Restaurant news: Award-winning Poblano South opens 1st brick-and-mortar; Bokamper’s, Even Keel close

Stay up to date with South Florida dining news:

Sign up for our twice-weekly Eat Beat newsletter, filled with restaurant news, guides and more. Go to SunSentinel.com/newsletters to sign up.

Join our “Let’s Eat, South Florida” Facebook group.

NOW OPEN OR OPENING 

Cafe Landwer
9858 Clint Moore Road, Boca Raton; landwercafe.com 

This Mediterranean chain with more than 80 locations around the world — including one in Hallandale Beach — has a history stretching all the way back to 1919 in Berlin, Germany. That legacy includes becoming one of Israel’s first coffee roasting houses in 1933. The new Boca Raton location, which opened on June 2, offers signature menu items such as schnitzel, shakshuka, hummus plates and house-made Rosalach pastries. “Bringing Cafe Landwer to Boca Raton is a meaningful step for us,” said cofounder Nir Caspi in a news release. “This community values great food, strong connections and a welcoming atmosphere, which is everything our brand stands for.”

Mr. Seas
1000 E. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach; 561-665-4800; seagatedelray.com

This beachside restaurant in the recently renovated Beach Club at The Seagate resort opened to the general public on May 15. The lunch and dinner menus include options such as lobster rolls, poke bowls, fresh oysters and truffle fries, as well as globally influenced salads and grilled entrees. “Opening Mr. Seas to the public is an exciting milestone for us,” said Alex Schnoeller, managing director of The Seagate, in a statement. “From its roots as a beloved gathering place for local writers in the 1930s to present-day, we are proud to carry on that legacy, now as a vibrant destination for great food, drinks and lively conversation.”

Bad Parrot Café
601 Silks Run, Suite 1480, Hallandale Beach; 954-454-7000, gulfstreampark.com/bad-parrot 

This new eatery in the shopping/dining/entertainment area at Gulfstream Park had a soft opening on April 17. The menu includes empanadas, egg bites, croissant sandwiches, a chicken Caesar wrap and a pesto chicken sandwich, as well as pastries such as pain au chocolat and brioche cinnamon rolls. Bad Parrot uses Italian coffee brand Hausbrandt for its espresso, macchiato, cappuccino, latte and matcha drinks.

Leaves & Roots Lounge
445 N Andrews Ave., Space 1, Fort Lauderdale; Instagram.com/leavesandrootslounge 

Leaves & Roots Lounge used to bill itself as Florida’s “only all-vegan kava and kratom bar.” That’s when it was in downtown Fort Lauderdale’s Flagler Village (kind of behind what was Searstown) before moving to the Northeast 13th Street neighborhood in 2022. That location closed in December, according to social media posts, and Leaves & Roots Lounge has relocated to the opposite side of Flagler Village (next to the in-the-middle-of-being-rebuilt FAT Village) at Avenue Lofts apartments. This happened in May, according to an Instagram post by the lounge.

Jeff’s Bagel Run
9774 Glades Road, Suite A-2, Boca Raton; 561-617-5354, JeffsBagelRun.com

Inspired by the boiled-never-toasted New York bagels of his youth, cofounder Jeff Perera’s pandemic-born Central Florida franchise has exploded in recent years, growing to more than 20 locations. The latest debuted on May 23 in the Westwinds of Boca plaza and features 15 styles of chewy-soft bagels from cacio e pepe and asiago everything to cinnamon sugar and rosemary salt, alongside creative spreads (cookies and cream, cannoli, cake batter), coffees and lattes and uncommon treats such as red velvet doughnuts and egg waffle sandwiches. More locations are planned for later this year, according to the website, including in Coconut Creek and Plantation.

Poblano South
600 N. Congress Ave., Suite 160, Delray Beach; 561-632-9333; PoblanoSouth.com

What began as a buzzy food truck hub for award-winning smash burgers has now morphed into Marty Schecht’s first brick-and-mortar location, which quietly debuted on April 9 in the back of the Lake Ida Plaza strip mall. Its signature offering is the Rizo Smash Burger, the 2021 “Best Bite” winner at the South Beach Wine and Food Festival. It’s a double stack of house-ground brisket, chuck and pork chorizo patty topped with American cheese, bread and butter pickles, caramelized onions and gochujang on a buttered, griddled potato bun. Poblano’s slim menu, refined over years in the food truck and as a Delray Beach GreenMarket vendor, also includes a breakfast sando and spicy street mac ‘n’ cheese.

