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Moody Tongue Sushi
600 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach; 561-494-9650; moodytongue.com
Known as the first brewery to have a Michelin star, Moody Tongue has brought its Chicago-based concept to South Florida, inside the Hilton West Palm Beach. After a series of pop-ups, this location opened on Jan. 7, helmed by brewmaster Jared Rouben and executive sushi chef Hiromi Iwakiri. The eatery spotlights a 15-course omakase experience with beer pairings, with dishes including Hokkaido Sea Scallop, served with edamame and Ossetra caviar and paired with a Pressed Asian Pear Saison farmhouse ale, and Florida Stone Crab Hand Roll, paired with a Cherry Oud Bruin (old brown ale). Rouben has created a West Palm Beach Pilsner exclusively for Hilton West Palm Beach’s dining outlets. “Opening Moody Tongue Sushi in West Palm Beach is a dream come true,” says Rouben. “We blend the artistry of brewing with the richness of culinary craft, creating a unique experience where every sip and pairing tells a story.”
Pierogi One
898B N. Federal Highway, Pompano Beach; 954-205-3700; pierogione.com
Located in the Beachway Shopping Plaza, the second location for this Polish restaurant (the first in downtown Miami) opened on Feb. 18. In addition to its signature pierogis, the fast-casual restaurant’s menu features a Polish Hot Dog, Zapiekanka (toasted baguette with toppings) and a Schnitzel Sandwich (chicken or pork), as well as Red Borscht and Zurek soups. Sides include salads, fries and more.
The Louis Collection
D’s Sports Bar is the sister concept to Daniel’s, A Florida Steakhouse in Fort Lauderdale. (The Louis Collection/Courtesy)
D’s Sports Bar
620 S. Federal Highway, Fort Lauderdale; 954-960-4888; danielssteak.com/ds-sports-bar
With decor evoking a 1950s-era car service garage and a dozen high-definition screens, the D’s Sports Bar that opened Feb. 20 is the sister concept to Daniel’s, A Florida Steakhouse, which is next door. Both are high-end concepts from Gioia Hospitality Group (GHG), with D’s Sports Bar offering signature dishes such as French Dip Steak Sandwich, Daniel’s Double Patty Smash Burger, Crispy Hog Fish Sandwich and Grilled Mahi Taco. There are also craft cocktails and locally sourced beers. “At D’s, we’re bringing together the excitement of live sports and an upscale, welcoming atmosphere where guests can enjoy amazing food and drinks with their friends and family,” says GHG co-owner Tom Angelo. “Whether you’re a die-hard sports fan or just looking for a great night out, D’s delivers an outstanding experience.” A private dining area called The Florida Legends Room has memorabilia and signed jerseys from the likes of Dolphins icon Jason Taylor, Inter Miami’s goal-getter Lionel Messi and Marlins ball player Jeff Conine.
16 Handles
3231 S. Dixie Highway, West Palm Beach; 561-249-1944; 16handles.com
This NYC-born, self-serve frozen yogurt and dessert concept opened in West Palm Beach on Feb. 15. The name comes from the menu’s 16 soft-serve flavors (with 50-plus toppings and sauces). This sweet spot also offers frozen cakes, take-home pints and coffee. Recent limited-edition froyo flavors included French Fry, Butter Beer, Dune Spice and Keto Chocolate Brownie. The West Palm Beach franchise is owned by married couple Lindsay Hemstreet and Benjamin Goldberg, who say they plan on hosting food trucks and pop-ups. “Whether it’s a good day or a tough one, 16 Handles is a place where people can come together over frozen yogurt and be happy,” Goldberg says.
