Now open: Stephanie’s Crèpes in Fort Lauderdale, Norman Love Confections in Delray Beach

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

Emily’s Garden
327 SW Second St., Fort Lauderdale; 954-955-9582; emilysgarden.us 

This new addition to Himmarshee Village in downtown Fort Lauderdale opened Sept. 20, replacing the former O-B House. The space was reimagined by the Mele brothers behind the Pummarola Pizzeria Napoletana concept. The idea behind Emily’s Garden is to bring together some culinary artists in the local food scene: On The Run Coffee Bar, Burgermeister, Patio Tapas & Beer and, of course, Pummarola. Coming soon will be breakfast and healthy lunch items from chef Diego Pasqualicchio of River Café. There’s also a sportscar that’s been redesigned into a gelato station, as well as a variety of live entertainment in the works, from DJs to acoustic music artists. By the way, the name comes from the former property owner’s pet dalmatian.

Maman
473 S. Rosemary Ave., West Palm Beach; 561-660-7716; MamanNYC.com

Say “au revoir” to your willpower at this all-day bakery-cafe, which tempts with Oprah-blessed Nutty Chocolate Chip Cookies, fresh-baked croissants and apéro-hour drinks. Founders Elisa Marshall and Benjamin Sormonte’s fast-expanding New York City chain debuted its newest cafe on Aug. 12 inside CityPlace, the second Florida location after a Wynwood outpost opened in February. Its dining area, dressed in Spanish moss and air plants, serves an expansive menu that includes Crème Fraîche Pancakes, Smashed Avocado Tartine, Eggs Ratatouille and an Everything Croissant and Salmon Sandwich, which tastes exactly how it sounds. There are also soups and salads, coffee and teas and cases of pastries. The restaurant plans to continue expanding in Miami-Dade County this fall.

Just Salad
1841 S. Federal Highway, No. 400; Delray Beach; 866-673-3757; justsalad.com 

Located at the Delray Place shopping center, this is the seventh Palm Beach County location for Just Salad. The New York-based, fast-casual restaurant chain had an August soft-opening in Delray Beach and then a grand opening the first week of September. The menu includes chef-designed salads, wraps, warm bowls, avocado toast, soups and smoothies. Foodie faves include Crispy Chicken Poblano, Thai Chicken Crunch and Tokyo Supergreens. Just Salad also has a reusable bowl program: If you purchase a bowl, you get a free salad topping with each reuse.

Kirin Restaurant
4285 N. State Road 7, Lauderdale Lakes; 954-486-8885

When one dim sum palace closes, another opens. Such is the cycle of restaurant renewal in South Florida. The space that once housed the late, great Silver Pond restaurant has been overhauled and reopened by the family behind Baoshi food hall in Pembroke Pines and the Yip stall at glitzy Marina Village at Bahia Mar Fort Lauderdale. Kirin’s owners, the Ip family, are Chinese-Venezuelan restaurateurs who previously ran Gold Marquess Cantonese restaurant in Pembroke Pines until retiring in 2022. “My dad, Phillip, decided to come out of retirement and do a dim sum restaurant again,” co-owner Filbert Ip said. “We’re using the same menu as we did at Gold Marquess: tableside dim sum carts, Peking duck, authentic Cantonese cuisine.” Along with afternoon dim sum service, other menu items include sui mai, chicken and beef wok-fried noodles, stir-fried scallops and vegetables, steamed lobster and black pepper lamb chops.

Manta
2410 N. Federal Highway, Lighthouse Point; 954-400-9859; manta-restaurants.com 

This is the second SoFlo location for Manta, with the other in Wynwood (opened in 2021). It can seat 190 guests inside and 45 outside and serves Peruvian fare, which the restaurant explains “results from the fusion of indigenous Peruvian, European and Asian cuisines.” The menu features choices such as Tacos de Cebiche, the classic Mahi Mahi Cebiche and a Pisco Sour cocktail. Andres Lozada Zuzunaga and business partner Renzo Mercado Cansino also own two other Mantas as well as another concept called Tinta in Arequipa, a Peruvian city known as a culinary mecca. There was a soft opening for the Lighthouse Point eatery this summer, and a grand opening is planned for December. “I was impressed by the Lighthouse Point neighborhood and see the location as a perfect bridge between more sophisticated culinary hot spots in Fort Lauderdale and Boca Raton,” Lozada Zuzunaga says. “Plus, we have great visibility on the busy Federal Highway.”

