Restaurant news: Il Tartufo revived in Parkland; Ishilima says goodbye in Pembroke Pines

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Van Horne Bagel & Deli, Coconut Creek

This bagel-centric deli registered to husband-and-wife owners Steve and Melanie Lippman debuted in September, specializing in Montreal-style bagels based on a recipe created in 1942 by Steve’s grandfather, Hyman Weiss. The shop features so-called tie-dye bagels dipped in holiday colors (orange and black for Halloween, etc.), along with smoked-fish platters, short-stack pancakes, parfaits, omelets and, of course, 14 bagel styles. There are also salads and deli sandwiches and wraps from hot corned beef to Buffalo chicken salads, Philly cheesesteak to turkey clubs. 5369 Lyons Road, Coconut Creek; 954-418-7100; VanHorneBagelCoconutCreek.com

Uncommon Path Brewing, Fort Lauderdale

You can’t go wrong with craft beer and wood-fired pizza — it goes together like hot dogs and Skyline Chili, after all — and that’s the spare menu at this brewhouse and taproom, which debuted in late September in Fort Lauderdale’s industrial-chic Progresso Village. Owners-beerheads Joshua Breault and Marcos Cabrera are behind the brews, which include the dark lager Eternal Darkness; hoppy wheat beer Dreimal; sherry barrel-aged imperial stout 5-3=2; and peach-pineapple-vanilla sour Gokana. There are also seven specialty pies and three salads, plus white and red wines. 710 NW Fifth Ave., Fort Lauderdale; 954-765-6016; UncommonPathBrewing.com

Mama’s Up All Nite, Delray Beach

Touting pizza baked at an hour considered sacrilegious by Delray standards — 3 a.m.! Oh, the humanity! — this slice shop’s business model is built to appeal to downtown nightlife crowds. (Look no further than the partiers posing for selfies beneath the “Feed me pizza and tell me I’m pretty” neon sign.) The Pineapple Grove restaurant, which opened in August, is registered to Keith Chambers and Dominick Sarlo, and has as its chef, Bobby Orfanos, who ran pizzerias all over Manhattan in the 1980s under his “Mama” moniker. South Floridians may best remember Orfanos, however, by his Greek eatery chops, Taverna Opa in West Palm Beach, Zorba’s Taverna in Delray and the late Taverna Trela, which flopped in 2020 after being showcased on Food Network’s “Restaurant: Impossible.” Now Orfanos is back to square pies (and round ones), plus garlic knots and specialty pizzas including the New Haven-esque White Clam (mozzarella, garlic pearls and New England clams), Bacon & Onion Jam (goat cheese, mozz) and Sunday Dinner (mozz, ricotta, onion, meatball). There are also strombolis, calzones and vegan pies topped with plant-based cheese. 25 NE Second Ave., Delray Beach; 561-455-2442; MamasUpAllNite.com

Un Attimo coffee shop, Plantation

Another year, another restaurant at the live-work-play complex known as Plantation Walk. This bakery-cafe, which is registered to owner Nadia Piris, had a soft opening in mid-September with a suite of baked treats and handhelds, including pains au chocolat and eclairs; empanadas and salads; turkey and caprese on house-baked French and multigrain; and bagels with brie, blueberry jam and walnuts. There are also espressos, cold brews, frappes and coffee beans for sale. 331 N. University Drive, Unit M2-100; 754-457-2147; UnAttimoCoffee.com

Il Tartufo Ristorante, Parkland

Fans of this Italian restaurant that had a run in Fort Lauderdale from 1990 to 1998 – we’re looking at you Demi Moore and Robert De Niro – will be “molto felice” that the eatery is back. There was a soft opening on Sept. 21 with a grand opening planned in November. Chef/owner Luciano Balzano explains the restaurant renaissance with, “I decided to open Il Tartufo Ristorante to honor my customers with signature dishes from decades ago.” Those menu favorites include a table-carved all Prime Veal Shank braised in Chianti (and served with vegetable brunoise), Italian Cheese Burrata prepared tableside, and Neapolitan pizza – because, of course, chef Balzano is also a Neapolitan Pizza Master. Previously he helmed the kitchens of Il Porcino in Coral Springs, the Cheeca Lodge in Islamorada, and Trattoria Di Campo in Doral. 7367 N. State Road 7, Parkland; 954-775-0320; iltartuforistorante.com