Chip City
921 SE 17th St., Suite B-1, Fort Lauderdale; ChipCity.com

Yet another cookie monster has set its sugary sights on South Florida, and its newest location hosted a grand opening on May 23 on the 17th Street Causeway, joining other recently opened shacks in Delray Beach, Aventura and Miami. Founded by childhood friends Peter Phillips and Teddy Gailas in 2017, Chip City has been on a Florida tear in recent years after a $10 million investment by Shake Shack founder Danny Meyer. Their chunky 5 1/2-ounce cookie menu includes dairy-free chocolate chip made with oat milk and coconut oil, oatmeal apple pie, chocolate peanut butter, blueberry cheesecake, plus seasonal outliers such as hot honey cornbread and cannoli (stuffed with toasted pistachios, cannoli shells and cream).

Fat Boyz Barbecue
706 S. Federal Highway, Fort Lauderdale; FatBoyzBarbecue.com

Fat Boyz is growing yet again — this time with its first location south of Fort Lauderdale’s New River, which soft-opened March 28 across the street from Phat Boy Sushi, roughly a half-mile north of barbecue stronghold Tom Jenkins BBQ. Pitmaster Jarael Holston-Jones announced his new ‘cue shack in a social-media post. Longtime Fat Boyz fans have watched his smoky empire of meats expand and shrink over the past decade, but this new location will join outposts in Deerfield Beach, Coral Springs and another in Fort Lauderdale. It specializes in dry-rubbed St. Louis spare ribs kissed with hickory and spice, Texas-style brisket, smoked lean pastrami and its Big Daddy sandwich, a combo of pulled pork, chopped brisket and mac ‘n’ cheese on a Kaiser roll.

Voodoo Brewing Co.
3492 NE 12th Ave., Oakland Park; 954-395-8179; www.VoodooBrewery.com

This Pennsylvania-born beer franchise is the latest to bewitch the drink-happy Oakland Park Culinary Arts District, whose cup runneth over with three breweries, a distillery, a meadery, an arcade bar and a wine bar. Voodoo threw its grand opening on April 15. The brewery operates 26 other locations nationwide, and Oakland Park joins four Florida franchises in Fort Myers, St. Petersburg, Jacksonville and Valrico. Brews include Lacto-Kooler (a Berliner Weisse), Good Vibes (a West Coast IPA) Empty Calories (American lager) and Where Our Secrets Go (an imperial stout), paired with a gastropub-style menu of burgers, chicken wings and mac ‘n’ cheese.

The Char Bar
1701 S. Federal Highway, Delray Beach; 561-431-5601; PepesPizzeria.com

Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana, the Connecticut-born apizza icon known for its char-blistered pies has debuted its first full-liquor bar to mark the brand’s 100th birthday, The Char Bar, which opened in early April inside the Delray Beach location, is the first bar in any Frank Pepe location and features cocktails inspired by the eatery’s century in business. They include the Wooster Sour, named after its original New Haven spot, and Maiori Spritz, a nod to founder Frank Pepe’s birthplace in Italy. There are also Old Fashioneds, wines, draft beers and daily happy hour specials.

Dave’s Hot Chicken
320 N. Congress Ave., Boynton Beach; DavesHotChicken.com

Can Usher, Samuel L. Jackson, Drake, Maria Shriver and Michael Strahan be wrong? Well, yes, they can, but they also happen to be the celebrity backers behind this mega-spicy chicken chain, which threw a grand opening on April 18 on North Congress Avenue. It’s the fifth South Florida cluck shack for Dave’s, joining outposts in Boca Raton (which opened in March), Pembroke Pines, Aventura and Miami, with a sixth expected to open later this summer in West Palm Beach. The California-based Dave’s touts tenders and tender-packed handhelds with seven spice levels, and the hottest — the Reaper — requires customers to sign a waiver before eating them.

KPot Korean BBQ and Hot Pot
9120 Wiles Road, Coral Springs; and 15995 Pines Blvd., Pembroke Pines; TheKPot.com

Korean barbecue and Chinese hot pot, two DIY dining trends in which adventurous eaters grill and boil a buffet of meats and vegetables tableside, have been combined at this fast-growing chain. KPOT Coral Springs debuted on April 1 in the Royal Eagle Plaza, with Pembroke Pines following soon after in early May, a spokesperson confirms. Here, diners can grill marinated proteins like bulgogi beef, pork belly, spicy chicken and garlic shrimp on built-in tabletop grills, or dip tofu, noodles and dumplings in steamy cauldrons of flavorful broth on built-in burners. “KPOT is more than just a meal — it’s a celebration of culture, flavor and connection,” says Victor Chow, KPOT’s vice-president of operations.

