Large outdoor patio seating with live music and American eats.
Valentino’s cheaper cousin (and occupying its former space), this warm, neighborhood place offers an array of pizzas (including prosciutto with shaved Parmesan and arugula) as well as other tempting Italian dishes. The eggplant sliced thin, fried and layered like lasagna is a popular item.
Begin with the colossal stone crab claws or homemade meatballs before choosing between lobster and shrimp Fra Diavolo and a 10 oz. barrel-cut filet mignon. Or perhaps you’d prefer apple cider-marinated pork chops. For dessert, there’s vanilla bean crème brulee and chocolate soufflé.
Chef Stefan cooks up chicken Marsala with spätzle, wiener rostbraten, Hungarian goulash and Holstein schnitzel. With the warm décor, and the music, it always feels like Oktoberfest inside. The large, attractive bar next to the dining room is a cozy place to sit with a mug of German beer.
Walking along the Riverwalk, or perhaps sailing down the New River, you may have noticed a new addition to the waterfront standing downhill from the Broward Center for the Performing Arts. The two-story Huizenga Pavilion is part of the center’s $58 million expansion. A private reception area occupies the top floor, while Marti’s New River Bistro fills the ground floor.
Owners of the Pirate Shop and Pirate Bar on Fort Lauderdale Beach, Roberto and Claudia Guerios jumped at the opportunity to pillage, er, purchase the dilapidated property a few years back and have since transformed it into a full-scale pirate’s lair draped with skull-and-crossbones flags and decked out in a decor reminiscent of wooden pirate ships. You’ll find an array of seafood specialties, including sweet and sour shrimp, conch fritters, and herbed chardonnay-shallot mussels.
Traditional Indian restaurant with a daily lunch buffet.
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.
Pizzeria serving wood-fried pies with a patio and a speakeasy attached.
Chef and owner Mike Ponluang’s elegant Asian bistro offers large private booths and the finest fusion fare, including sushi and a lunch menu with noodles and bento boxes that’ll lure you back multiple times a week. Lobster Pad Thai is Ponluang’s signature dish, but everything is worth trying here, from Chinese dumplings to Vietnamese fresh rolls, and enormous entrees like pan fried Chilean sea bass with pineapple and red curry.
A popular watering hole for boat crews, this Irish pub offers Irish breakfast (all day), lunch, dinner and late-night fare. Try the fish & chips, corned beef and cabbage, chicken pot pie or Buffalo chicken wings. Then grab a pint.
A lively place to kick back along the New River, the historic Downtowner is a casual bar-restaurant offering live music Thursday and Saturday nights and during Sunday’s blues brunch. This watering hole with a view dishes up wings, burgers, salads, and sandwiches. Specials like Monday’s “rib night” and Tuesday’s “tacos and trivia” attract fun-loving locals aplenty. Wine bottles typically max out at around $30, and there are ample brews available in bottles or on tap.
Located inside the Embassy Suites by Hilton Fort Lauderdale, this chic restaurant and lounge serves food and drinks.
Located west of the Himmarshee bars, this is the place to go for a rustic breakfast, featuring the best pancakes you can find in town. Made with buttermilk, organic flour, sour cream and fresh, free-range eggs, these pancakes come served in a cast-iron pan with Vermont maple syrup. Try the “Mexican Ship Wreck,” a play on huevos rancheros served with oven-roasted yukon gold potatoes or scrumptious cheese grits.
Located at the Harbor Shops, serving American dishes like burgers and ribs.
Salads, sandwiches, shakes and their specialty, chicken tenders, with an array of sauce options.
At this modern-day Mexican restaurant located in the heart of downtown, the menu includes everything you want to see on a Mexican eatery menu plus a barbecue pulled quesadilla, a buffalo chicken burrito and – wait for it – Nutella tacos (with strawberries and banana). They also serve up some tasty margaritas and craft cocktails.
Not to be confused with Tex-Mex, a taqueria primarily focuses on tacos themselves. Short rib, prime rib-eye carne asada and other premium cuts of meat are brined, smoked and braised then stuffed into homemade corn masa tortillas for an upscale version of Mexican staples. Did we mention there’d be tequila? TacoCraft has a collection of more than 100 varieties of tequilas — blancos, reposados, anejos, and super anejos — ranging from $8 to $100 per shot.
As the first Fort Lauderdale outpost by James Beard-nominated chef Jose Mendin, Rivertail delivers an incredible culinary experience. The seafood restaurant features outdoor seating with a covered patio overlooking the New River as well as a raw bar and Caribbean décor throughout. Menu items include Bahia-style Brazilian Stew (cod, shrimp, mussels, clams, calamari, dende oil and cashews, served with coconut milk, citrus and cilantro) and Curry Striped Bass (green curry, red curry and aromatic herb salad).
Traditional pub fair as well as seafood (Guinness barbecued shrimp) served indoors and out, though most people love sitting on the outside terrace filled with nautical paraphernalia. You can watch the traffic on the New River, as well as whatever games are playing on the TVs, and, at night, enjoy the live music. Water accessible.
With three other South Florida locations already proving successful, this trendy Mexican restaurant chain is trying Fort Lauderdale. They serve tacos, burritos, bowls and brunch. Menu favorites include the Phili Burrito (grilled rib eye steak, Mexican rice, Oaxaca cheese, rajas, black bean refrito, potato sticks and red chili crema) and the Late-Night Burrito (guajillo braised short rib, roasted pork, roasted chicken, Mexican rice, black bean refrito, Oaxaca cheese, mariquita sticks and salsa rosada).
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.
An intimate, elegant lounge and hookah bar located on Las Olas Boulevard.
