Dining Guide
A selective guide to Palm Beach area restaurants, encapsulated from previous reviews by Mark Spivak, PBI's food and wine editor.
PALM BEACH
AMICI
The new Amici succeeds where few restaurants dare to tread—by allowing the ingredients to speak for themselves. The dishes are flavorful and imaginative, and the decor incorporates the best current design trends from New York and Milan. 375 S. County Road, Palm Beach (561-832-0201)
ANGLE
Located in the newly renovated Ritz-Carlton Palm Beach, this exciting room shows us how far we have come from the days of standard hotel restaurants. The inventive cuisine of Chef David Mullen, along with an exceptional wine list, makes this a destination that compares to the best restaurants in Palm Beach. 100 South Ocean Blvd., Manalapan (561-533-6000)
BISTRO CHEZ JEAN-PIERRE
Jean-Pierre Leverrier’s restaurant is the quintessential family affair, featuring updated versions of French bistro classics, a stellar wine list and warm service. Demand is intense, so book two or three weeks ahead in season. 132 N. County Road, Palm Beach (561-833-1171)
CAFÉ BOULUD
Daniel Boulud’s Palm Beach outpost is sleek and sophisticated. Orchestrated by Chef de Cuisine Zach Bell, the food is a striking blend of French country and global modern, presented with grace and style. 301 Australian Ave., Palm Beach (561-655-6060)
CAFÉ L’EUROPE
After 25 years, Lidia and Norbert Goldner continue to set the standard of excellence in Palm Beach. Highlights include continental dishes with an innovative flair, wonderful desserts by pastry chef Stephanie Steliga, and an astonishing wine list (more than 2,000 selections). 331 S. County Road, Palm Beach (561-655-4020)
COCO PALM BEACH
“Palm-Asian” cuisine is executed by chef Jeff Peng. The impressive menu includes first-rate sushi, authentic dim sum, and interesting cooked dishes from China and Thailand, served in surroundings as appealing as the food. 290 Sunset Ave., Palm Beach (561-832-3734)
L’ESCALIER AT THE FLORENTINE ROOM
Rich and intensely flavored, the food is a fascinating blend of the old and the new. The wine cellar, under the direction of Master Sommelier Virginia Philip, has won Wine Spectator’s coveted Grand Award every year since 1981. 1 S. County Road, Palm Beach (561-655-6611)
PALM BEACH GRILL
Emphasizing freshness and consistency, the Palm Beach outpost of Houston’s offers the classics we have come to expect—ribs, grilled steaks and seafood dishes such as cedar-planked salmon. Wine is taken as seriously as the food, and the list offers the best of the New World’s smaller wineries. 336 Royal Poinciana Way, Palm Beach (561-835-1077)
THE RESTAURANT AT THE FOUR SEASONS
Stunning ocean views and remarkable service combine to make this a popular destination for tourists, as well as a special occasion venue for locals. Executive Chef Darryl Moiles has overhauled the menu to reflect his own style of cuisine. 2800 S. Ocean Blvd., Palm Beach (561-582-2800)
THE SEAFOOD BAR AT THE BREAKERS
The Seafood Bar offers stunning views of the Atlantic Ocean, along with the freshest fish and shellfish from the four corners of the United States. Chef Chris Bentz delights in taking old standards and infusing them with interesting and edgy touches; the result is a panorama of global seafood dishes with innovative twists. 1 S. County Road, Palm Beach (561-655-6611)