El Balcón de las Américas
1823 E. Commercial Blvd., Fort Lauderdale; 754-701-4262; ElBalcondelasAmericas.com

Maybe the fourth time’s the charm? The storefront that formerly housed Volare Italian Cuisine, Pizza & Wine Bar (and before that, Italian fast-food joint Pick-ITA-UP, and before that, Bowlicious) is now this Colombian-centric, pan-Latin chain founded by Alvaro Tobar in South Florida. The location’s fourth eatery in three years features Peruvian lomo, Cuban lechon asado (marinated in a sour orange mojo) and Mexican fajitas los tres amigos (grilled steak, chicken and shrimp topped with pico de gallo). There are also traditional Colombian tamales, chuleta caleña (a thin-pounded, breaded pork tenderloin served with red beans and plantains), ajiaco santafereño (shredded chicken soup with corn, sweet plantains and potatoes) and sancocho de cola (oxtail soup with yuca, potatoes, plantains and corn). El Balcón had a soft opening on March 17.

Cove Cafe
4340 N. Flagler Drive, West Palm Beach; 561-560-8301; covecafewestpalm.com 

This new coastal-inspired Italian cafe had a mid-March soft opening at the base of an Icon Marina Village apartment tower. The menu includes artisan pizzas, salads, sandwiches and snacks. “At Cove Cafe, we set out to create a neighborhood pizzeria that goes beyond the ordinary, focusing on high-quality ingredients and bold chef-driven flavors,” says executive chef Alex Bustamante of North End Hospitality. “Our menu draws inspiration from classic techniques and global influences. Nearly everything is made in-house — from our rich pizza sauce to our handcrafted sausage and fresh dough — because we believe great food starts with quality ingredients.” Next up will be breakfast service. The eatery joins North End Hospitality’s other nearby venues, Cove Club and Lamarina, in West Palm Beach’s Northwood neighborhood.

Talkin’ Tacos
390 N. Congress Ave., Unit B, Boynton Beach; 786-692-4988; talkintacos.net 

Talkin’ Tacos started out as a humble food truck created by best buds Mohammad Farraj and Omar Al-Massalkhi in Miami back in 2020, but now the fast-casual brand is continuing its rapid expansion into Palm Beach County with this Boynton Beach restaurant that opened on April 11. And two more are scheduled to open in late spring, in Delray Beach and West Palm Beach. Like at other locations throughout Florida and in Washington, D.C., Manhattan, Atlanta, Dallas and Charlotte, the menu features dishes such as Birria Tacos, Mahi Mahi Burritos, Birria Ramen, Street Corn in a Cup, Churros and Tajin and Chamoy gummies, as well as house-made lemonades, horchatas and mangonadas. “We’re excited to expand our presence in Palm Beach County and continue to share our love for authentic, bold Mexican flavors with this amazing community,” Farraj says.

OTHER RECENT OPENINGS

LB Eatery & Wine, 14543 SW Fifth St., Pembroke Pines; lb-eaterywine.com. This new spot features natural wine and a seasonal, locally sourced food menu, with desserts from Lady Baker, which is in the same shopping center, Pembroke Gardens.

GyroGr, 6852 Forest Hill Blvd., Greenacres; 561-545-8600; gyrogr.com. In addition to its focus on Greek food and Mediterranean seafood dishes, there’s also a deli.  

Etho’s Greek Bistro, 1465 SE 17th St., Fort Lauderdale; 754-999-9090; EthosBistro.com. This Greek restaurant soft-opened its third location in late May on the 17th Street Causeway, joining sister eateries in Wilton Manors and Coconut Creek.

Good Night John Boy, 33 SE Third Ave., Delray Beach; 561-516-1957; GoodNightJB.com. This 1970s-themed disco nightclub packed with shag carpeting, roller skates and dad beers boogied into the former Delray Beach Market on May 15.

Patsy’s Pizzeria, 114 Plaza Real S., Boca Raton; 561-334-2553; patsyspizzaflorida.com. This East Harlem dynasty, which has been serving smoky, crispy thin crust cooked out of its 92-year-old shop’s coal oven, just fired up its first out-of-state location in early May in Boca Raton. It comes from owner Matthew Raja, whose family runs the other New York locations. The eatery was founded by Patsy Lancieri in 1933.

CLOSED

Bokamper’s Sports Bar & Grill
1280 S. Pine Island Road, Plantation; Bokampers.com

The restaurant’s longtime namesake, Miami Dolphins legend Kim Bokamper, closed the suburban outpost of his sports-pub chain in late May after 17 years. Bokamper’s website confirms the closing: “With heartfelt gratitude, we say goodbye. Thank you, Plantation, for 17 unforgettable years!” The chain featured pub grub including burgers, chicken wings, sushi, stone-crab chowder, salads, Philly cheesesteaks and blackened mahi mahi sandwiches, among other handhelds. Only the Fort Lauderdale location of Bokamper’s remains open.