Savvy Sliders, Fort Lauderdale

The 38th — and first Florida location — of this Michigan-born slider chain debuted in late September, a burger’s throw from Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport. The 2,300-square-foot joint, registered to Jonathon Dallo, serves sliders in the $3.79-$4.99 price range, stuffed with crab cakes, codfish, fried and grilled chicken, ribeye, Angus beef and spicy falafel. “Savvy Sliders is reimagining the consumer slider experience, and we are excited for the opening of the first location in Florida,” said Mark Wolok, the brand’s vice president of business development, in a news release. There are also chicken fingers, fries, onion rings, cheese curds and specialty shakes for dessert. 2400 W. Commercial Blvd., Fort Lauderdale; 954-493-0000; SavvySliders.com

Sushi by Boū, Boca Raton

This speakeasy bar-omakase experience from sushi wizard David Bouhadana is expanding yet again, with its newest restaurant — with partner Erika London — opened in September in Royal Palm Place. The sushi house, adorned in 1920s Art Deco motifs, offers an hourlong meal of 12 courses for $60 per person or 17 courses for $125 per person. This is the 14th nationwide location for the chain, which began its life in Manhattan before migrating to South Florida via the former Versace Mansion in South Beach. Along with omakase and cocktails, patrons may enjoy a la carte mochi ice cream and other specialties. 409 SE Mizner Blvd., Boca Raton; SushiByBou.com

Velvet Taco, Fort Lauderdale

Straight out of Texas comes Velvet Taco, which opened its first Florida location in downtown Fort Lauderdale’s Riverwalk enclave on Sept. 11. The brand brings to SoFlo its signature scratch-made, chef-driven menu of elevated and globally-inspired tacos such as Chicken & Waffle, Mediterranean Mushroom, The Cuban, Kobe Smash Burger and Fish n’ Chips. There’s also an all-day breakfast taco menu, a kids’ menu, a gluten-free menu, a namesake Red Velvet Cake (made in-house daily) and margaritas. “Our innovative scratch-made menu, combined with our commitment to inspiring our guests to ‘resist the ordinary,’ will resonate with Fort Lauderdale’s dynamic and diverse culinary scene,” says Velvet Taco CEO Clay Dover. “We look forward to welcoming taco enthusiasts to our first of many Florida restaurants and introducing them to tacos like they’ve never experienced before.” The restaurant will have a 3,477-square-foot dining room that can seat 108 guests and an 842-square-foot patio to seat 38 people. 305 S. Andrews Ave., Suite 115, Fort Lauderdale; 754-216-4610; velvettaco.com

Vale Food Co., Boca Raton

This Florida-born, fast-casual eatery has expanded with a new location in Town Center at Boca Raton. With signature rice, quinoa and sweet-potato glass noodles bowls that you can get topped with freshly prepared meats and vegetables, as well as boosts and sauces, Vale is also known for sustainability as much as for its health-conscious fare. (After all, “Vale” is an old English word that means “to live an earthly life.”) A cold “superfood” station features items such as acai bowls, poke bowls and avocado toast. You will also find whole grain chocolate chip cookies, coffees, matcha and smoothies. “After much success with our locations throughout Florida, and with a growing demand for healthy food, I’m excited to open our eighth Vale Food Co. restaurant in the heart of Boca Raton and offer the community an all-day healthy dining destination like no other,” says Sunny Ilyas, CEO and founder. 5250 Town Center Circle, No. 131, Boca Raton; 561-717-4275; valefoodco.com.

Pura Vida, Boca Raton and Royal Palm Beach

The Miami-based chain — owned by Omer and Jennifer Horev — has opened locations in Boca Raton and Royal Palm Beach, which they call Wellington. With its health-conscious approach, and an eye on food allergies and dietary restrictions, Pura Vida offers dishes such as pasture-raised egg sandwiches, salads, raw organic açai bowls, wraps and gluten-free vegan sweets. There are now 17 Pura Vidas throughout South Florida. 8170 Glades Road, Suite K-1, Boca Raton; and 440 S. State Road 7, No. 200, Royal Palm Beach; puravidamiami.com.