TA-BOÓ
Ta-boó has been serving American comfort food since 1941, and no one does it better. The menu features classics such as prime rib and cold poached salmon, augmented by inventive daily specials, a tropical ambience, and some of the best bartenders in town. 221 Worth Ave., Palm Beach (561-835-3500)
WEST PALM BEACH
CAFE SAPORI
A welcome addition to the West Palm restaurant scene. The menu offers classics from every region of Italy. Dishes run the gamut from delicate to earthy, and the kitchen never strikes a false note. 205 Southern Blvd., West Palm Beach (561-805-7313)
LA SIRENA
This Northern Italian beauty focuses on the cooking of the Amalfi Coast. Specialties include yellowtail snapper for two and the 16-ounce veal chop. 6316 S. Dixie Hwy., West Palm Beach (561-585-3128)
LAKE WORTH
PARADISO RISTORANTE
The brainchild of Antonio Tasca and Chef Angelo Romano, this classic trattoria serves both traditional Italian fare along with some surprises, all of it outstanding. 625 Lucerne Ave., Lake Worth (561-547-2500)
SOUTH COUNTY
ABE & LOUIE’S
This popular Boca steakhouse is a branch of its Boston namesake. In addition to serving outstanding beef, the menu features classic New England seafood dishes. A comprehensive wine list rounds out the experience. 2200 W. Glades Road, Boca Raton (561-447-0024)
ABSINTHE
Located in Boca’s Town Center Marriott, this “sophisticated American brasserie” is the antidote for bland hotel restaurants. The kitchen is in the talented hands of Esteban Arguedas, who infuses traditional bistro fare with exotic and eclectic touches. 5150 Town Center Circle, Boca Raton (561-620-3754)
THE ADDISON
Executive Chef Jeff Sachs specializes in procuring top-shelf ingredients and presenting them in distinctive and imaginative ways. 2 East Camino Real, Boca Raton (561-395-9335)
BOVA RISTORANTE
This restaurant offers some of the most authentic Northern Italian fare in southern Palm Beach County. The comprehensive menu is augmented by a good wine list, and perhaps the only water list in South Florida. 1450 N. Federal Hwy., Boca Raton (561-362-7407)
CAFFE LUNA ROSA
Luna Rosa turns out consistent versions of classic Northern Italian dishes. Add an oceanfront location and a wine list offering a dazzling array of Super Tuscans, and you have a winner. 34 S. Ocean Blvd., Delray Beach (561-274-9404)
CHOPS LOBSTER BAR
This terrific addition to the South County dining scene raises the steak house concept beyond what most customers could possibly expect, and also offers a wide selection of fresh seafood. The extensive menu is complemented by an equally interesting wine list. 101 Plaza Real South, Boca Raton (561-395-2675)
CUCINA D’ANGELO
This romantic restaurant has gone from strength to strength. It faithfully recreates the feeling of dining in Tuscany, in terms of both food and décor. Chef Angelo Morinelli keeps a watchful eye on all facets of the operation, and a stellar wine list completes the picture. 5050 Town Center Circle, Boca Raton (561-750-2344)
LA CIGALE