Char-Hut
12221 Taft St., Pembroke Pines; CharHut.com

After 30 years, juicy charbroiled burgers are no more at this locally beloved burger shack outpost, which announced its sudden closure on social media on May 24. “The building has been purchased by a new owner,” a farewell message stated, with Char-Hut owners adding that they’re still “actively pursuing” ways to plant a future location in Pembroke Pines. The menu offered chuck- and brisket-blended burgers flipped on the grill in front of customers’ eyes, and served on a soft, poppy-seed Kaiser roll with white American cheese. Two Char-Huts remain, in Davie and Tamarac, both owned by Michael and Tony Cammisa, whose father, Joe, opened the original in 1976.

The Food Republic
1910 E. Sunrise Blvd., Fort Lauderdale; OrderGreatFood.com

After a year of pulling accolades for its handhelds, crispy pork-belly bites and Southern comforts in the Gateway Shopping Center, Nikol Zarbala’s eclectic 50-seater announced its abrupt closure on June 4. Zarbalas, whose other Greek eatery, Hellenic Republic in Coral Springs, became a darling of Guy Fieri’s in 2023, opened Food Republic in mid-2024 to focus on comfort cuisine from all corners of the globe, from carne asade papitas and beef stir-fried noodles to chicken and waffles and creamy carbonara. On social media, Zarbalas suggested a falling out with her Food Republic business partner, writing, “This has been an eye-opening experience, one I’ve never encountered in all my years in the restaurant industry. With that in mind, I’ve decided to spend this time focusing on what matters most — my children — and redirect my energy towards reopening Hellenic Republic closer to home and my community.”

Even Keel Fish Shack
1111 E. Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale; EvenKeelFish.com

On May 24, chef-owners Dave MacLennan and Brad Phillips announced the closing of the second location of their seafood spot on Las Olas Boulevard after 18 months in business. “We received an offer from a new operator and decided our efforts would be best served focused on our Lauderdale-by-the-Sea location,” owners posted on social media. Even Keel began its life on North Federal Highway under the mast of restaurateur Dean James Max before jumping ship to Lauderdale-by-the-Sea in late 2020. A hub for fresh local fish and greens, Even Keel offered stone crabs and house-smoked fish dip and clams carbonara and grilled swordfish.

Rule G Brewing Co.
4800 W. Hillsboro Blvd., No. A12, Coconut Creek; Instagram.com/rulegbrewingco 

It’s the end of the line for Ralph Rapa’s railroad-reminiscent microbrewery, which threw its final “One for the Road” taproom party on April 16, joining the ever-growing list of local brewery closings. “Rule G Brewing Co. is pulling into the station for its final stop,” owners announced in a thank-you message taped to the taproom’s locked doors. “With closing revenue during the past two quarters, rising production costs, and an increasingly unpredictable customer base, the ride has reached a halt.”

Riko’s Pizza
14 N. Federal Highway, Pompano Beach; rikospizza.com/pompano-beach 

Known for super thin-crust, tavern-style pie, this franchise of Riko’s Pizza closed this past March after opening in February of last year. “Riko’s has decided to close this Pompano Beach location in favor of a new, larger flagship restaurant further south,” a spokeswoman told the South Florida Sun Sentinel. “The new location will be announced this summer. In the interim, fans of the brand and our one-of-a-kind bar pies are encouraged to visit Riko’s Tequesta in Palm Beach County. We are grateful to all our customers who visited our Pompano Beach location and look forward to serving them through new locations moving forward.” The brand also offers oven-roasted wings and made-to-order salads.

OTHER RECENT CLOSURES

Dixie Highway Donuts, 6108 S. Dixie Highway, West Palm Beach; dixiehighwaydonuts.com. There was a soft opening on May 30 and a grand opening a week later, on June 6 (National Donut Day). But then Dixie Highway Donuts didn’t make it through the weekend. On June 9, owner Sarah Callis posted on social media: “Dear Guests, [due] to a dissolution of partnership on grand opening day unfortunately we are no longer open. I am deeply saddened by this event. I apologize from the bottom of my heart.”

Granger’s Grille, 802 SE Fifth Ave., Delray Beach. This comfort-food institution closed after 30 years in business on May 11, owner Marino Pagones confirmed on social media, citing the sale of his building.