The people who brought Warsaw Coffee Company to increasingly cool NE 13th Street have opened a cocktail lounge and cafe in the same building. The clubby sophistication of the well-appointed, wood-paneled space is matched by a menu of breakfast, lunch, dinner and bar bites – as well as the weekend daytime hours’ bottomless brunch. A standout cocktail menu includes treats like the Sailor to Pirate, a rum old-fashioned that transforms into a pina colada served with torched cinnamon sticks.
Get knowledge and access to top quality meats, poultry and game. This restaurant prides itself in sourcing the finest USDA Choice, Prime and wagyu beef available. The dinner menu includes the Delmonico rib eye, the foie gras burger, the Colorado bison burger and the Nebraska wagyu burger.
Almost any seafood you can think of is offered at Crafty Crab. The chain promises to use only the freshest seafood and most authentic food in the area. Menu items include crab meat fries, oysters, seafood boils and platters and much more.
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.
Unlike most food delivery services, subscribers are able to customize their individual meal plans based on dietary needs and restrictions.
Known for its wood-fired dishes, J. Alexander’s serves classic cuisine in a sophisticated setting. Enjoy Tuscan steak, grilled fish with mango papaya salsa, chicken Milanese and seafood czarina. Pair your meal with wine from the full-service bar.
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.
Get the best of both worlds at this restaurant that incorporates the cultural and culinary backgrounds of South America and Europe. The menu features modern American dishes served with Peruvian flair and Italian comfort. Notable menu items include the Crispy Pork Belly Tacos with pickled onion and aji verde sauce and the Spiced Cauliflower Steak with bleu cheese and roasted vine tomatoes.
A unique 50s-style restaurant that has been around for over 40 years. Be sure to try their infamous 14oz coffee cup if you need a quick pick-me-up!
A lively place to kick back along the New River, the historic Downtowner is a casual bar-restaurant offering live music Thursday and Saturday nights and during Sunday’s blues brunch. This watering hole with a view dishes up wings, burgers, salads, and sandwiches. Specials like Monday’s “rib night” and Tuesday’s “tacos and trivia” attract fun-loving locals aplenty. Wine bottles typically max out at around $30, and there are ample brews available in bottles or on tap.
A unique concept consisting of bowling, dining and nightlife has opened in Dania Pointe. Bowlero is a blacklight bowling and retro-inspired destination with a menu that features oversized shareables and signature cocktails. Food options include the XXL Pretzel (a gigantic soft pretzel served with mustard and queso), Nacho Avalanche (corn tortilla chips layered with nacho beef, queso, jalapeños and pico de gallo, topped with sour cream) and Buffalo Chicken Melt (crispy tenders tossed in Buffalo sauce, mozzarella cheese with tomato and ranch dressing on sourdough).
Beehive Kitchen is creating a buzz with fresh, flavorful ingredients and an innovative approach to build-your-own-bowl dining. Dishes include a wide selection of savory vegetables, wholesome grains, proteins and made-from-scratch sauces all for customers to create their own unique bowls. If you don’t know where to begin, they offer several planned-out bowls including the Mediterranean Bowl – cranberry almond kale salad, whole grain brown rice, Parmesan, roasted broccoli, wok-seared mushrooms, rustic herb-grilled chicken and soy-charred steak-roasted pepper sauce. Fresh ingredients don’t stop there; Beehive Kitchen prepares fresh cold-pressed juices daily. Grab a bowl, eat and bee happy.
This much-anticipated spot features an always-changing world cuisine menu that offers anything from Indian dishes to ramen to creative takes on American comfort food, including breakfast. There’s interesting local art on the walls and, as these things become more possible, local music and other events on the calendar. And if you like an adult beverage, get a rideshare over and sample from a craft cocktail list that matches with any flavor palate.
Just steps from the Lauderdale-by-the-Sea fishing pier, the Village Grille has been serving up three solid meals a day for decades. Exposed brick, big booths with wood tables, and metal accents give the place a modern bistro look. The menu features many old standards, like the fish dip appetizer and the Boston baked cod, but there’s also an excellent Thai chicken salad and specials like a seasonal bento box. Weekend mornings will find waits around the block, and summer nights find the Village Grille packed with salty locals who come not for the near-ocean-views but consistency that has lasted a generation.
When celebrity chef and restaurateur Geoffrey Zakarian was looking for a location for Point Royal, his new upscale-yet-casual restaurant and bar, he didn’t need to look any farther than the Diplomat Beach Resort in Hollywood. The chic spot serves up coastal American cuisine for breakfast, lunch and dinner, specializing in small plates. If you’re a seafood fanatic, we recommend the raw bar. To complete a meal, diners can sample from an indulgent dessert menu, have a drink or two from a bar that offers an extensive wine list and a number of signature cocktails – or just enjoy one of Hollywood’s prime spots.
Located on the fifth floor pool terrace of the Atlantic Hotel and Spa, SKY Bar offers the same easygoing vibe of the hotel’s restaurant, Coastal. It features a variety of appetizers and entrees, including Bimini coconut shrimp, a local mahi sandwich and a Mediterranean pita pocket. They even serve bananas Foster french toast as part of their brunch on Sundays. In addition, they partnered up with SKYY Vodka to create a specialty drink menu. The bar is open to guests and anyone with a day pass.
If a tourist ever made his way to this neighborhood hangout just south of the swing bridge, you’d feel inclined to reward him with a beer, which would be easy, as craft brews line one wall of the place (under poster-sized vintage postcards of Fort Lauderdale). A friendly, eclectic crowd comes here for beer and food that goes well with it – fish tacos and pizza being the most popular.