No longer a brasserie, the new version of La Cigale bills itself as “A Taste of the Mediterranean;” many of the classic French dishes have been retained, along with new influences from Spain, Italy and North Africa. The experience invokes an earlier, more relaxed era, when meals were a respite from our daily routine. 523 S.E. 5th Ave., Delray Beach (561-265-0600)
HENRY’S
A throwback to a less-complicated era, Henry’s serves American comfort food to a packed house. Offerings include split pea soup, meat loaf, pot roast, and even chicken pot pie. 16850 Jog Road, Delray Beach (561-638-1949)
I&J STATION HOUSE
While the clam chowder, Ipswich steamers and fish dishes are noteworthy, the specialty is perfectly prepared Maine lobster. 233 W. Lantana Road, Lantana (561-547-9487)
KYOTO SUSHI AND SAKE LOUNGE
For sushi lovers, Kyoto is the next best thing to being in New York or San Francisco. The array of raw fish is augmented by a selection of cooked dishes and a good wine list. 25 N.E. Second Ave., Delray Beach (561-330-2275)
NEW YORK PRIME
This steak house has it all: first-rate raw materials, flawlessly executed dishes, and tables spaced far enough apart for private conversations. 2350 Executive Center Drive N.W., Boca Raton (561-998-3881)
SHORE RESTAURANT AND BEACH BAR
The comprehensive menu focuses on down-home Florida cuisine with interesting fusion touches. 6 S. Ocean Blvd., Delray Beach (561-278-7878)
SUITE 225
This hip fusion eatery offers excellent sushi and intriguing Oriental dishes. Don’t miss the Crispy Rock Shrimp, wok-crisped snapper, and other seafood specialties. 225 E. Ocean Ave., Lantana (561-582-2255)
32 EAST
Chef Nick Morfogen’s menu changes daily, providing the most creative new American cuisine in southern Palm Beach County. 32 E. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach (561-276-7868)
TRULUCK’S
This specialty crab house features ocean-fresh seafood in imaginative preparations, along with an innovative wine list. 351 Plaza Real, Boca Raton (561-391-0755)
NORTH COUNTY
BUONASERA
Classic and perfectly executed Northern Italian dishes in an intimate setting. The stellar wine list accompanies the deft and elegant cooking of Chef Leonardo Cuomo. 2145 S. U.S. Hwy. One, Jupiter (561-744-0543)
CAFÉ CHARDONNAY
Chef Luis Ceballos has augmented the menu with influences from Latin America and Asia. 4533 PGA Blvd., Palm Beach Gardens (561-627-2662)
GAZEBO CAFÉ
Enjoy classics such as oysters Rockefeller, seafood crêpes, Dover sole and rack of lamb. 2151 Alternate A1A S., Jupiter (561-748-5878)
LITTLE MOIR’S FOOD SHACK
Put on your jeans and enjoy some of the freshest and most creatively prepared seafood in the area. 103 S. U.S. Hwy. 1, Jupiter (561-741-3626)
METRONOME
Feeling nostalgic for the old days in Paris? Metronome offers large, expertly prepared portions of French country fare, along with carefully chosen wines and a casual ambiance. 5090 PGA Blvd., Palm Beach Gardens (561-775-1919)
RA SUSHI
Located in the new Downtown at the Gardens complex, this “rock ’n’ roll sushi bar” offers high-energy music, a hip atmosphere, and some of the best raw fish around. The large menu also offers an interesting selection of cooked dishes. 11701 Lake Victoria Gardens Ave., Palm Beach Gardens (561-340-2112)
SEASONS 52
Think you can’t combine fresh, healthy and tasty? Every dish on the Seasons 52 menu contains fewer than 475 calories, and almost all are both intensely flavored and delicious. The wine list offers some 70 selections by the glass. 11611 Ellison Wilson Road, Palm Beach Gardens (561-625-5852)
