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When it comes to food, South Florida is a great place to be. So many new restaurants open nearly every day.
Here’s what’s coming soon to a city near you. Please note: Opening dates are subject to change.
Norman Love Confections
21200 St. Andrews Blvd., Boca Raton; NormanLoveConfections.com
After bringing his first Euro-chic chocolate salon to Delray Beach last fall, Fort Myers chocolatier Norman Love is back at it again with a second SoFlo shop opening in late spring at Boca Village Square plaza. The new confectionary — Love’s eighth in Florida — will offer handmade truffles, bonbons, gelatos, macarons, desserts, pastries and limited-edition sweets, which have been singled out in publications from USA Today to Forbes.
Grooves Kitchen & Daiquiris
404 W. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach; GroovesDelray.com
Teacher-turned-BBQ maestro Anthony Barber (Troy’s Barbecue in Boynton Beach) is behind this Southern soul-food sit-down, slated to open in mid-April five blocks west of Atlantic Avenue’s restaurant row. At Grooves, the cuisine will be inspired by his grandmother, who “cooked the best Southern food I ever had,” Barber tells the Sun Sentinel. The menu, leaning upscale Southern, will serve up buttermilk-fried chicken, collards and cinnamon-spiced candied yams, jerked lamb chops with pineapple rice, Jamaican-style braised oxtail with rice and peas, brown stew snapper and short ribs with gouda mashed potatoes. There will also be 14 cocktails (including, yes, frozen daiquiris) plus a weekend brunch.
Ocean Prime
171 Las Olas Circle, Fort Lauderdale; Ocean-Prime.com
This upscale surf-and-turf chain already has a mighty presence across major U.S. cities, and now it plans to open its latest sit-down at Fort Lauderdale’s Las Olas Marina on April 29. (In Florida, it has outposts in Tampa, Orlando, Naples and Sarasota.) At 15,000 square feet, the eatery from Ohio hospitality outfit Cameron Mitchell Restaurants will devote half its 400 seats for patio dining. It will be perched beside the Las Olas Bridge, and diners may use the marina’s 68 public boat slips for access, chief operating officer David Miller said. The menu offers oysters on the half-shell, Dutch Harbor King Crab legs and chilled whole Maine lobster on ice, sushi rolls, lobster bisque soup and more. Carnivores, meanwhile, can carve into filets, N.Y. strips and ribeyes as well as Berkshire pork in a sherry reduction and double-bone lamb chops in roasted garlic-thyme jus. The menu also includes cocktails and brunch.
Small Wine Shop
911 NE 20th Ave., Fort Lauderdale; smallwineshop.com
The 5-year-old current location on Andrews Avenue at the edge of Fort Lauderdale’s Flagler Village is exactly what it says it is: a small wine shop. The DNA of that won’t change when the vino boutique moves to the edge of the Victoria Park neighborhood in early May, ensconcing itself at the Gateway Shopping Center (in the space that formerly housed The Modern Rose). Owners Tracy Pell and Tim Graham say they’re adding a menu of elevated small bites inspired by their favorite wine-making regions around the world. “We built Small Wine Shop to create a space where wine feels approachable, not intimidating,” Pell said. “Opening during COVID wasn’t easy, but our community showed up for us — and now, we’re thrilled to grow and offer even more.” The new location will allow them to also host wine dinners, tastings and classes, as well as to give patrons access to a shared outdoor seating courtyard and a large parking lot. “Victoria Park has an energy that we know our customers will love,” Graham added. “It’s the perfect place to continue building our community of wine lovers.” The Small Wine Shop in Flagler Village will remain open until the new location opens.
Salvo Osteria Romana
2389 Wilton Drive, Wilton Manors
Since December, this restaurant has been promising on Facebook to take over the Wilton Manors space that was formerly Thai Me Up, which shuttered back in August. The latest post says, “We will work hard to open before the end of the Season.” As for the type of food, the Facebook page describes Salvo’s as an “Italian restaurant with some of the most famous Roman traditional dishes.”
bb.q Chicken
510 NW Seventh Ave., Fort Lauderdale
3316 N. Federal Highway, Pompano Beach
BBQChicken.com
A new franchise bastion for KFC — that’s Korean Fried Chicken, not the Colonel’s — is shaking into South Florida with two more locations sometime this year, joining the first that debuted in Davie (6370 Griffin Road, Suite C-111) in December. Founded by Yoon Hong-guen in Seoul, South Korea, in 1995, the franchise now roosts at more than 200 locations throughout the country, with KFC flavors in whole, wing and boneless form, ranging from honey garlic to soy garlic to “Gangnam Style,” or tossed in black pepper sauce, garlic and onions. There are also street-food dishes such as kimchi fried rice and Ddeok-Bokki, its twist on classic tteokbokki with soft chewy rice cakes, fish cakes and a sweet-spicy chili reduction.
