Loading...
-
$$$ | |
An antidote to the sometimes stuffy and "jackets-encouraged" atmosphere of most restaurants on the island, chef-owner Clay Conley's ode to eclectic American cuisine neatly straddles the line between fine dining and exciting gastropub. The restaurant attracts both old money and the younger set, with a buzzing bar-and-lounge scene and an open kitchen showcasing the culinary acrobatics on display. The cooking here is flavorful and sophisticated with globe-trotting influences apparent (confit Rohan duck pancake) and upscale renditions of comfort food (sweet corn agnolotti with ricotta, bacon, and Espelette butter) along with straightforward classics (Prime NY strip with chanterelle mushrooms). Success has bred more delicious gems: The chef's sandwich shop, also on the premises just next door, draws beachgoers who want to pack a picnic lunch. An Asian spot next door called Imoto churns out izakaya-style dishes to rave reviews.
350 S. County Rd., Palm Beach, Florida, 33480, USA
Known For
- Small sharing plates
- Hamachi tiradito
- Short-rib empanadas
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch, Reservations essential
-
$$$ | |
A charming cottage restaurant west of Ocean Drive prepares some of the best food around—not just in Vero Beach, but all of South Florida. The chefs, classically trained, give a nod to international fare with disparate dishes such as tuna tataki, Asian-inspired carpaccio with satay, penne quattro formaggi, and classic lobster bisque. The setting is effortlessly elegant (think pale-blue, coral-printed fabrics and a brick fireplace) and the service top-notch. An appetizer's two jumbo crab cakes have scarcely anything but sweet, fresh flesh; a Southern-inspired corn-and-pepper sauce naps them. Floridian fish are a focus, testament to the chef's commitment to local sourcing. Adventurous eaters may want to book the chef's table, where the chef's choice menu is paired with wines from an impressive list.
3103 Cardinal Dr., Vero Beach, Florida, 32963, USA
Known For
- Fresh Florida fish
- Jumbo crab cakes with corn-and-pepper sauce
- Chef's table with wine pairings
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch, Reservations essential
-
$$$ | |
Upstairs from the legendary Boston's on the Beach, you'll find its fancier annex, 50 Ocean. In contrast to the no-frills sports bar on the ground floor, 50 Ocean is a more refined restaurant featuring dishes with a large percentage of locally sourced ingredients. The views from above are spectacular, and the setting is casually elegant, with an outdoor veranda and notable quartz bar. If it feels too fancy upstairs, just head back downstairs for some decent bar fare that includes New England clam chowder, several lobster dishes, and fresh fish.
40 S. Ocean Blvd., Delray Beach, Florida, 33483, USA
Known For
- Fresh Florida seafood, which varies seasonally
- Great views
- Outdoor bar
-
$$$ | |
The bougainvillea-laden trellises set the scene at the main entrance on Peruvian Way, off posh Worth Avenue. Even though it's a chain, this is a favorite of Palm Beach society, and both the restaurant and the bar become packed and noisy during high season. Weather permitting, many patrons prefer to dine on the outdoor terrace on the narrow pedestrian walkway, where "walking models" showcase jewelry and apparel from nearby boutiques. The aroma of basil, chives, and oregano fills the air as waiters carry out home-baked pizzaccia (a pizzalike bread) to accompany delectable dishes such as seafood risotto and veal Marsala.
313½ Worth Ave., Palm Beach, Florida, 33480, USA
Known For
- Seafood risotto
- Homemade pizzaccia bread with basil, chives, and oregano
- Outdoor dining where you can watch the scene on Worth Avenue
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations essential
-
$$$ | |
A longtime local favorite, Café Chardonnay is charming and romantic and has some of the most refined food in the suburban town of Palm Beach Gardens. Soft lighting, warm woods, white tablecloths, and cozy banquettes set the scene for a quiet lunch or romantic dinner. The place receives consistent praise for its innovative, continually changing menu and outstanding wine list, as well as crack service. The wine bar alone is worth a visit. Starters can include wild-mushroom strudel and pancetta-wrapped diver scallops. Entrées might be grilled filet mignon or a pan-roasted veal chop with Parmesan risotto and brandy morel sauce.
4533 PGA Blvd., Florida, 33418, USA
Known For
- Outstanding wine list
- Innovative specials
- Many locally sourced ingredients
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch weekends
-
Recommended Fodor’s Video
-
-
$$$ | |
A longtime favorite of locals, this sophisticated Italian restaurant is in an unexpected, nondescript location on Dixie Highway away from downtown and central hubs. But warm hospitality from a husband-and-wife team, along with smart service and delectable traditional dishes, awaits. A much-awarded wine list, including a popular "50 under $50" draws from international vineyards and complements dishes such as pepperoni e acciughe (oven-roasted peppers with white anchovies and extra-virgin olive oil), rigatoni ala vodka (said to have been invented by the chef's father), veal chops, and scaloppine prepared several ways. Desserts alone are worth an after-dinner stop.
6316 S. Dixie Hwy., Florida, 33405, USA
Known For
- Fresh pasta dishes
- Award-winning wine list
- Great desserts
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun., Reservations essential
-
$$$ | |
As the name implies, it's all about fins and shells here, including the live ones that entertain diners in their tanks in the modern dining room. The menu includes a raw bar with a good selection of raw (or grilled) oysters and clams and the chef's "seacuterie" platter, a build-your-own sampler of such choices as salmon pastrami, citrus-cured fluke, cured sea bass, or octopus torchon. Local fish—grouper, snapper, and yellowfin tuna—are best bets as entrées. Hipsters talk up the craft cocktails, and the happy-hour discounts include certain foods. That's a good thing, since Palm Beach prices apply.