Black Flamingo Brewing, Oakland Park

After taking over a former Pompano Beach brewery in 2019 with Black Flamingo’s flagship brewhouse, partners Manny Jannes and Andres Wolff opened their second taproom in September a beer can’s throw from the Funky Buddha. Black Flamingo’s suds include Suavecita, a crisp German-style lager; and Hop Drop & Roll, an IPA. 3482 NE 12th Ave., Oakland Park; 954-933-1960; BlackFlamingoBrewing.com

Eddie V’s Prime Seafood, Boca Raton

This fine-dining brand has a reputation for picking locations with plenty of people-magnet buzz such as Fort Lauderdale’s Las Olas Boulevard. So it says a lot about the al fresco fabulousness of Boca Raton’s Mizner Park that the restaurant has opened its second SoFlo site there. Eddie V’s opened on Oct. 1, taking over the 10,566 square feet space Ouzo Bay formerly occupied. The new Eddie V’s can seat 298 guests inside, and the patio can handle an additional 78 people. With a menu focused on seafood and hand-cut, specially-aged steaks, the eatery is part of the Darden Restaurants stable, which also includes The Capital Grille, Seasons 52, Yard House, Olive Garden, Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen, Bahama Breeze and LongHorn Steakhouse. 201 Plaza Real in Mizner Park; 561-237-0067; eddiev.com

Greek Guys Souvlaki, Fort Lauderdale

This fast-casual eatery from Ted Dranias, a Montreal-based restaurateur, opened about six weeks ago, going into the space vacated by Monster Subs. Dranias says it’s been going well and that he’s already thinking of expanding to a vacant space next door. The cuisine concept is Greek fast food and meals-to-go — think pitas, kebabs, gyros and, of course, grilled souvlaki.1978 E. Sunrise Blvd, Fort Lauderdale; 954-533-0355; greekguyssouvlaki.com

Goldberg’s Bagels Delicatessen Restaurant, Fort Lauderdale

Big Apple restaurateur Marc Goldberg, who in 2021 overhauled Dania Beach’s iconic Grampa’s Bakery, has taken his talents to Fort Lauderdale. The namesake owner of 13 Goldberg’s Famous Bagels locations in the Hamptons debuted his new bakery-deli in September where the short-lived Kraft Bistro & Deli once stood. As with Grampa’s, the new spot carries Goldberg’s signature New York-style water bagels, which are oven-baked, not steamed, imparting a crusty outer texture and chewy inside. Goldberg’s arrival marks the fifth restaurant to lease this location in nine years. 2701 E. Oakland Park Blvd., Fort Lauderdale; 954-669-1000; GoldbergsBagelsFL.com

Culver’s, Loxahatchee Groves

After its Broward County debut in August 2020, this rapidly growing franchise known for its burgers and Wisconsin cheese curds opened its newest SoFlo location in Loxahatchee Groves in mid-September from local franchisees Kase and Jennifer Bethel. Savory dishes aside, there are frozen custard concrete mixers (blended with candy toppings), toothsome sundaes and waffle cones that ooze with warm butterscotch and hot fudge. The menu also features chicken tenders, cranberry bacon-bleu salads and Reuben melt sandwiches, but Culver’s star is undoubtedly the ButterBurger, a smashed beef-blend patty so named for its fresh, lightly buttered kaiser roll. 15339 Southern Blvd., Loxahatchee Groves; 561-508-5605; Culvers.com

DalMoros Fresh Pasta To Go, Delray Beach

Picture this: Heaps of scratch-made pasta served not on dinnerware but inside Chinese takeout-style rice containers. That’s the fast-casual premise behind this Venice, Italy-spawned pasta franchise, which opened its first South Florida location on Atlantic Avenue in Delray Beach on Sept. 22, with plans to open a second on 400 Clematis Street in downtown West Palm Beach later this fall. The restaurant offers build-your-own-pasta bowls, starting with a base of four styles — fusilli, rigatoni, fettuccine, bigoli — followed by sauce toppings that range from pesto and cacio e pepe to amatriciana and bolognese. 439 E. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach; 561-894-8424; Dalmoros.us

Damn Good Sweets, Delray Beach

You probably already know about Damn Good Hospitality Group, which has concepts such as Revolution Live, Stache Drinking Den, Backyard Fort Lauderdale and Warren Delray, Now there’s Damn Good Sweets, a bakery and dessert destination, that opened Aug. 18 in Plaza Delray. Chef Julian Belon is at the helm with signature dishes such as Petit Gâteaux and drip cakes, as well as floats and ice cream sandwiches. Some innovative touches include specialty dishes sold for a limited time such as the Strawberry Cone, a dessert that mimics an upside-down strawberry ice cream cone, and The Pear, which is a green/white chocolate shell in the shape of a pear with Pear William Mousse, pear compote and olive oil inside. “The team at Damn Good Hospitality has been dreaming up this concept for some time now, and we are thrilled to finally open the doors to Damn Good Sweets,” says Jeff John, CEO of Damn Good Hospitality. “The amazing and talented chef Julian was able to bring our dreams to life and beyond.” 8854 West Atlantic Ave., Suite B2, Delray Beach; 561-455-4177; damngoodsweets.com