Earls Restaurant Group / Courtesy
A look inside the new Earls Kitchen + Bar, which debuted March 5 on Fort Lauderdale’s Las Olas Boulevard. (Earls Restaurant Group/Courtesy)
Earls Kitchen + Bar
1002 E. Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale; Earls.ca/locations/las-olas
This Canadian steak-and-seafood chain with 70 locations opened its latest sit-down on March 5, filling a 9,500-square-foot perch with a global menu tailored by “world travelers.” Executive chef Del Diseko, a self-described explorer, told the Sun Sentinel in October that he scours the world with creative teams in search of trendy cuisine, constantly adding fresh items. Along with Tomahawk maple-glazed pork chops and Cajun blackened steak, new menu additions will include sticky Korean ribs, spicy Calabrian pasta, an ahi tuna poke bowl and bourbon pecan pie. “These dishes are approachable, they check so many boxes, and they can be bold and addictive,” Diseko said. “This is really a restaurant for everyone’s palates.” The two-story Earls features two central bars and a rooftop indoor-outdoor patio and dining area adorned in what Diseko dubs “coastal reef colors.”
Fat Tuesday
220 SW Second St., Fort Lauderdale; 754-312-2182; FatTuesday.com
Simply not content to scoop up Spring Breakers at Fort Lauderdale beach, the revelry-heads over at Fat Tuesday have expanded their bar to Himmarshee Street. The clubby party palace, which debuted Feb. 22, is open until 4 a.m. daily and specializes in frozen fruity daiquiris and margaritas in branded souvenir cups, with concoctions bearing eyebrow-raising names like the Panty Dropper, Bloody Smurf and Cat 5 Hurricane. There are also a small handful of bar bites, including mozzarella sticks, boneless chicken wings and personal-size Buffalo chicken pizzas.
Sixty Vines / Courtesy
A flight of wines at Sixty Vines, which debuted March 3 on Las Olas Boulevard in downtown Fort Lauderdale. (Sixty Vines/Courtesy)
Sixty Vines
800 E. Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale; SixtyVines.com
Cabernet-infused burgers and many wines — 60 of them, in fact — are on tap at this Texas-raised chain, which debuted March 3 inside the former Cuba Libre space. CEO Jeff Carcara says the name refers to the number of wines on tap, a sustainable measure designed to reduce waste and evoke the experience of drinking straight from vineyard barrels. Expect communal-style seating for up to 280 guests in the 10,000-square-foot space, which has white-oak farmhouse tables, a second-floor mezzanine lounge and a menu leaning into items such as charcuterie boards, wood-grilled flank steak, and fried chicken. “These are meant to be unpretentious, pinkies-down sharing sessions,” Carcara, a former Broward County resident who worked at Seasons 52 and Mark’s Las Olas, told the Sun Sentinel in October. “There’s great value and memories in having shared-plates experiences. You throw some pizzas and charcuterie down, or a sliced-up pork chop, and you have a really good night.”
Mina Group/Courtesy
The Delray Beach cut of Bourbon Steak by Michael Mina debuted March 3 on Atlantic Avenue. (Mina Group/Courtesy)
Bourbon Steak by Michael Mina
1000 E. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach; 561-665-4800; MichaelMina.net
The Delray Beach cut of Michael Mina’s steakhouse brand, which debuted March 3, marks the chef-restaurateur’s first foray into Palm Beach County. The new 6,000-square-foot restaurant within the just-overhauled Seagate Hotel & Spa is resplendent in gold and hunter-green accents, and being operated by executive chef Pablo Valencia (The Dalmar Fort Lauderdale, MAASS). The menu traffics in high-end excess: slow-poached Japanese A5 Wagyu, dry-aged or wood-fired steaks, Maine lobster pot pies and pastrami-spiced short rib — paired with rich dipping sauces. Black truffle mac and cheese and duck-fat french fries are also among the highlights.
Amy Beth Bennett / Sun Sentinel
Owner and pitmaster Lee Stransky sauces a pulled pork mac ‘n’ cheese bowl at Mistah Lee’s Smokin’ Good BBQ, which opened its latest location in Boynton Beach on March 10. (Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Mistah Lee’s Smokin’ Good BBQ
8240 S. State Road 7, Suite 250, Boynton Beach; 561-617-3654; Facebook.com
It’s a good time to be pitmaster Lee Stransky, the owner and meat maestro who finally opened his first brick-and-mortar pit-stop on Feb. 17 at the Melrose Shoppes, a strip mall in West Boynton Beach nursery country. In March, Stransky’s roving food truck won “Best BBQ” in the Sun Sentinel’s Best of South Florida Dining series (readers’ choice), following recent wins at the St. Pete Bacon & BBQ Festival and The Red Meat Lovers Club Best Sandwich of South Florida cook-off. His new shop uses custom Gladiator smokers from Gator Pit of Texas to turn out 16-day, house-brined pastrami, beef brisket, chicken, beef and pork ribs. Also on the menu are four-cheese mac ‘n’ cheese, collard greens, Southern potato salad and cornbread slathered in Stransky’s “sticky” sauce.