Osmow’s Shawarma
Sawgrass Mills mall’s Food Court West, 12801 W. Sunrise Blvd., Sunrise; 954-999-5919; us.osmows.com 

This is the second SoFlo location for this fast-casual Middle Eastern eatery, the first opening in Miami in 2022. Sam Osmow started the brand in Ontario, Canada, back in 2001, blending some of his Egyptian roots with modern flavor profiles and tastes. With this latest mall spot opening on Sept. 12, there are now 180 locations throughout North America. The menu includes meat or vegetarian/vegan protein options served in wraps on beds of rox (rice) or sticks (fries).

Crema Gourmet Espresso Bar
222 Commercial Blvd., Lauderdale-by-the-Sea; 754-216-0274; CremaGourmet.com

Just a few steps from the beach in L-B-T-S, Crema in September opened a 2,000-square-foot space with what’s described as an “industrial cafe-bistro vibe.” Boasting locations throughout South Florida, Crema serves housemade breakfast fare, pastas, handcrafted sandwiches, salads, pressed juices, wine and beer. Its most popular dishes include the Open Face Breakfast Sandwich, Chicken Club Sandwich and Salmon Bowl.

Stephanie’s Crèpes
922 N. Flagler Drive, Fort Lauderdale; 954-533-8301; stephaniescrepes.com 

This fast-casual boutique brand offers a wide variety of savory and sweet crepes, but so far the most popular menu items in Fort Lauderdale appear to be the Brisket Mac & Cheese, Pork Belly and Kimchi crepes. Stephanie Cheung opened this, her third location, in July in Flagler Village’s enclave called The Hive. “I am attracted by the sense of active community, the Artwalls, and the dog-friendly neighborhoods,” says Cheung, who came to the restaurant biz from the diamond industry. “Flagler Village has a feel of the next Wynwood in the making.” Other Stephanie’s Crepes locations can be found in Miami Beach and Coral Gables. Next up? “I would like to add more savory crepe menu items to my existing repertoire, as well as ice cream and fun beverages,” she adds.

Vale Food Co.
1911 S. Federal Highway, Delray Beach; 561-563-8352; valefoodco.com 

This health-conscious restaurant chain is a Florida-born concept. Founder and CEO Sunny Ilyas grew up in Coral Springs and started Vale while at Florida State University in 2014. There are now 10 locations across the state, including eateries in Boca Raton, Fort Lauderdale, Miami and Pinecrest. “Reaching our 10th location in Florida is a remarkable milestone for Vale, and opening in Delray Beach represents a significant achievement in our journey,” Ilyas says. “As we celebrate a decade of growth, we’re excited to bring our unique blend of health-conscious dining to Delray Beach.” Vale offerings include acai bowls, poke bowls and avocado toast at the cold superfood station as well as build-your-own protein bowls and signature salads at the hot-food station. There are also grab-and-go snacks and bakery items.

StrEATart Cafe, Deerfield Beach
505 S. Federal Highway, Suite 6, Deerfield Beach

Antonio Spadaro’s year-old Italian deli, What’Sub, is no ordinary sandwich shop, so why should his new sister bakery-cafe and pizzeria one mile south on Federal Highway be any different? Here Spadaro, who also owns Spadaro Roman Kitchen in New Rochelle, New York, bakes focaccia in-house and most of its pastries, along with serving Sicilian and Neapolitan-style pizza. In short, the menu at StrEATart is “street food that you eat with your hands when you’re walking through the piazzas of Italy,” Spadaro says. “Everybody’s doing French and croissants here [in South Florida], and we’re trying to bring a little bit of New York and Italy.” And what’s walkaround food? Think flaky cannolis and shell-shaped conchiglia pastries, soft bombolonis and cartocci (Sicilian doughnuts) filled with ricotta and tiramisu, nutella and pistachio custard, along with ricotta and pear cake sourced from the Amalfi coast.