Adega Gaucha Brazilian Steakhouse
240 S. Federal Highway, Deerfield Beach; AdegaGaucha.com
Bust out the steak knives: Another Brazilian churrascaria is coming to town. Flame-licked meats are the star of this all-you-can-eat steakhouse, which is expected to open later this spring and is registered to Fabiano Borsato, Jean Oliveira and Elthon Figueiredo. This is the restaurant’s third location, after Orlando and Kissimmee. Here servers, known as “gauchos,” parade a carousel of ribeyes, picanha, beef and pork ribs, bacon-wrapped chicken, lamb and filet mignons glistening with salt. Sides include corn brûlée, fried yuca, roasted Brussels sprouts, caramelized bananas and mashed potatoes. Also on the menu are wines, cocktails, desserts and higher-end cuts such as 32-ounce, fire-roasted tomahawks and garlic skirt steaks.
Tacos Del Cartel, West Palm Beach
533 Clematis St., West Palm Beach; TacosDelCartel.com
The Louisiana-born eatery from Veho Hospitality expects to debut its first South Florida location later this spring on the downtown Clematis Street drag. Mexican taquerias love to make their case for true authenticity, but chef Atzin Santos has the bona fides to prove it. Having graduated from Mexico City’s Colegio Superior de Gastronomía, Santos makes his scratch tortillas using an early Mesoamerican process called nixtamalization, in which dried corn kernels are soaked in an alkaline solution that softens the tortilla’s texture and flavor. He also imports Mexican heirloom corn through an artisanal masa company he founded. Taco flavors will include coral soft-shell crab, birria, duck carnitas and bone marrow Wagyu, and fresh tortillas will be served to customers’ tables on a clothesline (yes, with clothespins). Other dishes will include Angus ribeye chicharrones with guacamole, tuna tostadas, carne asada, skirt-steak fajitas, and a 50-ounce, mezcal-flamed Tomahawk Angus.
Crema Gourmet
421 NE 6th St., Suite 100 (at EON Squared apartment complex), Fort Lauderdale
216 Clematis St., West Palm Beach
cremagourmet.com
This Miami-based chain said it plans on opening locations in downtown West Palm Beach in April and in Fort Lauderdale’s Flagler Village this summer. Crema serves breakfast fare, pressed juices, pastas, sandwiches, salads, wine and beer. Its most popular menu options include the Open Face Breakfast Sandwich, Chicken Club Sandwich and Salmon Bowl.
Eden Restaurant
2615 S. State Road 7, West Park; 786-612-9992; EdenRestaurantFL.com
Care to dine where zebras and lions graze? Videos of wild animals in Africa’s Serengeti and tranquil tropical waterfalls will play on a loop in the dining room, adding to the “immersive dining experience” that will make up Eden, a new themed eatery opening this May from owner Cheryl Conteh. Its menu, not yet finalized, will feature Nigerian pepper soup with turkey breast, red chili and olive oil, roast beef kebabs with black and red pepper and passata (uncooked tomato puree), along with whole fried and stewed fish. There also will be three prix-fixe “dinner experiences” ranging from Eden’s Whisper (three courses) to Eden’s Flame (a four-course meal with bubbly and dessert).
Ukiah Japanese Smokehouse
221 SW First Ave., Fort Lauderdale; UkiahRestaurant.com
Chef Michael Lewis’ (ex-KYU in Miami) newest wood-fired restaurant is a Texas-style barbecue shack simmering in mostly Japanese influences — and it’s poised to debut sometime this spring on Fort Lauderdale’s Riverwalk, replacing the old Matchbox. The 150-seat sit-down is Ukiah’s second location, joining a sister flagship in Asheville, North Carolina. Its Texas-built Backwoods Smoker will turn out 12-hour brisket, pastrami short ribs, half-chickens and sausage crowned with flame-roasted kimchi and yuzu pickles. The menu will also feature Japanese street food, including tonkotsu ramen, beech mushroom tempura with “Tokyo ranch,” and pork belly smothered in a Fuji apple glaze.
Parlor Doughnuts
9 Plaza Real S., Suite 108, Boca Raton; parlordoughnuts.com
This Indiana-based eatery, known for its signature layered doughnuts, will pop up in a Boca Raton location sometime in late May or early June, according to plans by franchise owners Corey Elwell, Craig Young and Ben Boulet. The decor will be a mix of modern and vintage Americana, evoking “parlor” rooms of 1900s Victorian homes, hence the name. In addition to its traditional doughnuts, the concept offers vegan, gluten-free and keto-friendly options that feature a cake-like texture, as well as artisanal breakfast treats and specialty coffees.
