9 Best Restaurants in Palm Beach and the Treasure Coast, Florida

This laid-back food hall and community-centric market complete with colorful murals is a crowd pleaser. There's plenty to taste, with 10 vendors selling everything from tacos to fried chicken to rolled ice cream. There's also a unique event space and weekly curated programming for all ages. Check out the small farmers' market on the weekend and live jazz that accompanies brunch, along with community yoga and kids activities. Standouts include shrimp po' boys from Roux Cajun Cuisine, bowls of ramen from Ramen Lab Eatery, and cold brew from Pumphouse Coffee. A full bar serving wine, beer, and cocktails is also available.

This hole-in-the-wall Middle Eastern bakery, deli, and market is packed at lunchtime with regulars who are on a first-name basis with the staff behind the counter. From the nondescript parking lot the place doesn't look like much, but inside, delicious hot and cold Mediterranean treats await the takeout crowd. Choose from traditional gyro sandwiches and lamb salads with sides of grape leaves, tabbouleh, and couscous.

A mainstay for local boaters who cruise up and down the Intracoastal Waterway, Banana Boat is easily recognizable by the lighthouse on its roof. On weekends casual crowds clad in tank tops, flip-flops, and bikinis dance to live island music while downing frozen drinks (try the Dirty Banana or Hurricane Wilma) and nibbling on bar foods like burgers and ribs. Brunch is served on Sunday from 11 am to 3 pm; it's just lunch and dinner—or should we say liquid lunch and liquid dinner—otherwise.

In the heart of Cityplace, this European-style eatery offers Italian specialties and a wide variety of fine wines. The menu includes classics like chicken parmigiana, risotto, and fettuccine alfredo. Pizzas from the wood-burning oven are especially good. Service is friendly and efficient, but the overall noise level tends to be high. Sit at the outdoor tables next to the main plaza's dancing fountains if you can.

If Italy had old-school luncheonettes, this is what they'd look like: a storefront of yellow walls, dark-green booths, white linoleum tables, and cascading sconces of faux ivy leaves and hand-painted Tuscan serving pieces for artwork. It's self-described by the husband-and-wife owners (who are always at the front) as an "upscale diner," and locals swear by it for breakfast (served all day) and lunch. Expect a short wait any day in season at peak hours. There's always a treat on the house, like a glass of sorbet to finish lunch; and don't miss the shrimp scampi—the sauce is so good, you'll want to dip every bit of the fresh focaccia in it.

Scenesters line the massive indoor--outdoor bar from noon until the wee hours at this cooler-than-thou retro library restaurant, but it's worth your time to stop here for the best burger in town. There's a whole selection, but the Prime CEO steals the show: Maytag blue cheese and Gruyère with tomato-onion confit, arugula, and bacon. Other upscale renditions of comforting classics like nachos (a delicate puff of whipped crab per chip served with jicama slaw), fried green tomatoes (panko-and-cornmeal–crusted with crisped bits of Serrano ham), and "naughty" alcoholic shakes are worth every indulgent calorie.

An informal seafood spot—serving crab cakes, fish sandwiches, and fillets—and a favorite of locals and tourists, is perched on the Intracoastal Waterway with spectacular views. Observation decks with separate bars wrap around the back where boats can dock; indoors is more family-oriented. Of course, order the namesake Key lime pie—the house specialty has been featured in Bon Appétit.

This lively waterfront restaurant overlooking Peanut Island is a great place to chill out after a long day of mansion gawking, boating, or beach lounging. Choose a table in the dining room or under an umbrella on the terrace and enjoy mainstays like conch chowder and coconut shrimp. More upscale entrées—this, after all, is still Palm Beach County—include Florida lobster tail and sautéed yellowtail snapper. Breakfast is a winner here, too. Kids like to spot the lobsters and starfish that hang out around the docks, and it's a local favorite for happy-hour drinks. A weekly art-and-crafts show sets up on the dock Thursday night. Sportfishing charters are available at the Sailfish store, and the Water Taxi stops here. There are also motel rooms for rent.

Located in the center of historic Hobe Sound, this cozy dining spot with a pleasant, screened-in patio offers piano dinner music on Friday. Locals like to hang out at the old, English-style wine bar; however, the food itself is the biggest draw here. Try a lobster roll and the signature Gorgonzola salad for lunch, and any fish dish for dinner. On weekend nights, order the excellent, slow-cooked prime rib, another specialty.