STRIP HOUSE
The menu offers steak house classics with some unusual twists. USDA Prime steaks are cooked to perfection, and interesting seafood dishes are offered; the warmth of the Roaring Twenties decor brings the large room closer together. 11701 Lake Victoria Gardens Ave., Palm Beach Gardens (561-296-4900)
SOLU RESTAURANT
Chef Carlos Jorge blends elements of different Asian cuisines with traditional Caribbean favorites. The dishes are complex and carefully constructed, and spice is used as a means of augmenting the natural flavors of the ingredients. 3800 N. Ocean Drive, Resort at Singer Island (561-340-1795)
VERO BEACH
THE TIDES
This converted old house in the coastal section of Vero Beach is comfortable, reassuring and delightful. Chef Leanne Kelleher defines her cooking as “Treasure Coast cuisine”—Florida dishes enhanced by Latin touches, along with elements of the Caribbean and the Deep South. 3103 Cardinal Drive, Vero Beach (772-234-3966)
MARTIN COUNTY
11 MAPLE STREET
The daily menu fuses organic produce, fresh seafood and free-range game into some of the most inspired fare in South Florida. 3224 N.E. Maple Ave., Jensen Beach (772-334-7714)
RISTORANTE CLARETTA
This Northern Italian beauty is a family affair. The food is classic and beautifully prepared, the wine list is striking and original, and the welcome couldn’t be warmer. 3036 S.W. Martin Downs Blvd., Palm City (772-219-9940)
Dining Around the County
PALM BEACH
264 THE GRILL
264 S. County Road, 561-833-6444
BICE
313 1/2 Worth Ave., 561-835-1600
CAFE CELLINI
2505 S. Ocean Blvd., 561-588-1871
CAPRI BLU
251 Sunrise Ave., 561-832-4300
CHARLEY’S CRAB
456 S. Ocean Blvd., 561-659-1500
CHESTERFIELD HOTEL
363 Cocoanut Row, 561-659-5800
CUCINA DELL’ARTE
257 Royal Poinciana Way, 561-655-0770
ECHO
230A Sunrise Ave., 561-802-4222
HAMBURGER HEAVEN
314 S. County Road, 561-655-5277
PALM BEACH OCEANFRONT INN
3550 S. Ocean Blvd., 561-582-5631
RENATO’S
87 Via Mizner, 561-655-9752
TESTA’S PALM BEACH
221 Royal Poinciana Way, 561-832-0992
TREVINI RISTORANTE
150 Worth Ave., 561-833-3883
WEST PALM BEACH
BREWZZI
700 S. Rosemary Ave., 561-366-9753
CABANA
118 S. Clematis St., 561-833-4773
CAFÉ PROTÉGÉ
2400 Metrocentre Blvd., 561-687-2433
CITY CELLAR
650 Rosemary Ave., 561-721-1504
IL BELLAGIO
600 S. Rosemary Ave., 561-659-6160
LEGAL SEA FOODS
550 S. Rosemary Ave., 561-838-9000
LEILA
120 S. Dixie Hwy., 561-659-7373
MORTON’S, THE STEAKHOUSE
777 S. Flagler Drive, 561-820-8125
SPOTO’S OYSTER BAR
125 Datura St., 561-835-1828
STRESA ITALIAN RESTAURANT
2710 Okeechobee Blvd., 561-615-0200
SUSHI JO
319 Belvedere Road Suite 12, 561-868-7893
PALM BEACH GARDENS
BRIO TUSCAN GRILLE
3101 PGA Blvd., 561-622-0491
CITY KITCHEN
Downtown at the Gardens, 561-491-CITY
THE GRAPE
Downtown at the Gardens, 561-694-7799
PAUL
Downtown at the Gardens, 561-493-8495
P.F. CHANG’S CHINA BISTRO
3101 PGA Blvd., 561-691-1610
THE RIVER HOUSE
2373 PGA Blvd., 561-694-1188
ROSA MEXICANO
Downtown at the Gardens, 561-625-3120
SPOTO’S OAKWOOD GRILL
4610 PGA Blvd., 561-776-5778
SPOTO’S OYSTER BAR
4560 PGA Blvd., 561-776-9448
VIC & ANGELO’S
4520 PGA Blvd., 561-630-9899
WATERWAY CAFE
2300 PGA Blvd., 561-694-1700