New York Butcher Shoppe, Pompano Beach

This meat shop and prepared-foods market debuted in mid-August across the street from Pompano Citi Centre at the hands of brothers and franchisees Donald and Christopher Scott. It’s the first South Florida outpost of this South Carolina-born brand, joining 26 other locations in six states. Behind the glass cases are prime cuts of Angus beef, rib eyes, porterhouses, beef brisket, baby back ribs and veal chops, as well as prepared entrees and sides such as lasagna, baked manicotti, veal parmesan, macaroni and cheese, meatloaf, salads and beef stroganoff. 2050 N. Federal Highway, Bay C, Pompano Beach; 954-532-3026; NYButcher.com

Bay Bays Chicken & Waffle Balls, Delray Beach

His fried chicken was held up with cult-like reverence before his mini-chain of fast-casual shacks shut down in the late 2010s, but after a five-year hiatus, owner Israel Johnson has revived Bay Bays in the city’s Lake Ida Plaza. The menu remains similar to its earlier incarnation but with a twist: Instead of regular waffles, there are red-velvet waffle balls, doughy orbs made with waffle batter and drizzled in Oreo cookie crumble, caramel cream and chocolate. But Johnson’s main draw is his fried-to-order fresh chicken, marinated in buttermilk and cooked in peanut oil, and dusted in secret spices in mild and original “spicy” form. There’s also fried turkey and turkey legs and sides such as fried potato wedges, collard greens in smoked turkey au jus, baked beans with Cayenne bacon, coleslaw and potato salad. 600 N. Congress Ave, Suite 160, Delray Beach; 561-486-5438; BayBaysChicken.getsauce.com

Señor Frog’s, Fort Lauderdale

This lively Mexican cantina chain with a presence at party destinations like Cancun, Nassau, Las Vegas and Panama City Beach debuted in Fort Lauderdale in mid-August. Registered to Jorge Mora Brandt, the new Señor Frog’s opened inside the former Solluna, and is sandwiched between Rock Bar and Blondies Sports Bar north of East Las Olas Boulevard. The chain owned by Mexico company Grupo Anderson’s is known for crowds as wild as its oversized drink pitchers. It also offers enchiladas, tortilla soup, fajitas, cochinita pibil, burgers and salads, along with cocktails like Jungle Bird and the Devil’s Margherita. Another location is coming soon to Hollywood beach, according to the website. 225 S. Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd., Fort Lauderdale; 754-223-2180; SenorFrogs.com

Soul Rebel, West Palm Beach

Soul Rebel, which started in Jupiter, has opened its second location at Palm Beach Atlantic University’s campus in downtown West Palm Beach — hoping to draw nearby residents in addition to students. Co-owned by Reza Farahani and chef Chris Morgan, the health-conscious, fast-casual eatery uses raw and natural ingredients. The menu includes seasonal items such as acai bowls, wraps, salads, toasts, superfood smoothies, specialty coffee drinks and more. Two of chef Morgan’s favorites: the Mind Bender Toast (with whipped ricotta, mascarpone, honey, black pepper, seasonal berries, granola and basil) and the Soul Bowl (with peanut chile dressing, farro, spinach, red cabbage, avocado, broccoli, peanuts, carrots and a hard-boiled egg). “Soul Rebel is my dream concept because the menu offers everything needed to maintain an active and healthy lifestyle,” Morgan says. “We are extremely excited to be introducing our mango bowls for the first time at the Palm Beach location, with local fresh fruit topped with organic cashew butter, local honey and coconut.” All bowl and salad options can also be wrapped to order in a whole wheat, all-natural tortilla. 900 Federal Highway, West Palm Beach; soulrebel.love

