Famous for meatballs, Anthony’s lives up to its name by getting your meals prepared and to your table in no time. However this doesn’t mean they don’t offer made-to-order dishes. Their menu features pasta, sandwiches, burgers, pizza, wings and more.
Dockside dining is just one attraction at this eatery perched on the Intracoastal just south of Oakland Park Boulevard near A1A. The vibe is Florida-casual, and you can expect to see men in Hawaiian shirts disembarking from boats and strutting inside. Traditional bar bites, Floribbean fare, and international offerings comprise the menu, including crabcakes, fried calamari, coconut shrimp, seared ahi, and conch fritters. You can also order half-pound beef burgers, overstuffed wraps, and out-of-the-ordinary takes on fish, like the blackened mahi Reuben sandwich. Cocktails run the gamut, including fruity martinis, thick frozen margarita-like concoctions, and enormous fish bowls filled with fizzy, vodka-based drinks.
This little pocket of Creole cooking hugs the southern end of the Victoria Park Shoppes and serves up dishes of red beans and rice and bowls of thick gumbo, as well as po’ boys: oyster, shrimp, catfish, etc. The Black N’ Voodoo Burger comes with jalapeño peppers, horseradish and voodoo sauce.
Poke (pronounced po-KAY), the increasingly popular Hawaiian fish salad dish, says aloha to Federal Highway.
The Wan family has been running successful Chinese restaurants in South Florida since 1966, and this outpost in the Winn-Dixie shopping plaza serves up all the classics. Christina Wan’s does it all in a relaxed atmosphere, including dumplings, slices of caramelized roast pork, and beef lo mein. A full bar is its newest draw, so you can sip cocktails with your honey garlic wings. Wood tones and white tablecloths complete the motif, and a flat-screen hangs over the bar so you can catch the big game while dining.
Cozy coffee shop located in Victoria Park offering lattes, cappuccinos and espressos.
If your place is called the Brass Tap, you’ve first got to make sure your beers pass muster. Here, they definitely do. Knowledgeable bartenders and servers discuss and offer sips of a selection of beers that can be head-spinning – even before you sample a few. Of the 80 or so beers on draught at any given time, only seven to 10 are permanent while about six will be brewed on premises in the small upstairs brewery. For non-beer-drinkers, they also do a creative cocktails menu, including a couple cocktails on tap.
Shrimp N’ Grits, chicken n’ waffles and pulled pork sandwiches are coming to Fort Lauderdale. Batch is bringing Southern comfort food to Flagler Village. Serving a farm-to-table menu, the kitchen gets its products from local farmers. Reservations are required for a taste of Southern, but delivery, take-out, and catering are also available.
A fast-casual restaurant with Cuban-style coffee, sandwiches, frita burgers, empanadas, pastries, desserts and drinks.
Doc B’s menu includes everything from hand-pressed burgers to healthy sandwiches and entrees, to salads with daily homemade dressings, and even a variety of satisfying desserts. Their most unique meal, however, is the Wok Out Bowl, which consists of your choice of six protein bases, flavoring and a healthy carb. If the weather’s nice, take advantage of the place’s outdoor seating overlooking downtown on Federal.
Family owned and community driven, Press & Grind Café has opened its doors in Fort Lauderdale. Press & Grind supports local businesses and has partnered with Argyle Coffee Roasters, Gran Forno Bakery and Aroa Yogurts, among others to bring guests fresh and tasteful food. The welcoming coffee shop serves a variety of fresh-pressed juices, single-origin coffee and teas. It also includes imported açai and a full chef-inspired menu with healthy eats such as sandwiches and salads. It is the perfect hangout spot with delicious food, great atmosphere and incredible service.
The Foxy Brown serves an eclectic menu such as “bangers and smash” (English-style pork sausages and mashed potatoes), nicoise salad (with sliced rare ahi tuna to change things up), and Mabel’s chicken (which comes with house-made spaetzle and herbed pan gravy). Additionally, there are three flavors of milkshakes, innovative appetizers like “little shorties” (lollipop chicken wings with red bean, garlic ginger sauce), and enticing sandwiches like the Bratburger with house-made sauerkraut and shallot jam on a pretzel bun.
Hip, modern Mexican place with urban cool.
The Floridian restaurant and meal plan service has opened a fifth location right on Federal. Their restaurant menu includes build-your-own bowls (with chipotle mac as a base option, your choice of seven proteins and six sauces) and a “Super Food Station” that features acai bowls, avocado toast, nut butter toast and poke bowls. Their meal plan service includes two style options: weight loss or maintain. Each meal is chef-made and delivered daily for the freshest taste and quality.
