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.
Pizzeria serving pizza, pastas, subs, chicken wings and more.
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.
This trattoria offers authentic Italian cuisine in a romantic, candle-lit setting, complete with Italian-speaking staff. Chef/owner Michele Viscosi creates dishes inspired by his homeland, including carpaccio di manzo, lasagna tradizionale and osso buco d’Angello.
Chicken marsala, veal picatta, meatballs, and Milanese are what’s for dinner at owner and Chef Marco Vico’s Fort Lauderdale fixture, voted one of America’s 1,000-best Italian restaurants by Zagat. Indulge in hearty bowls of pasta fagioli, lasagna that features a mix of meat sauce and béchamel. The ambiance is like a resplendent Tuscan villa, complete with walls adorned with old family photos.
Opened in 2012 at the foot of the Seventh Avenue Bridge, this cozy neighborhood spot in Sailboat Bend sits behind the Broward Center. Concertgoers mix with locals over well-prepared dishes like Spanish mussels served with chorizo, churrasco chimichurri, and mahi mahi in salsa de coco.
Owner and Chef Angelo Elia has created a South Florida restaurant empire out of his original North Federal location. His dishes are punctuated by an attention toward great ingredients, like the branzino, so fresh it needs nothing more than a light butter sauce. The outstanding antipasti includes truffle-lemon carpaccio and pancetta-wrapped tiger prawns over broccoli rabe, and the fresh pasta is made in-house. Or go big with the oak-grilled NY strip, marinated in olive oil, garlic, and rosemary.
Goji Juicery and Kitchen brings flavor without sacrificing health. That means hormone-free chicken or organic fresh produce (no added preservatives) with a side of freshly squeezed juices. The vast menu features dips, soups, acai bowls, energy shots, wraps, smoothies, grain bowls and, of course, salads.
Jerk Machine specializes in Jamaican Style Jerk Cuisine and has become famous for its smoky, spicy, Jerk Chicken and other delectable dishes like Jerk Pork, Oxtails, Curry Goat and of course, Jerk Machine’s own favorite, Jerk Stew Peas.
This locally owned restaurant offers a wide selection of classic American dishes. The lunch and dinner menu includes Jamaican grilled wings, crispy walnut shrimp, orange chicken and a deep-sea tuna burger. On Saturdays and Sundays, guests can choose from a selection of made-to-order brunch dishes, including six styles of eggs Benedict.
For the better part of a decade, the bar and restaurant has been one of the go-to spots at the northeast corner of the Galleria Mall – the bit of the shopping center that’s been redeveloped into an upscale dining and nightlife hub. It’s a little spot mostly given over to upmarket national chains – Capitol Grille, Seasons 52, P.F. Chang’s. (Blue Martini is headquartered in South Florida, which is also where four of its six locations are.)
Then there’s the weekly fun, such as Wednesday-night ladies night – a fairly recent addition that includes half-off cocktails all night, $5 Tito cocktails all night for everybody and complimentary cocktails and champagne from 9 to 11 p.m.
Only open on Saturdays with reservations and known for their homemade gluten-free cheese bread.
The popular Cuban bakery and café has opened its first Broward location and has been attracting foodies looking for a Cuban coffee and pastelito fix. Owned and operated by a third generation Cuban-American, the food is authentic and offers a twist on classics. Be sure to try the arroz con pollo bites (chicken, yellow rice, mozzarella fritters and sazon aioli).
THIS INCREASINGLY POPULAR chain recently brought its brand of bird preparation to Fort Lauderdale. Chicken Kitchen prides itself in providing a fresh and healthy menu. Try their world famous “Chop-Chop” by choosing a combination on the menu or creating your own. Chicken Kitchen offers take-out, dine-in and delivery. You can even get them to cater an event.
Seasonal cuisine and an award-winning international wine list make this casual-chic chain at the Galleria a consistent draw for locals and out-of-towners. Nothing on the menu tops 475 calories, kept down either by portion control or careful ingredient selection. Flatbreads are popular, such as spicy chipotle shrimp with grilled pineapple, feta, and roasted poblano chilies, as are vibrant entrees like caramelized sea scallops, wood-fired pork tenderloin, and roasted artichoke-stuffed shrimp. Chef’s tables are available with an amuse bouche and a five-course meal with wine pairings for each course, as is private dining for special, intimate occasions. For dessert, go with guilt-free mini-indulgences – shot glass-sized sweet treats, such as Key lime pie, old-fashioned carrot cake, and chocolate peanut butter mousse.
White tablecloths, dark wood accents, and landscape and portrait paintings adorning dark red and brown dining room walls give this chain in the Galleria Mall a classic, sophisticated ambience, as do the food and lengthy wine and spirits list. Appetizers like Wagyu beef carpaccio with wasabi arugula and the cold shellfish platter with fresh lobster, jumbo shrimp, and oysters are perfect for kicking off any VIP dinner. Entrees like the Kona coffee-crusted, dry-aged bone-in sirloin with shallot butter and porcini-rubbed Delmonico with 12-year-aged balsamic further stamp the feeling of luxury. Seafood lovers should try the seared citrus-glazed salmon with haricot verts, asparagus, and roasted cipollini onions with a side of decadent lobster mac and cheese. For dessert, try coconut cream pie, flourless chocolate espresso cake, or the trio of house-made ice creams.
Carnivores: look no further than this elegant 21st-century take on the traditional Brazilian steakhouse. Guests can choose from rodizio, featuring access to over 15 different rotisserie meats (including top sirloin, filet, ribs, lamb, pork, chicken, sausage and fish) passed around by gauchos, and/or the enormous salad bar, stocked with an array of vegetables, cheeses, soups, cold cuts and authentic hot dishes. The courtyard, with its towering banyan tree, also holds court to an array of parties and charity functions.
The family-style eatery prides itself on serving Vietnamese home comfort food. Flavorful dishes pull from traditional recipes, some commonly known and other
passed on by Nguyen’s mother who he says taught him “every trick there is.” But What The Pho is about more than just pho, known to some as the “King of Desserts,” the menu boasts twists on the classic Thai donuts with “Pho You” and “Pho Me.”
The restaurant’s name gives a clue as to two of its specialties – champagne and oysters. But if that sounds a bit fancy, the place’s local-art-and-beach-bar vibe and décor should put people at ease. With its long bar of seats and close, cozy tables, the place offers what seems like a Florida version of the Asian concept of communal dining.
Mario’s Catalina Restaurant is named for its flamboyant chef/owner Mario Flores, who puts equally strong emphasis on creating an elegant ambiance and providing outstanding service and cuisine. White linen tablecloths contrast with an assortment of colorful paintings with ornate frames and Mario’s collection of tchotchkes. The food is a combination of Cuban and Spanish favorites, like roasted pork with caramelized plantains, white rice and black beans, vaca frita, and garlic shrimp.
This chic, casual dining spot on Wilton Drive offers outside seating so people can enjoy a meal in true Greek village style. Big and small plates include starters from falafel, pork belly and stuffed grape leaves with hand-rolled rice and fresh herbs drizzled with lemon sauce. And if you want to go big and meaty, you came to the right place with dishes like the Greek platter for two – two lamb chops, grilled chicken, gyro, grilled kefte, pork tenderloin, rice and potatoes. Top it off with a Greek dessert such as Galakto-Fantastico, a warm custard wrapped in phyllo dough, topped with cinnamon and honey. And it wouldn’t be a Wilton Drive dining experience without a signature cocktail or two from the excellent bar.