Fine Dining Table Team: We’re here today with Javier Ramírez, founder of La Natural Miami. Javier, tell us a little about yourself, how you got started and how the idea for La Natural came about. Take us from your beginnings to what you’ve achieved today.
Javier Ramírez: Sure. I’m from Venezuela and I studied Economics at university. I worked for 20 years in the financial sector. I moved to Miami in 2010 to continue in finance, but five years later, the company I was working for had to close. I’ve always been passionate about cooking and enjoying food, so I decided my next step would be to open a restaurant.
Fine Dining Table Team: Was that the beginning of Alter?
Javier Ramírez: Exactly. In 2015, I opened Alter. Although it no longer exists in Miami, at one time it was a very prominent restaurant, it gained a lot of fame and many considered it the best in the city. This success motivated me to continue in the restaurant world. Later, I opened Palmar, a small Asian street food restaurant located in Downtown Miami. Both Alter and Palmar were projects that I led, but I always had the collaboration of allied chefs in the kitchen.
While developing these projects, I began making pizzas in the wood-fired oven in my backyard. I developed my own formula and recipe. There came a point where it was obvious that this would be my next restaurant. I decided not to partner with another chef and take on that role myself. That’s how La Natural was born, which I opened at the end of 2020, three and a half years ago.
Fine Dining Table Team: Tell us more about the menu and the particularity of your pizzas.
Javier Ramírez: Our main focus is sourdough pizzas. The recipe combines Italian flour with North American whole wheat flour. It is a very tasty pizza, where we use simple but high-quality ingredients. I don’t like to overload pizzas; we have an exceptional red and white sauce, and we complement them with cheese, herbs and some spices. Most of our pizzas follow this philosophy.
In addition to pizzas, the menu includes a section of dishes, mainly focused on vegetables. These were developed in collaboration with a consulting chef from New York. Our wine list focuses on natural wines, that is, those that do not have artificial additives.
Fine Dining Table Team: How has the recognition towards La Natural been since its opening?
Javier Ramírez: It has been very gratifying. In our first year, Esquire magazine named us as one of the 50 best restaurants in the country in 2021. In 2022, when the Michelin Guide came to Florida for the first time, we were awarded the Bib Gourmand award, which recognizes high-quality, good-value casual restaurants. We have maintained this recognition for three consecutive years: 2022, 2023, and 2024. We are located in Little River, an emerging neighborhood in Miami, about 10 minutes north of Wynwood.
Fine Dining Table Team: Moving from finance to gastronomy is a radical change. Do you think your background in economics has influenced the success of your restaurants?
Javier Ramírez: Definitely. La Natural had a very strong start, with strong word of mouth. It became the place where everyone wanted to be. We had a lot of clientele, especially from New York, who had moved to Miami after the pandemic. This public appreciated our proposal of a sophisticated pizza, different from conventional pizzerias.
The first years, 2021 and 2022, were especially good. Although summers in Miami are usually slower and we have noticed a decrease in clientele during those months, we continue to have a good influx and people continue to appreciate our offer.
However, given the success of La Natural, especially with audiences in cities like New York and Los Angeles, I would be willing to consider opening in another city if the opportunity presents itself.
Fine Dining Table Team: Don’t you think that Miami’s growth also brings with it gastronomic growth?
Javier Ramirez: Yes and no. Miami has grown a lot, with many people moving here and a real estate boom. Many restaurants from New York, Europe and South America have opened here in recent years. But for a small, independent restaurant in an emerging area like Little River, this can be counterproductive due to increasing competition. I think commercial growth has outpaced population and purchasing power growth.
Fine Dining Table Team: Let’s talk about your pizzas. Which is your favorite at La Natural?
Javier Ramirez: Without a doubt, the one with Calabrian peppers. It has tomato sauce, Calabrian peppers, provolone cheese and oregano leaves. I totally recommend it.
Fine Dining Table Team: You mentioned the importance of the dough, but what about your tomato sauce? Is it unique as well?
Javier Ramirez: Yes, but I chose to keep it simple. Instead of making a sauce from scratch, we use high-quality canned tomatoes. In particular, we use Bianco DiNapoli, a brand started by Chris Bianco, a renowned pizza maker from Phoenix, Arizona. It’s an extraordinary canned tomato that needs virtually nothing more than a touch of salt. If you have a product this good, there’s no need to reinvent the wheel.
Fine Dining Table Team: Finally, why should Five Dining Table users visiting Miami experience La Natural?
Javier Ramirez: We offer truly unique, high-quality pizza. Many customers have told us it’s the best they’ve ever had. Plus, our space has a special vibe; many feel like they’re in someone’s home, perhaps in Southern Europe. We also offer one of the most outstanding natural wine lists in the city, ideal for those looking for authentic dining experiences.
Fine Dining Table Team: Tell us a little bit more about these natural wines.
Javier Ramírez: Most commercial wines have additives to stabilize them, change their color or flavor. Natural wines, on the other hand, are made like they were a thousand years ago: fermented grape juice without additives. They are younger wines, usually from 2021, 2022 or 2023, and offer authentic flavors. Although some think they don’t give you a hangover, that depends on the amount you consume, not the quality of the wine. We have a varied selection of natural wines from Chile, Oregon and Austria, among others.
Fine Dining Table Team: Thank you very much, Javier, for sharing your story and vision with us.
Javier Ramírez: Thank you for the opportunity.
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