On Tuesday, October 18, globally acclaimed hospitality group, Major Food Group celebrated the widely anticipated grand opening of Contessa in the Miami Design District. Guests celebrated alongside MFG Co-Founders Mario Carbone, Jeff Zalaznick, and Rich Torrisi and got first tastes of Contessa’s impeccable Northern Italian fare, as well as the restaurant’s extensive wine and cocktail offerings.

Notable guests included Craig Robins, Alonzo Mourning, Gil Dezer, Russell Galbut, Barry Sternlicht, Keith Menin, Ali Zalaznick, Barry Skolnick, Jorge Mas, Jorges Mas Jr., Maryna Linchuk, Rony Seikaly, Matthew Chevallard, Vita Sidorkina-Morabito and Valerio Morabito.

The energy of the Magic City meets the sophistication of Northern Italy in Major Food Group’s latest culinary masterpiece: Contessa. This statement-making concept nods to centuries of Italian tradition and cuisine. Contessa, fated to be Miami Design District’s neighborhood cornerstone, is a two-story crown-jewel situated at the intersection of NE 41st Street and NE 1st Avenue. Encouraging guests to stay beyond the confines of its lunch, Aperitivo and dinner, Contessa presents an intoxicatingly elegant ambience. Authentic to Northern Italian fare, the menu offers the finest meats, antipasti, signature pizzas- a first for Major Food Group, and an extensive in-house gelato program.

Contessa will officially open to the public on Wednesday, October 26 and is located at 111 NE 41th Street, suite 101 & 102. You can visit them online at www.contessaristorante.com.

Major Food Group is one of the most celebrated, innovative, and successful companies in the history of the hospitality business. Founded a decade ago by Jeff Zalaznick, Mario Carbone, and Rich Torrisi, MFG has established a global empire that today exceeds forty restaurants, private clubs, bars, and hotels, along the way setting a new standard for the industry. Among the brand’s numerous iconic concepts—which represent the pinnacle of dining and luxury in cities from New York and Las Vegas to Paris and Hong Kong—are CARBONE, The Grill, Dirty French, ZZ’s Club, Sadelle’s, Contessa, and Torrisi. While each brand this creative force brings to life is distinct, they all reflect MFG’s refined, celebratory, and thoroughly contemporary approach to its craft.

Since 2021, MFG has expanded across continents, risen to the top of the Miami and Dallas dining scenes, and introduced new concepts such as ZZ’s Club, Contessa, and VINO, to name just a few of its most recent accomplishments. Having assembled a vast team of the best and brightest minds in their profession, the company is poised to prove that its story has only just begun.