Gioia Hospitality Group Launches La Sponda Restaurant At Vita In Coconut Grove

• Gioia Hospitality Group will open La Sponda on September 19 at Vita at Grove Isle in Coconut Grove.
• The Italian restaurant will seat approximately 120 guests and will be the hospitality group's first Italian concept.
• CMC Group's Ugo Colombo developed Vita at Grove Isle, a recently completed 65-unit luxury condominiumon the 20-acre private island of Grove Isle.

What La Sponda Brings To Grove Isle

La Sponda is bringing a new waterfront dining destination to Vita at Grove Isle, adding a hospitality component to one of Coconut Grove's newest luxury residential developments.

The restaurant will open for dinner Wednesday through Sunday, with lunch and brunch planned for November. Its location at 4 Grove Isle Drive puts it directly within the private-island residential setting.

What The Restaurant Will Offer

La Sponda will focus on Italian cuisine, handmade pasta, seafood, crudo and premium steaks, with the menu drawing heavily from the Angelo family's roots in Puglia.

The restaurant's culinary program is led by Chef Danny Ganem, while Wine & Beverage Director Daniel Bishop is building a wine program centered on Italy's major regions, including Piemonte, Tuscany, Sicily and Puglia.

Signature dishes include truffle spaghetti, Paccheri with branzino, Branzino alla Vernaccia and a 42-ounce Australian Wagyu Bistecca Fiorentina.

What The Design Adds To Vita

Martin Brudnizki Design Studio designed the interiors, combining European-inspired details with Coconut Grove references.

The approximately 120-seat restaurant will feature Italian-sourced furnishings, imported stone, custom tables, artisan finishes, a baby grand piano and a private dining room. Local touches include custom lamps hand-painted with imagery inspired by Coconut Grove's peacocks and tropical surroundings.

The result is intended to feel more like an elegant Italian residence than a conventional restaurant.

What Vita At Grove Isle Adds To The Project

La Sponda is opening inside Vita at Grove Isle, CMC Group's recently completed luxury condominium on a private island in Biscayne Bay.

Vita includes 65 residences across three connected buildings, with the development rising seven stories and offering panoramic waterfront views. The project was developed by veteran Miami developer Ugo Colombo and CMC Group.

The restaurant gives the residential project another lifestyle component while also opening the Grove Isle destination to a broader Miami audience.

 

 

 

What Gioia Hospitality Is Building In South Florida

La Sponda expands Gioia Hospitality Group, the restaurant company founded by father-daughter partners Thomas Angelo and Kassidy Angelo.

The group already operates Daniel's restaurants in South Florida and has positioned itself around upscale dining and hospitality. Gioia's own leadership materials identify Thomas Angelo as co-founder and CEO and Kassidy Angelo as co-founder and managing director.

For Coconut Grove, the opening adds another high-end dining option to a neighborhood that continues to attract luxury residential development. With Vita now delivered, La Sponda also shows how developers and hospitality operators can work together to create a more complete residential lifestyle offering.