as clam pizza with white sauce, middleneck clams, lemon, and scallion; the ‘Bad First Date’ with tomato sauce, taleggio, and pepperoncini; and sopressata with tomato sauce, Thai chili, and hot honey. Housemade gelato and sorbet round out the meal.
Longo, who has over 20 years of hospitality experience, began his journey at the Hotel de Russie’s Stravinskij Bar in Rome. His career took him to some of London’s most prestigious hotel bars, including the Corinthia and the Ritz, before returning to Rome to develop the bar programs for La Moderna. Seven years ago, Longo moved to Miami, where he served as the opening head bartender of the Champagne Bar at the Four Seasons at The Surf Club. In 2020, he was named Bombay Sapphire’s Most Imaginative Bartender.
“My journey in hospitality has taken me around the world and opened my eyes to new techniques, spirits, and ingredients,” said Longo. “With this new bar, I look forward to guests experiencing this journey first-hand as I honor my Italian upbringing, my life in Miami, and my love for aperitivi.”
The bar’s name is a playful nod to the flexibility of aperitivo culture, suggesting there is no right time to enjoy it — whether in the early hours or late into the evening. Designed with a nod to Italian futuristi artists, the bar’s 60-seat space features an emerald green tiled bar, slate green walls, and marble tables. The decor includes bronze palm frond sconces and modern art by Italian futurist Jean Vaquier, aka Folzer.
ViceVersa is open Tuesday through Saturday from 5 p.m. to midnight and is located at 398 NE 5th St, Miami, FL 33132, adjoining the Elser Hotel. Most of the seats, including all at the bar, will be first-come, first-served, with limited reservations available in advance via Resy. For more information, visit here.