Stage Kitchen & Bar
5377 Town Center Road, Suite 200, Boca Raton; StageKitchenandBar.com
Adventurous, globally inspired Indian cuisine is the latest glitzy feather in the cap of Boca Raton’s Restaurant Row, where Stage debuted with a grand opening on March 10. Here, chef Pushkar Marathe trots out wood-fired small plates, including duck confit rolls, Korean BBQ Ribs, Spanish octopus and fried chicken in malvani coconut curry and lime. Marathe’s Palm Beach Gardens flagship has already racked up accolades, including USA Today’s Best Restaurants of 2024 and a James Beard semifinalist nod for Marathe. Marathe’s partner, Andy Dugard, says much of their flagship’s foot traffic has come from southern Palm Beach County. “Over the years, we’ve had many wonderful guests visit … from Boca, Fort Lauderdale, Parkland and Delray,” he explains. Which means they were already “anxious and ready to spread the love to Boca Raton,” Marathe adds.
Mykonos/Courtesy
Chilean sea bass, pooled in saffron cream and sauteed mushrooms, is a signature dish at new Fort Lauderdale restaurant Mykonos. (Mykonos/Courtesy)
Mykonos
305 S. Andrews Ave., Fort Lauderdale; 954-306-2665; MykonosFL.com
Its name refers to Greece’s windswept island in the Aegean Sea, and the cuisine strongly leans Mediterranean at this sit-down, which soft-opened on Feb. 20 where Andrews Avenue meets Fort Lauderdale’s Riverwalk. The eatery comes from The Entourage Group and Breakwater Hospitality Group, which also operates the nearby, open-air dining complex Wharf Fort Lauderdale. The menu features dishes such as beef carpaccio with dijon aioli and roasted pistachios, Chilean sea bass with saffron cream, herb-marinated spiced lamb lollipops with grilled asparagus, and peach stracciatella salad. There also are craft cocktails.
Crispy Cones/Courtesy
Crispy Cones, a new scoop shop where doughy ice cream cones are grilled rotisserie-style and draped in toppings, opened in February in Palm Beach Gardens. (Crispy Cones/Courtesy)
Crispy Cones
11940 U.S. Highway 1, Suite 120, Palm Beach Gardens; 561-508-5116; TheCrispyCones.com
What began as a roadside tent and a rotisserie in Idaho has morphed into this soft-serve franchise with eight locations, one of which opened in February in Palm Beach Gardens. Inspired by watching street vendors in the Czech Republic, founder Jeremy Carlson crafted a hand-rolled, doughy ice-cream cone that roasts until golden-brown on a rotisserie spit. After upgrading his tent into a food trailer, Carlson and his wife-partner, Kaitlyn, pitched Crispy Cones on ABC’s “Shark Tank” in September 2022, picking up a $200,000 deal from shark Barbara Corcoran. Crispy Cones finishes each dough cone with vanilla, chocolate or swirl ice cream and a choice of caramel, raspberry, cookie butter or nutella sauces and toppings ranging from strawberries to peanut butter cups.