Norman Love Confections
1911 S. Federal Highway, Suite 104, Delray Beach; 561-749-9049; NormanLoveConfections.com

After conquering Florida’s West Coast with his fleet of Euro-chic chocolate salons, chocolatier Norman Love has finally crossed the Glades with his first Delray Beach confectionary, which opened Sept. 20 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and an appearance from Love himself. His seventh shop in Florida — he’s already a fixture from Naples to Sarasota — debuts in the Delray Place plaza on South Federal Highway. Love is known for his handcrafted chocolates, truffles, bonbons, gelatos, desserts and pastries, which have been singled out in publications including USA Today and Forbes.

Boemia Blue Cafe & Lounge
955 Sansburys Way, Suite 211, West Palm Beach; 561-429-4598; Instagram.com/BoemiaBlue

A coffeehouse by day and clubby music hideaway by night, this cafe-lounge soft-opened on Aug. 1 on the southwest corner of Belvedere Road and Sansburys Way, a slight jog north of the South Florida Fairgrounds. The restaurant, which is registered to four owners — Javier and Paola Trujillo, Renato Peralta and Marlen Correa Forero — features a menu of empanadas, pan de bono and arepas, passionfruit cheesecake loaves, Cuban sandwiches, loose-leaf teas and coffees. A live-music lounge is expected to open soon.

Kan’s Thai Kitchen
4838 N. Federal Highway, Fort Lauderdale; 954-626-0851; KansThaiKitchen.com

Formerly Ma-Prao Thai Cuisine — and Thai Bayshore before that — the third consecutive Thai restaurant at this storefront south of Commercial Boulevard debuted on Aug. 8. The new sit-down is tastefully appointed in bamboo fixtures, dark-wood chairs and granite tables, plaid banquettes and decorative platters on the walls. Although its name and ownership have changed, the staples remain, including Tom Kha Gai soup and Pad Thai, Crab Rangoon and Massaman Curry, Pad Kea Mau (drunken noodle) and Pad Woon Sen (clear noodle), along with new items such as lobster tail, fried grouper filet, fried whole snapper and crispy duck. Beverages include beer, wine and sake.

Caretta Caretta
3700 N. Ocean Drive, Riviera Beach; 561-472-0318; CarettaCarettaRestaurant.com

It’s so nice they named it twice: This beachfront restaurant specializing in coastal fare has opened within The Singer Oceanfront Resort on Singer Island. The chic seafood kitchen takes its moniker from the scientific name for the Loggerhead sea turtle, which comes ashore on South Florida beaches on summer nights, laying eggs in sandpits before returning to the sea. “In Florida, we’re lucky to have access to such incredible fresh seafood and local produce,” said Stuart Levy, the resort’s general manager. “Caretta Caretta offers a celebration of these ingredients in the best way.” It’s led by chef Glenn Rogers, who previously worked in acclaimed kitchens, including Buccan in Palm Beach and Johnnie Brown’s in Delray Beach. The menu features jumbo shrimp and smoked fish dip; Parmesan polenta shrimp and grits in Florida citrus butter, crispy whole snapper, grouper fillets and a handful of meat-based dishes, from grilled skirt steak with yuca fries to Caribbean chicken with sweet plantains and cilantro rice. There are also beers, wines by the glass and craft cocktails.

