Chef Luca Caretti

The quality of its restaurants is one of the strictest gauges for a city or town to measure its call to greatness. Miramare Italiano put Habersham and the town of Beaufort on the culinary map the day it opened.

With every Luca Caretti meal, you receive the full measure and passion of a man on fire with devotion to his chosen work. His Italian roots and expertise in Italian cooking grew deep while working from a young age alongside his grandmother in the original Miramare Italiano in Naples, Italy.  In this family-owned restaurant, he honed his kitchen skills and began his journey toward the pursuit of quality and excellence.

Close your eyes and imagine sweet lobster tails, succulent shrimp, mussels, and clams from surrounding waters of the Lowcountry in a perfectly seasoned creamy Italian risotto. Chef Luca delivers all the artistry at his command every single time you sit down for a meal. Every dessert is otherworldly, decadent, and memorable. When dining with chef Luca, you don’t have to imagine.  You just enjoy it.

Using humble, seasonal local ingredients flavored with traditions from Italy and the Meditteranean, Chef Luca makes palates sing. He and his partner, Cory, create a fabulous experience with each meal through their extraordinary attention to detail and luscious foods, complemented by gracious service.

Cory Pope

Luca does not do it all alone, right by his side for over 8 years his partner Cory handles all front of house and staffing at Miramare. Together through their journey propelled with Passion they have built an experience like no other. They also own Three Sisters Pizzeria and a new concept coming in 2021, Hop & Rye.

Maria Pugliese (Grandmother) taught Luca at a very early age. She is an incredibly strong person who brings the entire family together. One of the first recipes she taught Luca was cooked rabbit. This would often be served at Sunday dinner. Grandmother Maria raised Luca and gave him his passion for simple and amazing recipes.

The Original Miramare (1990-2003)

Maria Pugliese was the face and inspiration for the first Miramare with their signature dish the “Seafood Risotto”. 30 years ago, in the Italian foothills of the small-town Monte Di Procida, Chef Lucas grandparents opened Miramare. It sat in a very well-known destination for restaurants dating back to the 1940s, called Torregaveta. In the kitchen is where Chef Luca has some of his earliest memories.