YARD HOUSE
Downtown at the Gardens, 561-691-6901
WELLINGTON
BAMBOO CLUB
10300 W. Forest Hill Blvd., 561-753-6606
NICOLE’S VILLAGE TAVERN
12300 Southshore Blvd., 561-793-3456
PLAYERS CLUB
13410 Southshore Blvd., 561-795-0080
STONEWOOD GRILL
1120 Forest Hill Blvd., 561-784-9796
NORTH PALM BEACH
BONEFISH GRILL
11658 U.S. Hwy. 1, 561-799-2965
RUTH’S CHRIS STEAK HOUSE
661 U.S. Hwy. 1, 561-863-0660
JUNO BEACH
CAPTAIN CHARLIE’S REEF GRILL
12846 U.S. Hwy. 1, 561-624-9924
JUPITER
BARRYMORE’S PRIME STEAKS
4050 S. U.S. Hwy. 1, 561-625-3757
MASA SAGAMI
1200 Town Center Dr., 561-799-6266
TOO BIZAARE WINE BAR
287 E. Indiantown Rd., 561-745-6262
LANTANA
GRUMPY GROUPER GRILL
224 N. 3rd St., 561-547-5171
LAKE WORTH
L’ANJOU
717 Lake Ave., 561-582-7666
BIZAARE AVENUE CAFE
921 Lake Ave., 561-588-4488
THE COTTAGE
522 Lucerne Ave., 561-586-0080
PARADISO RISTORANTE
625 Lucerne Ave., 561-547-2500
PRIME 707 STEAKHOUSE & BAR
707 Lake Ave., 561-533-0000
BOYNTON BEACH
BENVENUTO RESTAURANT
1730 N. Federal Hwy., 561-364-0600
PETE ROSE BALLPARK CAFE
1601 N. Congress Ave., 561-732-3333
SNAPPERS SEAFOOD AND WINE BAR
398 N. Congress Ave., 561-375-8600
DELRAY BEACH
ADDISON WEST
16950 Jog Road, 561-381-0200
CABANA
105 E. Atlantic Ave., 561-278-0366
CUT 432
432 Atlantic Ave., 561-272-9898
DADA
52 N. Swinton Ave., 561-330-3232
FIFTH AVENUE GRILL
821 S.E. Fifth Ave., 561-265-0122
OLD CALYPSO
900 E. Atlantic Ave., 561-279-2300
SAKI ROOM
401 W. Atlantic Ave., 561-279-4135
SUNDY HOUSE
106 S. Swinton Ave., 561-272-5678
TRAMONTI ITALIANA RISTORANTE
119 E. Atlantic Ave., 561-272-1944
BOCA RATON
ARTURO’S RISTORANTE
6750 North Federal Hwy., 561-997-7373
BASIL GARDEN
5837 N. Federal Hwy., 561-994-2554
BISTRO PROVENCE
2399 N. Federal Hwy., 561-368-2340
CARMEN’S AT THE TOP OF THE BRIDGE
999 E. Camino Real, 561-368-9500
COAL MINE PIZZA
399 SE Mizner Blvd., 561-826-2625
CUCINA D’ANGELO
5050 Town Center Circle, 561-750-2344
ESTANCIA GRILL
131 E. Palmetto Park Road, 561-368-0700
GARY WOO
3400 N. Federal Hwy., 561-368-8803
GIGI’S TAVERN
346 Plaza Real, 561-368-4488
GOLD COAST SEAFOOD GRILL
2200 W. Glades Road, 561-955-8884
ICHIBAN JAPANESE RESTAURANT
8841 Glades Road, 561-451-0420
JOSEPHINE’S ITALIAN RESTAURANT
5751 N. Federal Hwy., 561-988-0668
KATHY’S GAZEBO CAFE
4199 N. Federal Hwy., 561-395-6033
KE’E GRILL
17940 N. Military Trail, 561-995-5044
LA TRATTORIA
6060 S.W. 18th St., 561-750-1296
LA VILLETTA RISTORANTE ITALIANO
4351 N. Federal Hwy., 561-362-8403
LA VIOLA
145 S.E. Mizner Blvd., 561-392-0304
LE VIEUX PARIS
200 W. Camino Real, 561-368-7910
MARIO’S TUSCAN GRILL
1450 N. Federal Hwy., 561-392-5595
MARK’S AT THE PARK
344 Plaza Real, 561-395-0770
MAX’S GRILLE
404 Plaza Real, 561-368-0080
MYKONOS TAVERNA
6897 S.W. 18th St., 561-338-3646
PRANZO RESTAURANT & BAR
402 Plaza Real, 561-750-7442
RENZO’S OF BOCA
5999 N. Federal Hwy., 561-994-3495
RISTORANTE SAPORI
301 Via de Palmas, 561-367-9779
RUTH’S CHRIS STEAK HOUSE
225 N.E. Mizner Blvd., 561-392-6746
SUSHI RAY JAPANESE RESTAURANT
5250 Town Center Circle, 561-394-9506
TAVERNA KYMA
6298 N. Federal Hwy., 561-994-2828
TIRAMISU
855 S. Federal Hwy., 561-338-9692
TRATTORIA ROMANA
499 E. Palmetto Park Road, 561-393-6715
UNCLE TAI’S
5250 Town Center Circle, 561-368-8806
VILLA ROSANO
9858 Clint Moore Road, 561-470-0112
