When it comes to food, South Florida is a great place to be. So many new restaurants open nearly every day.
Coming Soon to a City Near You
Steak Shop by Rancher’s Reserve
500 Palm St., Suite 22, West Palm Beach; Instagram.com/steakshopfl
There’s a new boutique butcher shop/sandwicherie coming to town — and even the meats are hyperlocal. Its wood-fired burgers, chicken wings, Wagyu bratwurst, smash burgers, steak hoagies, and steak pizzas all come from hormone- and antibiotic-free Akaushi cows and Berkshire pigs raised on a 700-acre pasture in Okeechobee called Rancher’s Reserve. That ranch’s owner, Nick Scalisi, also operates Fern (formerly Fern Street Wine Bar & Kitchen) in downtown West Palm Beach, and Steak Shop will occupy The Imperial Plaza at Flamingo Park on Palm Street when it opens in late December.
Mary Lou’s Palm Beach
250 Southern Blvd., West Palm Beach; Instagram.com/marylouspb
This space in West Palm Beach once housed The Corner Store (aka Berto’s Bait and Tackle), but don’t let that country-store facade fool you — the new occupant, Mary Lou’s, will be a chic and sophisticated lounge. That is, once you get past all the fishing memorabilia and rustic tchotchkes and slip through a speakeasy entrance into the actual lounge with its ornate wood paneling, antique velvet drapery, animal-print bar stools, and eye-popping surrealist mural. When Mary Lou’s opens in January, it will serve light fare and craft cocktails and wine, while also staging live entertainment. The moda muse is Mary Louise "Mary Lou" Curtis, who ran a fashion boutique, La Shack, in Palm Beach. She was also the grandmother of Mary Lou’s cofounder Alex Melillo, who has partnered with nightlife innovators Joe Cervasio and Topher Grubb.
Pier Sixty-Six
2301 SE 17th St., Fort Lauderdale; 954-525-6666, piersexty-six.com
What will a $1 billion makeover at the historic Pier Sixty-Six get gung-ho gastronomists? Well, after four years of renovations — from the top of the tower to the dockside features — we now are getting some interesting intel. There will be nine food-and-beverage venues throughout the iconic resort destination. "This iconic venue has been at the heart of countless memories for both locals and visitors over the years, and we’re honored to bring it back to life," says Frank Serindat, executive director of food and beverage. On Friday, January 10, the first restaurants to debut at the 32-acre resort will be Sotogrande (southern Spain and eastern Mediterranean fare) and Calusso (inspired by the French and Italian rivieras). Next will be Pier Top, a lavish lounge rotating atop the 17th floor of the hotel tower that is expected to open in February, according to the resort’s website. In addition to opulent craft cocktails, Champagne, and wine, Pier Top will offer caviar, oysters, and light bites.
Motek
5377 Town Center Road, Boca Raton; MotekCafe.com
Taking over the space vacated by chef Fabio Trabocchi’s Fiolina is this kosher-style Mediterranean sit-down, which began its life in downtown Miami before spreading out to five more spaces across Miami-Dade County. And it brings no shortage of Magic City clout: Its crispy, baked Arayes burger — with grass-fed kufta kebab, tahini, and harissa aioli on a pita instead of a bun — notched back-to-back People’s Choice wins at the South Beach Wine & Food Festival Burger Bash in 2022 and 2023. The 220-seater, which takes its moniker from the Hebrew word meaning "sweetheart," is led by owners Charlie and Tessa Levy and expected to debut in early 2025. The restaurant will also feature entrees such as a 20-ounce, bone-in ribeye with chimichurri and peppercorn sauce, baby lamb chops with majadra rice and sumac onions, salmon skewers, chicken and lamb shawarma, and a variety of hot and cold mezze.
