Joey's

Joey's, a 70-seat Italian café, is the first new restaurant to make its mark in Wynwood since the area began its slo-mo metamorphosis into an arts district a decade ago. Once ensconced in the foliage-wrapped outdoor patio or warmed by the brick hearth oven inside the minimalist dining room, you will be transported to another place entirely. Most likely that place will be Italy, for chef Ivo Mazzon is from Veneto, and his food pledges that region's allegiance to fresh ingredients simply prepared. Take the spaghetti pomodoro: staunch strands of semolina with a sauté of ripe tomatoes, fresh basil, and a hint of garlic and olive oil. Take, too, the homemade spaghetti dappled with a dozen littlenecks and a clam sauce buoyed by white wine, garlic and parsley. Keep taking and taking, because pastas are consistently delicious and considerately priced. A hefty half-order of the pomodoro, ideally sized for a pre-entrée course, is $5; a full plate (double the portion) is $7. Pasta with clam sauce is $8/$14. Brick-oven pizzas and antipasti plates are equally pleasing starters. And entrées also impress, whether a thin, wide, juicy sirloin steak, or grouper meshed with a fetching sauté of eggplant, tomato, and basil. With its honest food and great value, Joey's is as promising a first lick as any neighborhood could hope for.

• Cuisine(s): Italian

  Hours: Mon-Fri 11:30am-3:30pm, Mon-Thu 6pm-10pm, Fri-Sat 6pm-11:30pm

  Price: $$

• Payment Types: All Major Credit Cards

  Attire: Casual

  Features: Smoking, Patio/Sidewalk Dining, Private Party, Wheelchair Accessible, Kid Friendly, Vegetarian Friendly

• Serving: Dinner, Lunch

  Reservations: Accepted, Recommended

  Parking: Street, Valet