Mike Stocker / South Florida Sun Sentinel
The Cleveland’s Chaffer combines eight scoops piled high with toppings, nuts and cherries at Cleveland’s Old Fashioned Ice Cream, which in late February opened a location in Lauderhill. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel file)
Cleveland’s Old Fashioned Ice Cream
8759 NW 50th St., Lauderhill; PapaCleve.com
Cleveland Smith, who manned the banana splits at Jaxson’s Ice Cream Parlor for 33 years before splitting off on his own, opened his second sugar shack in Lauderhill on Feb. 22. Here — as with his 4-year-old flagship in Miramar — Smith makes 50-plus flavors plus whipped cream, fudge and fruit toppings, birch beer sodas and cones entirely from scratch. There are the usual suspects like rum raisin, rocky road and black cherry, but also experimental flavors like dragon stout (flavored like a Guinness beer), cheese & bun (inspired by spicy Jamaican buns traditionally eaten on Easter), sour sop (flavored with the spiky tropical fruit also called guanabana) and tamarind. There are also 13 vegan flavors. Cleveland’s even touts its own version of a kitchen sink called Cleveland’s Chaffer, an eight-scoop Everest of ice cream on a stainless-steel chafing dish crowned with all the colorful, sprinkle-happy fixings.
CVI.CHE 105 Boca
6000 Glades Road, No. 1230, Boca Raton; 561-221-0940; ceviche105.squarespace.com
Having debuted on Jan. 9, this eatery at Town Center at Boca Raton is the latest location — and the first in Palm Beach County — for this Peruvian restaurant brand. Founded by chef Juan Chipoco, it can be found throughout Miami-Dade County. Some signature dishes include Pulpo Grillado, Parihuela Amelcochada and Acevichado Roll. “This new location represents not just the growth of our brand but our commitment to sharing the vibrant Latin culture and authentic flavors that define CVI.CHE 105 across South Florida,” Chipoco said. “We look forward to being a part of the Boca Raton community and contributing to its thriving dining scene.”
Juici Patties
11735 City Hall Promenade, Miramar; 954-335-7379; juicipattiesusa.com
This Jamaican fast-food chain is continuing its ambitious expansion into the U.S. market, starting with South Florida. This latest location opened Jan. 24, joining other Juici Patties already open in Hollywood, Lauderhill, Sunrise and Lauderdale Lakes. The menu includes signature beef, chicken and vegan-spinach patties, as well as coco bread, fried plantains, desserts and more. “The spicy beef patty with cheese is the most popular item in Florida so far,” CEO Daniel Chin told the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
Eataliano
Emanuela Schlitzer (barista specialist), Fabio Trulli (co-owner), Maida Tamma (co-owner/chef) and Simone Raccanello (manager) in front of Eataliano Bakery & Wine Bar in Boca Raton. (Eataliano/Courtesy)
Eataliano Bakery & Wine Bar
99 SE Mizner Blvd., Suite 112, Boca Raton; 728-777-5163; eatalianobakery.com
Owners Fabio Trulli and Maida Tamma came to SoFlo from Bari, in Italy’s Puglia region, back in October, settling in Boca Raton with their four children. On Dec. 17, the couple opened Eataliano after teaming up with Simone Raccanello, formerly with the now-shuttered Via Vai Italian Deli & Wine Bar in Wilton Manors. The breakfast and lunch menu at Eataliano includes croissants, omelets, paninis, lasagna, salads and more, all celebrating the “bel paese,” or beautiful country, that is Italy. “Bel Paese is the key, or perhaps better, the spirit for what every Italian business that focuses on authenticity should have,” Raccanello said. “We want to offer a culinary experience as if they were in Italy to our customers, make them feel at home, through food, coffee, wine, music, our market, always with the smile and passion that every Italian who lives from this job can offer.”
Floza
Floza in Palm Beach Gardens highlights wood-fired craft pizza and handmade pasta. (Floza/Courtesy)
Floza
6271 PGA Blvd., Unit 207, Palm Beach Gardens; 561-247-7928; flozacraftpizza.com
This pizza palace at the Mirasol Walk shopping center opened Nov. 15 and is owned by local chefs Erwin Toribio and Eddie Sherwood, who have more than 30 years of combined experience. Sherwood began his culinary journey in Connecticut with The Max Restaurant Group, then relocated to South Florida to work at The Ben, Max Fish and The Cooper. Toribio started in New York City, honing skills at The Clocktower and Nix before becoming head chef at Grato in West Palm Beach. Floza’s menu highlights cooking with fire and revolves around wood-fired craft pizza and handmade pasta. “We named Floza as a playful nod to ‘Florida pizza,’ blending the vibrant spirit of Florida with the deliciousness of pizza,” Toribio said. “It captures the essence of vibrant flavors and laid-back lifestyle that define Florida, inviting everyone to enjoy a slice of paradise with every bite!”