Mister O1 Extraordinary Pizza
7381 Boynton Beach Blvd., No. 305, Boynton Beach; Mistero1.com
Renato Viola’s Miami Beach-born pizzeria, known for its cheesy octagons (star-shaped pies with pouches of ricotta in its points), is growing its empire yet again. Its latest will bow in west Boynton Beach sometime in early 2025, joining recent outposts in Pembroke Pines and Fort Lauderdale. The pizzeria is so named for Viola’s O-1 visa, granted to individuals who show what the U.S. government sees as "extraordinary ability or achievement." Neapolitan-style pies include the Star Luca, topped with spicy salami Calabrese, mozzarella, Italian tomato sauce, and basil, and the Coffee Paolo, with gorgonzola blue cheese, honey, and — yes — espresso. Future locations are also heading to Miramar and Doral.
Ela Curry & Cocktails and Mango Mercado
632 Hibiscus St., West Palm Beach; ElaCurryandCocktails.com and MangoMercado.com
After conquering the golfing paradise of Palm Beach Gardens with boundary-pushing Indian cuisine, chef Pushkar Marathe is coming for the rest of Palm Beach County. The 2023 James Beard semifinalist, currently adding a second Stage Kitchen & Bar to Boca Raton, will now also bring second locations of sister kitchens Ela Curry & Cocktails and Mango Mercado to West Palm Beach’s CityPlace by mid-2025, according to the restaurants’ publicist. Ela, specializing in thali-style street food, and Mango, a breakfast-lunch counter, will sit side by side on Hibiscus Street. "When the opportunity presented itself, we knew CityPlace would be a great location," Marathe says, adding that Mango’s fast-casual offerings don’t sacrifice flavor and quality just "because it is quick and easy." Ela features casual dishes like duck leg biryani, tandoori cab hanger steak skewer, chutneys, and other street snacks, while Mango leans into daily soups, salads, and handhelds from Wagyu beef carpaccio to roasted turkey club.
Parlor Doughnuts
444 NE Seventh St., Fort Lauderdale; parlordoughnuts.com/fort-lauderdale-fl
Set to open this winter, this sweet newcomer to Flagler Village will offer signature layered doughnuts as well as vegan, gluten-free, and keto-friendly options that feature a cake-like texture. There will also be a full coffee bar, plus special Pawler Dog Doughnuts available for your furry friends. The decor will mix modern with vintage Americana, evoking "parlor" rooms of 1900s Victorian homes. This marks Parlor Doughnuts’ first foray into Broward County.
Johnny’s Hungry Hoagies
790 E. Broward Blvd., Fort Lauderdale; johnnyshungry.com
Ever since signs went up at the soon-to-come space in the plaza of the Laureat apartment building, near the oh-so-busy intersection of Broward and Federal highways, the community has been abuzz with anticipation. Marathe’s Boca Raton outpost will be bigger than the original, with a dining room adorned in blue walls, bronze and copper chain accents, walnut-wood tones, and caramel-hued faux leather. The kitchen, meanwhile, will have an open woodfire oven.
Oceana Coffee
1301 10th St., Lake Park; oceanacoffee.com
When Oceana Coffee’s new headquarters arrives in Lake Park, it will include a cozy, little cafe with indoor/outdoor seating, a drive-thru window, and an upstairs event space. Founded in 2009, Oceana has two locations in Palm Beach County, both in Tequesta. This venue will mostly serve as the company’s new roasting and manufacturing headquarters. The company works closely with The Els for Autism Foundation in Jupiter, offering internships to students and jobs to adults.
Elba
600 SE Second Court, Fort Lauderdale; ElbaLasOlas.com
Named after the famous Tuscan island where Napoleon Bonaparte was exiled, this new Mediterranean restaurant aims to be a different kind of paradise when it debuts in December, a block north of Las Olas Boulevard. The restaurant and music bar, facing Tunnel Top Park and the mouth of the Henry E. Kinney Tunnel, comes from owner Christophe Bellone, who previously ran the 45-year-old breakfast-lunch bistro, La Bonne Crepe, before it closed earlier this spring. There’s no menu available yet.
Death By Pizza
15065 S. State Road 7, No. 400, Delray Beach; DeathByPizzaDelray.com
This pandemic pizza baby will officially have a sister. Joining the first