Fat Boyz Barbecue
10334 W. Sample Road, Coral Springs; FatBoyzBarbecue.com 

Owner Jarael Holston-Jones has grown and shrunk his smoky empire of barbecue multiple times over the years, so you’d be forgiven for feeling déjà vu over the pitmaster’s new Coral Springs location, which held its grand opening on Aug. 30. After the pandemic and overaggressive expansion ended his last outpost there in 2021, Holston-Jones’ shrine to Southern-style smoked ribs and brisket is finally back. The new 1,000-square-foot shack replaces the former Juana La Cubana Café on West Sample Road and caters to take-out crowds, although its menu is identical to those at other locations in Deerfield Beach and Fort Lauderdale. The usual crowd-pleasers include 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.

La Birra Bar
2031 E. Oakland Park Blvd., Oakland Park; LaBirraBarUSA.com

Its Golden burger — with two 4-ounce patties, American cheese, red onion and “secret mayo” — gleamed at the South Beach Wine and Food Festival’s Burger Bash in 2022. Now Daniel Cocchia’s burger franchise has come to Broward County, and the first of two locations hosted its grand opening on Aug. 21 inside a former Wendy’s on Oakland Park Boulevard. Cocchia, whose family opened 15 locations in Argentina before expanding to the United States (specifically, Miami’s Wynwood) in 2021, offers a menu of 26 burgers. For example, the Onlyfans burger comes with American cheese, bacon, thick-cut provolone, crispy onions and a so-called “stalker sauce.” There are also hot dogs and sides of french fries, onion rings and Spinach dip nachos, along with draft beer and Argentine red and white wines. A Weston outpost is expected to debut later this year.

Camille’s Pizzeria & Ristorante
4165 N. Dixie Highway, Oakland Park; 954-765-6496; CamillesOaklandPark.com

The third Italian restaurant in as many years has replaced the short-lived Il Pastaio — and before that, the longtime Cucina Caruso Italian Market — in this strip mall catty-corner from Jaco Pastorius Park. New York-raised John Kreidich, former executive chef at Fort Lauderdale’s DUNE by Laurent Tourondel, and his wife, Maya, quietly debuted the kitchen in early August. Along with charcuterie boards, salads and fritto misto, there are six pizza pies (from prosciutto and arugula to Grandma-style), and pasta entrees including Bucatini Cacio e Pepe, Paccheri alla Vodka and Pappardelle Bolognese. There is also Chicken “Parma John,” a N.Y. Strip with Parmesan fries, and Mediterranean Branzino with cannellini beans.

Aroma Joe’s Drive-Thru
2690 N. Andrews Ave., Wilton Manors; aromajoes.com 

This handcrafted beverage franchise has made its way to Island City (the other SoFlo location is in Pompano Beach). The 574-square-foot, drive-thru spot features coffee drinks (with flavor infusion options) as well as signature AJ’s Rush Energy Drinks and all-day food options such as breakfast sandwiches, pastries, pretzels and more. Tim McKenna, a cofounder of the brand in East Rochester, New Hampshire, in 2000, is one of the franchisees of this location, which debuted on June 10. The other co-owners of the Wilton Manors’ location are Kaitlyn Mathews and Marissa Baroniel, who both also own the Pompano Beach venue that opened six years ago. “We are very passionate about the product we serve out the window and just as passionate about getting involved in the community,” Baroniel said in a statement. “As a family-owned business, we truly care about our customers and hope to continue to bring Aroma Joe’s positivity across more of the state of Florida in the years to come.”

Bunnboh Churros
8000 W. Broward Blvd, Suite 1327, Plantation; 305-399-8204; bunnbohchurros.com or Facebook.com/bunnbohchurros  

This new dessert destination at the front of the Broward Mall’s food court opened with great fanfare on Aug. 6, with Plantation’s Mayor Nick Sortal and members of the Greater Plantation Chamber of Commerce joining owner Geraldin Lopez for the ribbon-cutting ceremony. Bunnboh Churros is known for its unique churros shaped like bunny ears and topped with an array of toppings, ice cream and/or treats.

