Come Fall 2026, Miami Beach might soon be pilgrimage-worthy for diehard pizza enthusiasts with the opening of Royale Pizza Napoletana, the first Tokyo-style Neapolitan pizza restaurant in South Florida. It will also signal the stateside arrival of none other than iconoclastic Japanese pizzaiolo Chef Bun of the genre-defining Japanese Neapolitan pizza concept, Savoy. The brainchild of banking entrepreneur and restaurateur Jess Varughese – the innovator behind Miami’s ultra-exclusive and secretive members-only restaurant Haiku – Royale Pizza will deliver the ethereal, fresh, technically precise and deceptively complex pies that have made Bun a legend and Savoy an international must-try for foodies, celebs, and jetsetters. For the culinary intelligentsia, Tokyo-style Neapolitan pizza has been “a thing” since exploding in the early 2000s, capturing the hearts and minds of chefs and savvy travelers, so much so that the science-driven, palate-pleasing pies ventured west to Los Angeles, New York City, and even Nashville. Now, with Royale Pizza, this game-changing approach to pizza-making will find its furthermost home, fueled by Bun and an unparalleled A-Team assembled by Varughese.
“Fundamental to the Royale Pizza concept was the team that would be necessary to make it authentic and true to the science and spirit behind Tokyo-style Neapolitan pizza,” noted Varughese, who conceived of the Royale concept two years ago after a Haiku member, and Savoy devotee, hipped Varughese to arguably one of the most perfect pizzas in the world. With Haiku Executive Chef Albert Diaz (former executive chef of Zuma London and Zuma Miami) in tow, Varughese traveled to Japan, and after an eye-opening, mind-blowing experience at Savoy, the intrepid entrepreneur knew there was a need (and a home) for Tokyo-style pizza in sunny South Florida. Fast forward to spring 2026, and the restaurant space in the heart of Miami Beach (1680 Meridian Avenue) is under construction, the pizza oven is cranking, and the team is preparing. Joining Bun, Varughese, and Diaz in this endeavor is Chef Dalila Sabatino, a wildly talented young pizzaiola whom Bun called “one of the most talented pizzaiolas I have ever worked with.” In addition to her time with Chef Bun, Sabatino also served under pizzaiola William Joo at L.A.’s Pizzeria Sei, one of the leading talents in the Tokyo-style Neapolitan pizza movement. Operations will be led by Oscar Coll, who has spent more than 20 years in hospitality operations, bringing to the team his extensive experience in every restaurant station there is, as well as scalability with a focus on process, training, and technology.
Front-of-the-house hospitality veteran Audrey Armada, Royale’s Head of Customer Experience, clocks in close to 15 years’ experience in the industry and is blessed with the know-how for crafting unforgettable moments as Head of Membership Experiences at Haiku, Varughese’s acclaimed, members-only dining concept in Wynwood.
In a polished, fast-casual-style setting, Royale will seat 65 throughout its dining room, which includes a large community table at its center. No reservations; walk-ins only with seating on a first-come, first-served basis. Takeout and delivery will also be on offer at opening. Ordering takes place at the main counter from a carefully curated menu of antipasti, pizzas (four traditional, three specials), two pastas, and two mains. Guests choose their table and await 30+ hours of fermented, lighter-than-air, crusty deliciousness. “For something so elemental and seemingly so ‘basic,’ properly executed Tokyo-style Neapolitan pizza is exhaustingly difficult to get right,” muses Varughese, who says landing Bun’s partnership in the endeavor was key to creating a version of Neapolitan pizza worthy of the Tokyo greats. “He’s the maestro behind the music. His skill, insights, creativity, and scientific know-how gained from 20+ years of innovation are unparalleled. It’s like having Jack Nicklaus join your foursome or Miles Davis join your quartet. He elevates the game.”
So what of the dough, the basis for Royale’s promise of Neapolitan supremacy in The 305? “The dough is everything,” Varughese points out and can happily expound on its fundamentals, explaining that it took 20 years of experimentation in Tokyo and hundreds of hours in Miami to get it right and was only successful with a combination of selecting the perfect mix of artisan flours, compensating for particle size differences in the flour utilizing the Autolyse technique, altering the softness of water to exactly mimic the beautifully soft water in Japan, dialing in the timing applied to bulk and cold fermentation… Phrases that sound like describing a chemistry experiment, until you bite into the pizza, delivered fresh from the 800-degree oven, and its combination of chewiness, lightness, char, and crunch can be savored. One bite and a believer will be made. But, sadly, not for the masses until Fall 2026 when Royale Pizza Napoletana opens its doors. More details to come.
Royale Pizza Napoletana will be located at 1680 Meridian Avenue on Miami Beach.
Image credit: Boone Studios
