The proof is in the pizza

Fans of good pizza will go a longway for baked dough, cheese and tomato sauce. And right now, South Florida pizzzavores are flocking to Lucali, tucked away in an industrial-looking storefront in Miami Beach.

The first Lucali opened in Carroll Gardens in Brooklyn, N.Y., where ownerMark Iacono counts Jay-Z and Beyoncé among his regulars. Six and a half years after the restaurant opened, diners still line up out the door ahead of the 6 p.m. opening. Not bad for a guy who spent most of his career building and installing high-end kitchen counters.

Iacono, 46, quietly opened the Miami Beach Lucali in February with his cousin Dominic Cavagnuolo as his partner. At 60 seats, the Florida restaurant is twice the size of the Brooklyn location.

So far, it has no sign outside. The chalkboard and menus both say “grand opening coming soon,” despite the restaurant’s having been open for three months.

Wooden floorswere added, and sowas a hugewood-burning pizza oven. At night, the dining room is dimly lit with candles, and you canwatch guys in white T-shirts rolling out dough on the wide marble using empty wine bottles instead of rolling pins.

The mismatched furniture, the candlelight and the cementwalls give Lucali a rustic charm that’s a perfect match for the rough-hewn pizza that’s delivered piping hot to your table. A plain eight-slice pizza costs $24. That’s a lot of money until you realize that Lucali delivers a truly handmade pie. Three employees— one rolls the dough, one makes the pizza, another bakes it— are involved in creating every pizza.

The dough takes a full day to proof. Since February, they’veworked to perfect their crust— and oven times— to match South Florida’s humidity. Every pizza is scattered with fresh basil.

Lucali’s pizzas are close to perfection. The crust is first crunchy and then chewy. The ends are ever so slightly charred, but never burnt. Unlike classicNeapolitan pizza, the toppings never slide off. You can eat it with a fork and a knife or pick it up. Toppings are as fresh as the sauce and the crust.

The restaurant offers a big selection of draft and bottled craft beers and awell-chosen list of inexpensive wines.

There are two desserts: Nutella pie topped with fresh ricotta ($15) and a dessert calzone ($8) with a sweet, honey-ricotta filling. Iacono says he may add a few more sweets.

COURTESY All pizza at Lucali is topped with fresh basil.