Mary Lou’s Palm Beach
250 Southern Blvd., West Palm Beach; marylouspb.com
This chic and sophisticated lounge had a Black Tie Surrealism Affair grand opening on Jan. 23 in the West Palm Beach space that once housed The Corner Store, aka Berto’s Bait and Tackle. Along with staging live entertainment, Mary Lou’s serves light fare with small bites (such as Pesto Burrata, Beet Carpaccio Salad, Fried Chicken Bites and more); big bites (including A5 Wagyu “Big Mac,” Crispy Octopus, Lady’s Purse Pasta) and desserts (Burnt Honey Ice Cream, Banana Crème Brûlée, Mini Angel Food Cake). There are also craft cocktails and wine.
Big Whiskey’s American Restaurant & Bar / Courtesy
A steak and potato entree at Big Whiskey’s American Restaurant & Bar, which opened its Davie location in January. (Big Whiskey’s American Restaurant & Bar/Courtesy)
Big Whiskey’s American Restaurant & Bar
4599 S. University Drive, Davie; BigWhiskeys.com
This Missouri sports-bar franchise devoted to wings, steaks and banks of flat-screen TVs hosted the grand opening of its first Florida location on Jan. 31, more than 16 months after announcing it. The 5,500-square-foot space on South University Drive replaces the former Crab-Holic. “You could say it’s another sports bar, but I think of it as more of a fun, energetic hangout, and that’s what sets it apart from sports bars like Duffy’s or Chili’s,” said franchisee Steve Swanson, who operates Walt’s American Grille & Bar in Boca Raton and once ran six South Florida IHOP franchises, says Big Whiskey’s serves 120 types of whiskey and bone-in wings with 14 sauces, along with salads, soups, New York strips, baby back ribs and seven handhelds from turkey gouda to Philly cheesesteak.
Black Jack’s Rum Bar & Grille / Courtesy
A steak, seasoned steak fries and jumbo asparagus at the new Black Jack’s Rum Bar & Grille in Davie. (Black Jack’s Rum Bar & Grille/Courtesy)
Black Jack’s Rum Bar & Grille
3890 Davie Road, Davie; 954-314-7025; BlackJacksRumBar.com
This shipshape surf-and-turf hangout has dropped anchor on the ground floor of the Zona Village apartment complex on Davie Road, bringing with it burgers, steaks and a library of 200 rums rare enough to attract swashbucklers. The 200-seat pub comes from Ted Sabarese, the restaurateur behind the Drunken Taco chain and late Giovanni’s Coal Fire Pizza. The menu features churrasco skirt steak, fried whole snapper, Argentine choripanes (grilled chorizo on a roll), pork-belly chicharrones, a frita Cubana and ropa vieja.
Mike Stocker / South Florida Sun Sentinel
The central bar at The Bite Eatery, Pompano Beach’s first food hall, which abruptly closed in February after two years in business. (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun Sentinel file)
CLOSED
The Bite Eatery
2715 E. Atlantic Blvd., Pompano Beach; TheBiteEatery.com
Two years after Pompano Beach’s first food hall brought a dizzying feast of fast-casual dishes to Atlantic Boulevard — from ropa vieja on tostones to housemade pasta to lobster rolls — the place locals called “The Bite” has officially bit the dust. “After an unforgettable journey, The Bite Eatery will be closing our doors for good,” the food hall posted on social media on Feb. 21, adding, “we can’t begin to express our gratitude for your support, laughter and memories over the years.” The food hall offered 10 food and drink spots and rotated vendors frequently, but behind the scenes, some shared stories of disputes with management, and some employees even quit the food hall within weeks of opening.