North Italia's Fall Menu Has a Point of View

Most seasonal menus are a coat of paint. North Italia's fall update, launching October 14 at Brickell, is something more considered than that.

The Fusili Al Telefono is the tell. The name is a direct nod to supplì al telefono, Rome's beloved fried rice balls named for the way melted mozzarella stretches between two halves like a telephone wire. North's pasta version translates that idea to the bowl: dinapoli tomato, mozzarella, and roasted garlic breadcrumb, with the same pull-apart logic in a different form. It's a kitchen that knows its references.

The Tripoline Alfredo is the other one to order. Swapping fettuccine for tripoline is a real editorial decision — the ruffled edge holds the grana padano and white vodka crema differently, and the result is richer without being heavy. It's the dish that will end up on every table.

The Crispy Chicken Piccata is new territory for North: strozzapreti, lemon, capers, arugula, roasted chicken jus, and marinated artichoke hearts. Artichoke hearts are a first for the menu, and they earn their place here — the brininess cuts through the richness in a way that makes the dish feel like it was always supposed to be there.

The rest of the fall additions fill out the picture. The Burrata di Stagione goes seasonal with fuji apple, roasted butternut squash, hazelnut, herb breadcrumb, and calabrian agrodolce — a starter that actually tastes like October. The Seasonal Vegetable Salad (roasted brussels sprouts, cauliflower, grilled broccolini, golden raisin, crushed hazelnut, white balsamic vinaigrette) is the kind of thing you order once thinking it's the responsible choice and then order again because it's genuinely good.

For brunch, the Fontina and Ricotta Omelet arrives with chives, toasted ciabatta, and hash potatoes. The Double Pepperoni pizza — mozzarella, ricotta, grana padano — is available as a flatbread exclusively during happy hour, which is worth knowing.

The cocktail list has three new additions. Meet Me in Capri (limoncello, elderflower, smashed lemon, prosecco) is the easy one. The Diavolo (banhez mezcal, calabrian chili amaro, tuscan spice, lemon) is the interesting one. The Jam Session is zero-proof — smashed strawberry, pineapple, lime, and bubbles — and worth ordering on its own terms.

Dessert: the Wake Up Call is shaken espresso topped with tiramisu cold foam and chocolate pearls. The Hazelnut Torta comes with salted caramel gelato. Both are the kind of thing that makes you reconsider skipping dessert.

The happy hour menu refresh and limited-time prix fixe deals run alongside the new seasonal menu, making this a reasonable moment to work through more of the list than you normally would. North Italia Brickell is at 701 S Miami Ave. The new menu launches October 14.