11 hours ago
This Miami restaurant just ranked among the best pizza in the world
Miami's pizza scene has officially hit the world stage. La Natural, the beloved Little River pizzeria known for its funky vibes and sourdough pies, just landed at No. 35 on The Best Pizza Awards 2025 —the only Florida spot to crack the global top 50.
The honor caps a remarkable journey for Venezuelan-born Javier Ramirez, a former corporate-finance exec who traded spreadsheets for sourdough. After launching Miami favorites like Alter and Palmar, Ramirez returned to a more personal passion: backyard pizza nights with his wife and creative partner, Andreina Matos. 'I started in my backyard. Every week I'd try a different flour ratio, a different method, until I came up with what we have today,' he told Resy earlier this year.
That process evolved into La Natural, where each pie begins with a 48-hour naturally fermented dough that strikes the perfect balance between chew and char. Toppings skew both classic and playful—think basil-tomato, wild mushroom with parsley or burrata with chili oil—and pair perfectly with Matos's curated lineup of natural wines. '[Sourdough is] equal parts art, science and animal husbandry,' Ramirez said. 'You gotta pet it, feed it at the right time… it's like a science fair project.'
But La Natural is more than just dough. Designed by Matos to evoke a breezy Mediterranean home, the space features a roll-up façade, ceiling fans and vinyl spinning Afrobeat and reggae. It's casual, convivial and always packed. Add in seasonal small plates from chef Diego Moya (of New York's Racines and Margot) and it's no wonder the restaurant also earned a spot in the Michelin Guide.
This year's Best Pizza Awards ceremony—held in Milan, Italy on Wednesday, June 25—honored pizzaiolos from more than 30 countries. While Italian greats like Francesco Martucci and Franco Pepe topped the list, La Natural's inclusion underscores something bigger: World-class pizza doesn't have to come from Naples. Sometimes, it starts in a backyard in Miami.
