5 Local Gem Restaurants in Port St. Lucie, Florida that Serve the Best Food Ever

Port St. Lucie is loaded with waterfront dining and busy commercial strips, but the most memorable meals require you to step off the beaten path. These five hidden gems offer incredible, chef-driven cooking in spots you might otherwise drive right past.

Fernando’s Dockside Grille

This is not a flashy tourist restaurant; this is the real deal. Fernando’s is a locally owned, chef-driven Portuguese and Mediterranean gem that serves beautifully executed seafood and bold Iberian flavors. It completely transports you out of Florida, offering an atmosphere that is so incredibly warm that every guest feels like a personal friend of the chef.

Aji Dulce Cafe Gourmet

Tucked away in a completely nondescript, gray-toned shopping center on Bayshore Boulevard, Aji Dulce is a phenomenal Venezuelan-American cafe. It combines the comfort of a neighborhood hangout with a massive touch of gourmet elegance. You can get incredible empanadas, fresh arepas, and a bakery counter loaded with Nutella croissants and fresh tres leches.

Lola’s Seafood Eatery

With cuisine inspired by the cold, snowy coastal states of New England, this chef-owned and family-run spot is a massive local favorite. The decor is completely no-frills, putting the absolute emphasis entirely on the food. They serve massive, perfectly fried seafood platters and fresh catches that easily rival the most expensive waterfront spots in town, all at a fraction of the cost.

Rick’s Diner

Family-owned and operated since 1997, Rick’s Diner is your go-to hometown spot for hearty, flawless comfort food. They serve massive portions of fluffy pancakes, crispy bacon, and highly creative twists like their Hawaiian Dream Cakes and Jaeger Schnitzel. The service is incredibly fast, and the vibe is purely focused on community and great coffee.

Pho Deli

When a family immigrates from Vietnam and realizes their new hometown has no authentic Pho, they open their own spot. Pho Deli focuses strictly on “quality over quantity,” keeping their menu small and incredibly focused. The meats are hand-trimmed daily, the vegetables are impeccably fresh, and the slow-simmered broth is packed with deep, traditional Vietnamese flavor.