The urge to head to the water for an enjoyable dining experience is strong in South Florida.
A sunny day calls us to venture east to restaurants on the ocean or along the Intracoastal Waterway, where we can sit at an umbrella-covered table, order a frozen drink and tasty meal, and savor the view. Throw in some boats (either docked at a marina or cruising by, we’re not picky), palm trees swaying in the breeze and live music to set the scene, and we’re hooked!
With plenty of fish in the sea to choose from, we turned to you, our readers, to help us find the quintessential waterfront restaurant in Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties as part of February’s Best of South Florida Dining series.
The five finalists that emerged after nomination round were, in alphabetical order:
(Note: A sixth restaurant, Kaluz in Fort Lauderdale, was tied for a finalist spot, but the eatery declined to participate in the free readers’ poll.)
After a week’s worth of votes rolled in, we tallied them and now have your people’s-choice waterfront winner, inspired by a Caribbean paradise … Aruba Beach Cafe!
THE RESPONSE
“It’s awesome. It feels incredible,” general manager Dwayne Wiseman said. “We feel the love, the appreciation. [After] the hard work we put in for years, it shows that what you’ve done pays off.”
Aruba Beach Cafe opened 35 years ago and uses the slogan “One Happy Restaurant,” paying homage to Aruba, which is known as “One Happy Island.” Good vibes, food and music are always the catch of the day here, Wiseman said.
“We’ve been here for a long time. We have a lot of regular customers,” Wiseman said. “We’ve got people that come down every year from the North or other countries that always come back, and as soon as they get here, they say hi.”
They even get fans from outside Broward County eating at the cafe and soaking up the “quaint, little fishing community” atmosphere of Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, he said.
“We get people all the time that drive down from Palm Beach and up from Miami,” Wiseman said. “A lot of the people that live in Miami, when they want to get away from that, they come up here … I hear it all the time.”
THE WATERFRONT EXPERIENCE
What sets Aruba Beach Cafe’s view apart from other waterfront dining destinations?
“Every table has a beautiful view of the ocean,” Wiseman said.
Some of them even sit directly on the sand.
“It’s one of the few restaurants where you can sit on the sand … You get the whole tropical experience,” he said. “And all the tables that are in the restaurant look over these floor-to-ceiling windows, these big sliding windows that are open when the weather is beautiful.”
For those who want some tunes with a view, the restaurant also offers daily live music.
“People get up and dance at their table,” Wiseman said. “It’s great energy.”
WHAT’S ON THE MENU?
Executive chef Christopher Nealon has been carefully crafting Aruba Beach Cafe’s extensive menu since the beginning, with dishes featuring fresh, local seafood, steaks, burgers, sandwiches, salads and quesadillas as well as appetizers, soups and desserts.
“We make sure we cover everybody’s appetite,” Wiseman said.
Among the most popular entrees, he said, are the sesame-crusted salmo
n topped with teriyaki soy glaze and served with white rice, tropical vegetables, wakame, wasabi and pickled ginger, and the blackened seafood trio that includes shrimp, scallops and catch of the day sautéed with spicy cajun seasoning and accompanied by rice, black beans and vegetables.
While Wiseman has a hard time picking favorites from the menu, he does have some go-to orders.
“The ceviche is fresh. It’s made every day,” he said. “The crab cakes are excellent. It’s Maryland lump crab cakes.”
They also have a bevy of adult beverages on the menu, including wines, cocktails and signature tropical drinks such as the Aruba Ariba, made with vodka, rum, passionfruit syrup, crème de banane, and orange, pineapple and cranberry juices.
‘SUNDAY FUNDAY’ BRUNCH
Want to dip your toes in the sand on a Sunday morning and savor some brunch? Order from Aruba Beach Cafe’s brunch menu from 10 to 11:30 a.m., featuring Avocado Toast, Smoked Salmon Platter, Quiche Lorraine, Breakfast Burrito, the Grilled Classic Egg Sandwich and The “Sunday Funday” parfait. Don’t forget the $5 blood marys, mimosas and bellinis!
“We used to do the buffet years ago, which people love,” Wiseman said. “During COVID, we couldn’t do the buffet anymore.”
But there may be some good news on the horizon for buffet-brunch fans.
“It is something that we are considering bringing back,” he said. “We’ve had a lot of people ask about it.”
WHAT FANS HAD TO SAY
What draws Lauderdale-by-the-Sea resident Patty Pagana to Aruba Beach Cafe?
“The warm vibes, food and drink variety, the music, the staff and bars!” she wrote in her nomination form.
Another Lauderdale-by-the-Sea resident, Barbara Cole, said “the food and the atmosphere are equal to its beach/oceanfront location … as loyal residents and traveling patrons have known for decades!”
Fort Lauderdale resident Jennifer Golubski concurred, saying the cafe’s fare is “phenomenal.”
“I recommend the ahi tuna, Florida seafood soup and sesame-crusted salmon,” she wrote. “Amazing and friendly staff. Ocean views. Cute and family-friendly location.”
Aruba Beach Cafe is at 1 Commercial Blvd., Lauderdale-By-The-Sea. Visit arubabeachcafe.com.
Don’t miss previous Best of South Florida Dining winners:
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