Carmela Toast & Coffee Bar, West Palm Beach

This growing coffee-and-avocado-toast chain, cofounded in Parkland by owners Rainer Abreu and Rafael Baretta, is on an expansion spree, with a rebranded name (changed from Carmela Coffee Co.) and other locations planned. But first, Carmela’s West Palm Beach outpost soft-opened on Aug. 28 inside the upscale Village Commons plaza under franchisees Miguel Cortes-Vinasco and Maria Rosero. Along with java, they sling empanadas, avocado toast, flatbreads, salads and more. 711 Village Blvd., Suites 101-102, West Palm Beach; 561-389-7630; CarmelaCoffee.com

Krispy Chicken, Weston

This new Korean fried-chicken restaurant, registered to Young Hee Kho and Seo Young Han, debuted Sept. 4 in the open-air plaza where Bonaventure Boulevard meets Three Villages Road. The eatery features a variety of fried-chicken sandwiches on brioche buns with fries, as well as starters including fried calamari and grilled octopus. There’s also fried chicken tossed in one of 11 sauces, from “queso magic dust” and sweet chili to honey soy garlic and Nashville-style “Klucky Flame.” 1660 Market St., Weston; krispy-chicken-restaurant.jimdosite.com

Black Flamingo Brewing, Oakland Park
After taking over a former Pompano Beach brewery in 2019 with Black Flamingo’s flagship, partners Manny Jannes and Andres Wolff finally opened their second taproom on Aug. 23 after two years of delays. A beer can’s throw from the Funky Buddha, the taproom’s suds include Suavecita, a crisp German-style lager; and Hop Drop & Roll, an IPA. 3482 NE 12th Ave., Oakland Park; 954-933-1960; BlackFlamingoBrewing.com

Tropical BBQ Market, West Palm Beach

It’s a banner season to be Rick Mace, who in January notched a James Beard semifinalist nod for his Florida-style barbecue haunt Tropical Smokehouse in West Palm Beach. Now the chef is doubling down on his philosophy that the Sunshine State, as with North Carolina, Tennessee or Texas, touts its own distinctive barbecue heritage. Tropical BBQ Market, his spinoff of Tropical Smokehouse, opened inside the former Aioli space in downtown West Palm Beach on Aug. 15 and zeroes in on smoked meats such as brisket. The storefront’s no-frills setup uses a cafeteria-style line where customers pick sides and meats slow-cooked in a Texas-made smoker. 206 S. Olive Ave., West Palm Beach; 561-800-2124; EatTropical.com

CLOSED

Taverna Evia, Coral Springs

This Greek restaurant has shuttered after four years on University Drive, despite rebranding multiple times during the pandemic. After chef-owner John Kontos opened the sit-down in 2019, the restaurant struggled in the pandemic and, in 2022, briefly took on a business partner who served Caribbean dishes alongside Kontos’ Greek staples. Kontos assumed sole ownership again this past spring but folded permanently in late September. The restaurant featured housemade hummus and pita, lamb burgers, saganaki cheeseburgers, sea scallops and butterflied branzino, chicken wings and octopus. 1933 N. University Drive, Coral Springs; 954-757-6670; Taverna-Evia.com

Ishilima, Pembroke Pines

This Asian-Peruvian restaurant has closed its doors after five years at Westfork Plaza. “We are sad to share we have closed our doors,” husband-and-wife owners Wendell Ordonez and Cynthia Betancourt posted in September on the Ishilima website. ”We look forward to including you in our next chapter.” After meeting as employees at Azul at Mandarin Oriental Miami, the couple branched off to open their first restaurant in 2018, where Ordanez paired Nikkei cuisine with wines from Betancourt, a certified sommelier. Dishes included maki rolls, lomo saltado, pad Thai, chaufa (Peruvian fried rice), ceviche, pork buns and chicharrones. On Ishilima’s website, Ordonez and Betancourt say they plan to continue offering private wine dinners. 15807 Pines Blvd., Pembroke Pines; Ishilima.net

3rd and 3rd, Delray Beach

Pressed up against the FEC tracks on the northern lip of downtown, this small-plates eatery and live-music haunt was an oasis of locals-only vibes. Founded by late chef-owner John Paul Kline in 2013, the small restaurant officially closed in late August after a decade in business, but not before blowing out the speakers with sets from South Florida-bred acts like Spred the Dub, the Supervillains, and Surfer Blood. 3rd and 3rd served short rib-blend burgers, shrimp and linguine, mushroom-basil fried rice and corn-cheddar hush puppies, steak frites and Wagyu cheesesteaks, along with wine, beers and cider. 301 NE Third Ave., Delray Beach; 561-303-1939; 3rdand3rd.com