251 Sunrise Blvd., Palm Beach, Florida, 33480, USA
Known For
- In-house cured fish
- Shellfish tower from the raw bar
- Craft cocktails
-
$$$ | |
This upscale restaurant at the Jupiter Beach Resort & Spa has a slick, contemporary look and is a favorite of locals in the know. The menu has a daily selection of fresh fish, such as Atlantic black grouper over lemon crab salad, sesame-seared tuna, and mahimahi with fruit salsa. There are also thick, juicy cuts of meat, including New York strip steak and beef tenderloin, as well as mouthwatering chicken and lamb dishes. The new Sinclair's Lounge is idyllic for a predinner aperitif. For something more casual, dine outside on the terrace to hear the waves lapping and take in the beachscape.
5 N. Rte. A1A, Jupiter, Florida, 33477, USA
Known For
- Fresh fish
- Weekend brunch
- Drinks in Sinclair's Lounge
-
$$$ | |
Some tasty Maine lobster awaits at this delicious dive inside the former train depot of Lantana. It's no-frills for sure, but all the seafood is cooked to perfection. Sticky seats and tablecloths are an accepted part of the scene, so don't wear your best duds. Although it's casual and family-friendly, reservations are recommended since it's a local favorite.
233 W. Lantana Rd., Florida, 33462, USA
Known For
- Excellent seafood
- Family-friendly atmosphere
- Drawing a local crowd
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch
-
$$$ | |
Closed Permanently
A few blocks off Atlantic Avenue in the artsy Pineapple Grove neighborhood, a tree-shaded, fenced-in courtyard welcomes foodies eager to dig into its "farm-to-fork" offerings. The menu encourages people to experiment with "to share," "start small," and "think big" plates. An ideal sampling: organic deviled eggs with chives and truffle sea salt; tequila-cured salmon; ricotta gnocchi, boiled then sautéed with porcini mushrooms and truffle tremor (goat cheese with truffles); and a pork chop over mustard spaetzle. Sunday brunch is wildly popular and includes an unlimited interactive Bloody Mary bar and champagne cocktails.
169 N.E. 2nd Ave., Delray Beach, Florida, 33444, USA
Known For
- Menu aimed at sharing
- Cocktails made from artisanal spirits
- Sunday brunch
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch Mon.–Sat.
-
-
$$$ | |
Closed Permanently
Tucked inside a small plaza, the restaurant has a small, cozy dining room and covered alfresco patio. The menu changes often, depending on what's fresh in the markets and from local farms, which are named. Start with cocktails—the mixologist here wins critics' approval. The chef finds ways to rescue food that might otherwise be discarded. An appetizer of fish ribs (the remains of a fish carcass) roasted with spices and served with a dipping sauce is one example, and a good icebreaker with a group. Scallops and yellowfin tuna dishes are most popular, but Florida-inspired fare like mango-shrimp ceviche and cobia crudo as well as a good conch salad with citrus offer visitors a taste of the tropics.
2875 S.E. Ocean Blvd., Stuart, Florida, 34996, USA
Known For
- Fresh Florida seafood
- Primarily locally sourced ingredients
- Inventive cocktails
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun
-
$$$ | Mizner Park |
Closed Permanently
Whimsical indoor–outdoor decor and comfort food with a twist help define this popular eatery in tony Mizner Park. Instead of dinner rolls, pretzel bread and mustard get things started. Share plates like bacon-wrapped shrimp and sea bass lettuce cups to promote convivial social dining. Move on to creative wood-fired pizzas and burgers; there's also a sushi menu. Happy hour at the bar is 4–7 and offers half-price drinks and appetizers.
402 Plaza Real, Boca Raton, Florida, 33432, USA
Known For
- Menu made for sharing
- Raw bar
- Popular happy hour
-
$$$ | |
Closed Permanently
Attracting a loyal clientele since 1921 (Howdy Doody is listed among its "celebs"), this restaurant is still owned by the Testa family. Dine inside in an intimate pine-paneled room with cozy bar, out back in a gazebo-style room for large groups, or outside—popular at breakfast—at sidewalk tables that are pet-friendly. Lunch options range from burgers to crab salad, and dinner specialties include snapper Florentine and jumbo lump-crab cakes. Don't miss the signature strawberry pie made with fresh Florida berries. A rebuild of the restaurant is expected in 2017.
221 Royal Poinciana Way, Palm Beach, Florida, 33480, USA
Known For
- Shrimp-and-artichoke scampi
- Blueberry pancakes for breakfast
- Signature strawberry pie
-
$$$ | |
Closed Permanently
The draw at this longtime upscale eatery offers up some of the best Hunan cuisine on Florida's east coast. Specialties include sliced duck with snow peas and water chestnuts in a tangy plum sauce, and orange beef delight—flank steak stir-fried until crispy and then sautéed with pepper sauce, garlic, and orange peel. They'll go easy on the heat on request. The service is quietly efficient. The early-bird crowd will appreciate the very filling Sunset Dinner specials (5–6:15 pm), which come with a starter, a dessert, and a main dish. They also now deliver.
5250 Town Center Circle, Boca Raton, Florida, 33486, USA
Known For
- Spicy cuisine that can be toned down on request
- General Tso's chicken
- Sunset dinner specials