September dining promotions: Our top picks for Flavor Palm Beach & Downtown Delray restaurant month deals

With the return of Flavor Palm Beach and Downtown Delray Beach Restaurant Month through all of September, South Florida diners have official permission to become cheap dates.

Both monthlong dining promotions, which offer deeply discounted multicourse lunches and dinners, join the already popular fray of summer restaurant promotions like Dine Out Lauderdale and Miami Spice. This year, 40 restaurants have joined Delray’s annual dining deal, while 58 more will partake in Flavor Palm Beach.

Why the smorgasbord of summer dine-out programs? That’s because restaurants lure in budget-conscious customers with enticing bargains during South Florida’s notorious summer slump.

Through both promotions, Palm Beach County eateries will offer prix-fixe dinners starting at $45 and lunches for $25 and up, excluding tax, tip or drinks. As always, call ahead to confirm, and also be sure to peruse the fine print: Some dining deals have built-in 20 percent gratuities, while other restaurants require reservations or dish the deal only on certain days of the week.

And take note that certain restaurants don’t offer prix-fixe deals at all, but rather happy hour-style discounts, such as half-off appetizers and drinks at Ramen Lab Eatery (multiple locations) or the $10 pizza-and-drink lunch special at Windy City Pizza in Delray Beach. Other deals are branded “culinary experiences,” such as a Sept. 24 fundraiser at Rose’s Daughter in Delray Beach benefiting Big Dog Ranch Rescue.

Of course, eagle-eyed diners of such feeding frenzies know that some deals aren’t as deeply discounted as they may seem — and, depending on the restaurant, customers can pay the same for their prix-fixe as they would year-round.

Want the best culinary bang for your summer buck? Consider these four restaurant recommendations for Flavor Palm Beach and Downtown Delray Beach Restaurant Month. (Regular menu prices are in parenthesis.)

For the full lists, go to flavorpb.com/restaurants and downtowndelraybeach.com/restaurantmonth2023.

FLAVOR PALM BEACH

Grato

1901 S. Dixie Highway, West Palm Beach; 561-404-1334; www.GratoWPB.com

Acclaimed chef Clay Conley’s (Buccan) posh Italian outfit (the name translates to “grateful”) has for seven years served wood-fired pizza and rustic fare in the growing Flamingo Park neighborhood. Its $33 dinner-only prix fixe special begins with meatballs, pesto and creamy polenta (normally $16). Continue with Delmonico steak ($39) with confit marble potatoes, blue cheese, frisée and Bordelaise. Finish with olive oil cake ($9) with orange marmalade and toasted pistachios. The deal is offered daily.

Honeybelle

400 Avenue of the Champions, Palm Beach Gardens; 561-627-7015; PGAResort.com/Honeybelle

Acclaimed chef Lindsay Autry’s Southern-meets-Mediterranean kitchen inside the PGA National Resort and Spa dishes a $28 three-course lunch and a $48 three-course dinner as savory as its pickle-brined fried chicken. We’ll stick with dinner here: Kick off with sweet corn soup with petite crab cakes and pickled herbs, followed by the aforementioned three-piece fried chicken with buttermilk biscuit, seasonal slaw, smashed potatoes and hot honey. For dessert, try the Honeybelle pie with sea-salt cracker crust, citrus curd and whipped creme. (Note: Year-round menu prices are not available on the website.) The deal is offered daily.

DOWNTOWN DELRAY BEACH RESTAURANT MONTH

Dada

52 N. Swinton Ave., Delray Beach; 561-330-3232; Sub-Culture.org/Dada

One of Yelp’s “Top 100 Places to Eat in Florida 2023,” this quaint culinary gem a block north of the Atlantic Avenue drag boasts inventive American fare and, yes, a fine perch for al fresco people-watching beneath a big banyan tree. Its $45 three-course prix-fixe is offered through both Downtown Delray Restaurant Month and Flavor Palm Beach. It begins with togarashi-seared tuna with ponzu sauce, guacamole, seaweed and cilantro ($18); braised short rib with mashed potatoes, smoked tomato jam and gravy ($32), and a warm banana-bread muffin atop ice cream and dusted with caramel sauce, macadamia nuts and cinnamon crunch ($10). The dine-in-only deal is offered daily.

Deck 84

840 E. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach; 561-665-8484; Deck84.com

This dockside Intracoastal staple from restaurateur Burt Rapoport (Prezzo, Burt & Max’s, Max’s Grille) has an impressive $25 two-course dinner deal, which includes a soft drink ($5 upcharge for wine or domestic draft beer) and Key lime pie (normally $10). Choose either bacon-wrapped meatloaf ($25), glazed in house barbecue and plated with whipped red bliss potatoes, green beans, shallots and crispy onions; or fish and chips ($27) with beer-battered Atlantic cod, fries, coleslaw and housemade tartar sauce. The deal is offered Mondays through Fridays, after 5 p.m. only.