Roxanne’s aims to be a locals’ watering hole with classic music and a cozy cool atmosphere. The bites menu features beer-battered onion rings (cilantro lime chili or Rod’s Cajun remoulade), sliders and wings. The cocktail list includes the Cuban Chica (vanilla-infused Bacardi chinola passionfruit liqueur, orgeat and lime) and the Respect Your Elders (Old Forrester bourbon, Frangelico hazelnut liqueur and Skrewball peanut butter whiskey).
Circle House Coffee was founded by retired NFL linebacker Stephen Tulloch. Menu items include quick breakfast, lunch and dinner grab-and-go options, pastries, pies, empanadas, wine, craft beer and (of course) coffee. Not only that, they also have a drive-thru for the ultimate “grab-and-go” experience.
Bright, attractive place doing great justice to both cuisines.
Chef/owner Rino Cerbone opened Heritage FTL to share cooking styles from his childhood and recipes from his family. Some menu items worth trying are the Gnocchi Marsala (house-made gnocchi, wild mushrooms, peas and Marsala cream) and Squash Blossom + Cold Pulled Burrata (with hand-crushed tomatoes, olive oil and basil). The restaurant is currently open for takeout in the evenings.
The combinations may be unusual but the end result remains kosher. Specializing in fusing together old-fashioned Jewish-deli favorites and modern flair, this New York-style restaurant offers a delicious twist on traditional flavors. They have awesome plates that are even tastier than they look, like Reuben egg rolls and pastrami burgers. Those are just a couple of the many remixed-deli items pulled out of this establishment’s (top) hat.
Flagler Village’s newest addition comes in the shape of healthy smoothies, fruit bowls and avocado toasts. The beautifully Instagramable location is complimented by the healthy, organic fresh food served. JB&C also offers a modifiable menu with vegetarian and vegan options.
Known for its fresh seafood, Italian cuisine and Angus beef steaks, this is a great choice for a quiet evening on the town.
A coastal Italian concept by Chef Fabio Viviani, Riviera recently opened in the Hotel Maren on Fort Lauderdale Beach. From the veranda-style patio to the delectable food, the Italian authenticity is felt throughout. You can also take in the salty air and sea-and-city views as it is located on the rooftop of the hotel.
Chef/owner Rino Cerbone opened Heritage FTL to share cooking styles from his childhood and recipes from his family. Some menu items worth trying are the Gnocchi Marsala (house-made gnocchi, wild mushrooms, peas and Marsala cream) and Squash Blossom + Cold Pulled Burrata (with hand-crushed tomatoes, olive oil and basil). The restaurant is currently open for takeout in the evenings.
Il Paesano emphasizes fresh ingredients, quality food and spreading love. There’s no set menu, only daily specials determined by the fresh ingredients that are found in the market. During the week there are about 15 to 16 different dishes. And owner Vergilio Peixoto has no freezers; from the pasta to the tomato sauce, everything is made fresh in-house. Il Paesano’s chef formerly owned Vesuvio, which was a popular Italian restaurant in Fort Lauderdale back in its heyday.
Il Paesano has a wide variety of wines and the private wine room can also be used as a more intimate setting for couples to dine. (There have been marriage proposals, Peixoto reports.) And if you want to know more about wine, Peixoto hosts a winetasting class every month. But be quick – the classes tend to fill up within minutes of being announced.
Family owned farm-to-table Italian bistro.
A part of the Ocean Manor Beach Resort, this casual spot serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. There’s brunch on Sunday, followed by a late-afternoon Caribbean pig roast buffet. Mondays are dedicated to Italian food, and parties are held whenever the moon is full.
A familiar face on the local restaurant scene has brought a new place to Lauderdale-By-The-Sea. The name Vincent Foti will be familiar to many. Now the restaurateur behind longtime Federal Highway favorite Kitchenetta is taking his talents to East Commercial with a place that’s aiming to do something a bit different. Vincent’s By The Sea will offer many of the Italian favorites that Foti’s built his reputation on. But this time, they’ll come with more American flare in a casual place where diners can have a beer, watch the game and relax Lauderdale-By-The-Sea style. In keeping with the its location just in from Anglin’s Pier, the restaurant will offer a raw bar. There’s also a pizza bar if you want to keep up on your pie as it’s being made – and a number of TVs if you’re more concerned about the Marlins’ playoff chances than your meal prep. If you need a more ample serving, the “Big Shot” menu is there for your outsize needs.
Italian eatery with outdoor and oceanfront views.
Traditional Italian cuisine in a casual atmosphere. For lunch, enjoy a selection of pastas, panini and salads. For dinner, Chilean sea bass, rack of lamb or Bistecca Alla Fiorentina (a 32 oz. USDA prime T-bone steak).
