In West Palm Beach, old Florida glamour hums alongside cutting-edge art, sun-bleached surf shacks, and palm-lined avenues.
The city pulses with energy year-round—music fests, gallery hops, sand-in-your-shoes chic—and so does its food.
Here, tropical flavors, Latin and Caribbean roots, and homegrown Southern classics collide with chef-driven ambition, resulting in a dining scene that’s dazzling, breezy, and never bland.
1. Avocado Grill
Avocado Grill feels like stepping into a sun-kissed Miami Beach pop-up that never leaves.
Light pours through oversized windows, the decor is leafy and vibrantly modern, and everything on the menu feels like vacation: from ceviche with coconut milk and mango, to crisp “avocado fries” dipped in jalapeño ranch, to stunning main plates like wood-roasted mahi-mahi with citrus salsa.
Weekend brunch bursts with mimosa towers, sweet corn pancakes, and eggs baked in plantain cups.
The open bar shakes up cocktails with fresh herbs, spicy tequila infusions, and fruit that tastes picked just out the back door.
2. Hullabaloo
On nightlife-heavy Clematis Street, Hullabaloo is a pulse of urban cool—exposed brick, vintage light bulbs, a wood-fired oven, indie music, and a back patio that’s a scene of its own (there’s often a retro Airstream trailer for late-night lounging).
Small plates mean Italian with swagger: duck confit gnocchi, wood-roasted meatballs in spicy arrabbiata, creamy burrata with charred bread.
Don’t miss the truffle parm fries or the Misti salad, where Florida citrus outshines lettuce any day.
3. Table 26° Palm Beach
Refined, romantic, and unmistakably Palm Beach, Table 26° sits beneath the palms just off Dixie Highway.
Inside, inviting white-on-navy decor hints at yacht club comfort, but the menu crafts high-low fusions—truffle mac & cheese, grilled swordfish, shrimp étouffée, bracingly fresh salads, and signature cocktails like the Rosemary Lemon Drop.
Their Sunday brunch is an event: crab cake benedict, bananas foster French toast, and bellinis. Attentive but never stuffy staff greet repeat diners (and celebrities) like family.
4. Malakor Thai Café
A riot of color inside and out, Malakor is West Palm’s Thai soul—fragrant basil duck, crunchy pad Thai, lime-laced spicy papaya salad, meltingly tender curries, and startlingly good fried bananas with coconut ice cream for dessert.
Their outdoor garden, strung with lanterns, is a city oasis. Locals return for the housemade hot chili paste and a menu that goes far beyond simple takeout, including unique regional Thai specialties you won’t find anywhere else nearby.
5. Darbster
For those seeking a different sort of Florida escape, Darbster is a plant-based paradise.
Set on a waterside deck shaded by banyan trees and tropical blooms, it offers vegan headlines like cashew cheese nachos, palm cakes (a play on crab cakes), crispy cauliflower “wings,” burgers, and coconut-lime tarts.
On weekends, the patio hosts yoga mornings, puppy meetups, or small live music sessions.
Get the All-American Travel Secrets!
Don't miss out on America's hidden gems!