Tacocraft Taqueria & Tequila Bar
3240 N. University Drive, Coral Springs; tacocraft.com

With 4,500 square feet and seating for 200 guests, the newest Tacocraft at Village Square is the largest of the brand. A part of the Handcrafted Hospitality Group, the Coral Springs location opened in late July. Along with what they call their “elevated Mexican fare,” the company used this debut to unveil a new beverage program. The cocktails include three margaritas (blood orange, coconut, matcha latte) and four signature cocktails. “Part of Tacocraft’s success has been keeping things fresh and making sure there’s always something new and delicious to discover,” said restaurateur Marc Falsetto, who co-owns the Tacocraft concept with Dan Marino, Anthony Bruno, Pat Marzano and Paul Castronovo. “We’ve been waiting for the right moment to roll out the new beverage program and the opening of our new Coral Springs restaurant was the perfect opportunity.” The other three Tacocrafts are in Fort Lauderdale, Lauderdale-by-the-Sea and Plantation.

//OPTIONAL TRIMS END HERE//

CLOSED

Bar Rita
1401 S. Andrews Ave., Fort Lauderdale

A month shy of its sixth anniversary, this two-story Mexican restaurant and rooftop margarita bar from Tapco Restaurant Group, which operates next-door gastropub Tap 42, quietly shuttered in September on South Andrews Avenue. “Bar Rita has closed permanently. Please visit our sister restaurant Tap 42 located next door,” read a sign posted on the restaurant’s front doors. The eatery, which debuted in October 2018, served up eight tacos styles from carne asade to crispy mahi-mahi, along with knife-and-fork burritos, grilled prime skirt steak, baja grilled shrimp fajitas and bottomless brunches.

Nino’s Italian Restaurant & Pizza
7120 Beracasa Way, Boca Raton 

A neighborhood southern-Italian staple for 42 years, owner Marco Tornabene’s classy sit-down permanently closed its doors on Sept. 15 in the Del Mar Shopping Village plaza. “The challenges posed by changes in the economy and other hardships have led us to this difficult decision,” the restaurant posted on social media. Known for belly-warming chicken Parmesan and thin-sliced pizza (and even a Detroit-style pie, which it called Sicilian), Nino’s specialized in comfort classics from veal scaloppini and baked littleneck clams oreganata to penne alla vodka and calzones.

Steam Horse Brewing Co.
1500 Elizabeth Ave., West Palm Beach 

More proof that South Florida’s golden craft-beer renaissance has turned bitter in recent months, Fran Andrewlevich’s brewery has closed after six years in the city’s Warehouse District. The railroad-themed taproom served its final brews during an off-the-rails closing party on Sept. 20 dubbed Kick the Keg. “We have made the challenging decision to end our journey at Steam Horse,” Andrewlevich, also head brewer, said in a social-media post. “To our amazing patrons, a huge hug for all the laughter, friendship and great times.” Andrewlevich’s sister Palm Beach County breweries to the north, Tequesta Brewing Co. and Twisted Trunk Brewing Co., will remain open and continue serving Steam Horse’s flagship brew, Steam Horse Lager.

Mustard Seed Bistro
256 S. University Drive, Plantation 

This family-owned restaurant permanently closed on Sept. 21 after 15 years on University Drive, citing an expiring lease on its social-media page. Run by Lara and Tim Boyd, the restaurant offered a cosmopolitan menu of rotating entrees and desserts (especially cupcakes), such as pear ravioli and fried green tomatoes, Peruvian fish stew and braised short rib bourguignon, and crispy duck and lobster rigatoni.

Almond
207 Royal Poinciana Way, Palm Beach 

This swanky indoor-outdoor bistro, which debuted in early 2020 just before the pandemic struck, isn’t coming back from summer hiatus. The sister to the quarter century-old Almond on New York’s Long Island, the restaurant wrapped up its Mother’s Day service in May and decided against renewing its lease in Palm Beach. “Regretfully, we are here to tell you that we have closed our location in Palm Beach,” an automated voice told customers who dialed the restaurant’s Palm Beach phone number. The 100-seater specialized in comforting French cuisine and global street food like oysters, tri-tip steak and fries, and kimchi fried rice.