Kitchenetta was opened in 2004 by chef Vincent Foti and wife Maria as a come-as-you-are casual eatery that pumps out top-notch Italian fare with a modern touch. The menu rotates seasonally and includes as many organic and local ingredients as possible. Individual and family-sized portions are offered, so you can mangia some rigatoni bolognese de medici all by yourself or share with your favorite famiglia.
The Italian restaurant features modern décor with plants and greens as the main aesthetic throughout. Staying true to the theme, they offer salads, smoothies and healthy bowls (like the Vegan: tofu, quinoa, arugula, avocado, alfalfa, sprouts, sunflower seeds, carrots, radish, pickled cabbage and green tahini dressing). In addition, menu items include the Marsala Bistec (sliced steak medallions with Marsala sauce and four cheese potato gnocchi) and lobster ravioli.
Chef Dario De Pasquale was born in Battipaglia, Italy, and from a young age developed a love for pizza. Before coming to America he worked as a chef in different parts of Italy including Capaccio, Salerno and along the Amalfi Coast. Menu items at his new locale reflect that experience and include homemade meatballs, capriciosa (tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, salami, ham, mushrooms, artichokes and olives) and gnocchi alla Sorrentina, as well as a full pizza menu.
Louie Bossi is not your typical chef. Growing up in an Italian household in New York he remembers the aromas of roasted garlic and fresh meatballs sizzling from his family’s kitchen. Raised by a single mother juggling three jobs, Bossi taught himself to cook at the age of eight. Working his way from dishwasher to cook at the local pizzeria Bossi developed a love for the art of pizza making.
Beach stop for pizza, burgers, burritos & other casual fare in a counter-serve venue.
Calabrian owner Tony Cupelli brings his family’s ancient recipes to this chic, modern Las Olas eatery. There’s pan-fried rigatoni with meatballs and specialty pizzas topped with smoked mozzarella, Italian sausage, eggplant and parsley. Cupelli’s pollo alla Francese in white wine-lemon sauce pairs with Venetian pinot grigio.
Well-known local pizzeria Vito’s Gourmet Pizza, which has two Fort Lauderdale locations, recently opened a new place a bit further north. PizzaPiez features everything from pizza (obvs) to hot and cold subs, chicken wings and Italian dinners. “Signature piez” include Grilled Sriracha Chicken, Pepperoni Perfection and Applewood Smoked Bacon.
Open seven days a week since it debuted in 1989, Zuckerello’s still has its original owner and chefs in place pumping out home-style Italian. Expect to find traditional dishes like zuppa di clams, fried calamari, and house-made meatballs, along with pasta such as penne alla vodka, crab ravioli, lasagna, and linguine with clam sauce. Large booths can accommodate family-size parties, and the casual-elegant vibe will keep you lounging long after you finish eating. Red and dark gray walls adorned with lively paintings are complemented by glossy wood tabletops and chairs in a contrasting shade of wood. House specialties like veal Marsala, chicken Milanese, and panko-breaded eggplant Parmesan are affordable and come in shareable portions. Fish lovers should try the herb-crusted salmon in orange beurre blanc sauce.
A Fort Lauderdale staple since 1982, this Italian-American eatery will bring you back to Sunday dinners at your Nana’s house – if you’re Italian, that is. Expect Sinatra to play in the background as Chianti flows and platters of shrimp oreganata, veal Francaise, and zuppa di pesce are shared family-style. Intimate meals also work inside Runway’s setting, with its low lighting and mellow atmosphere. Don’t miss the Sicilian stuffed peppers (served cold with red wine vinegar and stuffed with bread crumbs, capers, olives, anchovies, and grated cheese), and the plump meatballs with marinara. Big-time diners will want the surf and turf entree, a combination of New York strip and South African lobster tail.
This Las Olas pizzeria allows you to be your own master chef and create your own pizza (or pick an item from the menu if you’re not feeling that ambitious). Options include Spicy Hawaiian Pizza (classic red sauce, shredded mozzarella, ham, bacon, pineapple, jalapenos and crushed red pepper) and Creamy Parmesan and Shrimp Pizza (creamy parmesan, shredded mozzarella, shrimp, black olives, broccoli and diced tomatoes).
Chef Matteo Migliorini brings his talent and love for fine dining to this northern Italian bistro. The authenticity of the restaurant stems from the cooking traditions of Migliorini’s native north. After training in Italy, he sharpened his skills and gained experience in France and England. The bistro features an outdoor terrace and a traditionally Italian family atmosphere. Menu items include Ravioli All’Aragosta (Maine lobster ravioli and pink sauce) and Scaloppine al Gorgonzola (veal scaloppini, gorgonzola, sun dried tomatoes, demi-glace sauce and roasted fingerling potatoes).