Naked Farmer
111 E. Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale; EatNakedFarmer.com
This casual American restaurant, which changes its menu with the seasons, plans to open this spring on the upscale restaurant row Las Olas Boulevard. A farm-to-fork brand born in Tampa, Naked Farmer created its own protein and produce supply chain with Florida farms, including Natalie’s Orchid in Fort Pierce and Pacific Tomato Growers in Palmetto, per its website. The sit-down specializes in build-your-own-harvest-bowls, with options such as rosemary-roasted chicken, Faroe Island salmon and grass-fed beef. Bowls also include sides such as chilled beets and feta, roasted sweet potatoes and carrots with lemon gremolata. The mini-chain also operates local outposts in Sunrise, Coral Gables and Miami.
Keke’s Breakfast Cafe
1712 S. Congress Ave., Palm Springs; Kekes.com
Keke’s Breakfast Cafe is coming to Greenwood Shopping Centre sometime in 2025, joining other South Florida locations in Wellington, Boca Raton, Delray Beach and Boynton Beach. There’s also a Parkland Keke’s in the works for the company created in Orlando back in 2006 by brothers Keith and Kevin Mahen (hence the first syllable of each name in the title, get it?). The brand, acquired by Denny’s in 2022, says they eschew microwaves in favor of homey flourishes such as “coffee ground in-house, hand-cracked eggs, fresh fruit cut to order, and yes, real butter and whipped cream” — all the better to evoke the breakfast stops the Mahen Bros. enjoyed growing up in Philadelphia. The breakfast menus include stuffed french toasts, omelets and bowls, while lunch offers paninis, sandwiches, wraps and salads.
Geronimo Tequila Bar and Southwest Grill
105 E. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach; GeronimoBarandGrill.com
Sangria, margaritas and mojitos by the pitcher, Navajo frybread (yes, really), frito pie and other Santa Fe-spun dishes are standard fare at this Connecticut-born mini-chain, now under construction in the former Cabana El Rey space ahead of a mid-2025 opening. Touting ingredients sourced “directly from New Mexico,” per Geronimo’s website, the menu will offer pork burritos braised with Chimayó chiles, guajillo-braised short rib, tableside guacamole punched with chicharron and pomegranate, spaghetti squash burrito bowls, quinoa chile rellenos and handmade corn tortillas with eight meats, from birria to cauliflower al pastor. Meanwhile, spirits will include agave flights and craft cocktails. The 5,000-square-foot location — its first in Florida — comes from Robert Bolduc and Marc Knight, who created Geronimo in 2007 after being taken with Santa Fe cuisine. “The cuisine offers flavors, aromas and spices I had never seen anywhere before,” Knight says, adding it “truly does not exist outside of this region of the United States.”
Lily’s Handmade Ice Cream
3400-3800 block of Woolbright Road, Boynton Beach; LilysHandmadeIceCream.com
This acclaimed scoop shop — crowned in July for having South Florida’s best ice cream, according to readers who participated in the Sun Sentinel’s Best of South Florida Dining contest — is expanding with a second location. Sometime this year, it is expected to pop up in the KC Market plaza, where Woolbright Road meets South Military Trail. The Gilinsky family — Ronen and his sons, Tal and Ori — run Lily’s with kosher-certified flavors rich in 16% butterfat and cream sourced from a dairy outside St. Petersburg. The man with the dessert know-how is “executive ice cream chef” Ori Gilinsky, a former dessert/pastry chef in the Israeli Air Force who opened Lily’s Delray Beach flagship in September 2020. His inventive flavors include SoFlo Swamp (Belgian milk chocolate-infused Oreos, chocolate chips), Kinderella (Nutella, Kinder Bueno, brownie chunks), Fairy Floss (cotton candy base, frosted animal crackers) and Dusty Monkey (Biscoff cookies, ripe banana, brown sugar). The shop also offers vegan flavors, ice cream cakes, pies and fruit sorbets.
Ela Curry & Cocktails and Mango Mercado
632 Hibiscus St., West Palm Beach; ElaCurryandCocktails.com and MangoMercado.com
After conquering the golfing paradise of Palm Beach Gardens with boundary-pushing Indian cuisine, chef Pushkar Marathe is coming for the rest of Palm Beach County. The 2023 James Beard semifinalist, currently adding a second Stage Kitchen & Bar to Boca Raton, will now also bring second locations of sister kitchens Ela Curry & Cocktails and Mango Mercado to West Palm Beach’s CityPlace by mid-2025, according to the restaurants’ publicist. Ela, specializing in thali-style street food, and Mango, a breakfast-lunch counter, will sit side by side on Hibiscus Street. “When the opportunity presented itself, we knew CityPlace would be a great location,” Marathe says, adding that Mango’s fast-casual offerings don’t sacrifice flavor and quality just “because it is quick and easy.” Ela features casual dishes like Duck Leg Biryani, Tandoori Cab Hanger Steak Skewer, chutneys and other street snacks, while Mango leans into daily soups, salads and handhelds from Wagyu beef carpaccio to roasted turkey club.
