South Florida restaurants: Now open, coming soon and closed
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Now Open
Bang Shack, Hollywood
Owner Jason Hadley’s chicken-dip stall at the Yellow-Green Farmer’s Market was once spotlighted on ABC’s “Shark Tank,” and now Bang Shack is a brick-and-mortar fast-casual restaurant in downtown Hollywood. 120 S. 20th Ave.; 786-223-5395; thebangshack.com
Sushi By Bou Beach Club, Pompano Beach
The 10-seat sushi bar at Sushi By Bou Beach Club, an omakase-style restaurant from sushi master David Bouhadana, is now open at the the Marriott Residence Inn Pompano Beach. The rest of the 80-seat restaurant will open sometime in June. Other locations in New York, New Jersey, Chicago and Miami Beach, but this one will have a beachy vibe. 1350 Ocean Blvd.; sushibybou.com
Studio 404, Delray Beach
A new daiquiri bar in The Set neighborhood aims to revive West Atlantic Avenue, just east of I-95. The eatery opened in March and serves $2 tacos, $5 margaritas and colorful daiquiris in four flavors. There are also midnight brunches on Friday and Saturday nights. 404 W Atlantic Ave.; @studio404delray
Chick-fil-A, Davie
It will be more convenient to eat more chicken as a second Chick-fil-A opens in Davie. A Davie resident owns both fast-food locations and is looking to hire both full-time and part-time employees. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, this location is drive-thru or carry out only from 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Doors are closed on Sundays. You can follow their posts on Facebook and Instagram. 5700 South University Drive; chick-fil-a.com
Solluna, Fort Lauderdale
Former pan-Asian eatery Tsukuro has rebranded and is now Solluna, a seaside Mexican cantina specializing in breakfast tortas, jumbo margaritas, fish tacos and steak fajitas. 225 S. Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd.; 954-523-1407
Bombay Café, Oakland Park
This longtime traditional Indian restaurant on Andrews Avenue has moved farther east and replaced the former Inkanto Peruvian Cuisine. Bombay features tandoor-grilled meats, seafood, and vegan-friendly dishes and curries. 1672 E. Oakland Park Blvd.; 954-568-0600, Bombay-Cafe.com
PX Grill Mediterranean Cuisine, Fort Lauderdale
Kosher Mediterranean dishes including falafel, shawarma and gyros with a full bar, from the owners of Pita Express on Stirling Road. 3558 N. Ocean Blvd., pxgrill.com, 954-280-0050.
Lips, Fort Lauderdale
The drag queens are back for the first time since the pandemic shutdown. The venue reopened April 22, kicking off with “The Divas” on Thursday nights, Glitz & Glam every Friday and Saturday. There’s also Lips’ drag-a-licious Gospel Brunch on Sunday. Prix fixe menus are available and include cover charges (tax and gratuity not included). Capacity is limited. Reservations are required. 1421 E. Oakland Park Blvd.; 954-567-0987, lipsusa.com.
Botanic, Fort Lauderdale
Inside the new Goodland Hotel near Fort Lauderdale beach, Botanic serves breakfast and dinner, with lunch hours to be announced soon. “What we like to say is it’s South Florida [ingredients] with heavy Latino and Caribbean influences,” explains executive chef Rashaad Abdool. 2900 Riomar St., 954-908-7308, BotanicFL.com.
Plant Based Mafia, Palm Beach Gardens
The new Italian-style vegan restaurant offers dishes including Not Your Grandma’s Rigatoni, The Big Bambino and The Johnny Gleeson. Even if you like meat in your meatballs, owners say you won’t be disappointed. 7100 Fairway Drive, Palm Beach Gardens; 561-223-2432, plantbasedmafia.com
Delray Beach Market
Florida’s largest food hall opened with 27 vendors, including Big T’s Deli, and wine, cheese and charcuterie bar called Cellar and Pantry, Ferdos Grill serving Mediterranean food, Salvo’s Pizzeria and Lovelee Bakeshop. At four stories with 150,000 square feet of vendor spaces and entertainment/demonstration areas, it can handle 2,000 visitors a day. 33 SE Third Ave., DelrayBeachMarket.com
Francisca Charcoal Chicken & Meats, Davie
This fast-growing Latin American chain, which aims to open 12 Florida locations in 2021 (Miramar and Miami Lakes are already open), debuted its Davie outpost on April 20. The restaurant, which comes from Miami-based Bocas Group, specializes in charcoal chicken, barbecue baby back ribs, empanadas, arepas and cachapas. 2258 S. University Drive, Davie; 954-530-6573, FranciscaRestaurant.com
Los Bocados, Parkland
Once a Mexican taqueria in the bright corner of a Chevron gas station, Los Bocados debuted its first brick-and-mortar April 19 a taco’s throw north of its old stomping grounds. Food Network’s “Diners, Drive-Ins and Drives” recently spotlighted the restaurant’s build-your-own burritos and citrus-pork quesadillas. 7031 N. State Road 7, Parkland; 954-637-4984, LosBocados.com
Walt’s American Grille and Bar, Boca Raton
Farm-to-table options include classic American fare like a New York strip or honey glazed salmon. The new eatery is also kicking things up with a happy hour menu that includes habanero chicken wings, tuna nachos, shrimp ceviche and half off all drinks from 5 to 7 p.m. 6030 SW 18th St., Boca Raton; waltsamerican.com
Coming soon
Foxy Brown, Fort Lauderdale
The intimate and unassuming downtown Fort Lauderdale favorite from Be Nice Restaurants group will open its new location on May 29. The restaurant is moving to the former Good Spirits space and will have more parking, a bigger bar and larger outdoor patio. The popular weekend brunch will continue. 476 N. Federal Highway; 754-200-4236, MyFoxyBrown.com
RGS Brazilian Steakhouse, Pompano Beach
This all-you-can-eat Brazilian eatery replaces the former Burgers & Suds location on McNab Road. Gauchos (carvers) will serve cuts of beef, pork, chicken, lamb and Brazilian sausage straight from the grill. There will also be a buffet of salads and hot items to accompany. 360 E. Mcnab Road; 954-889-4669, rgssteakhouse.com
Kraft Bistro Deli, Fort Lauderdale
This bistro and deli from first-time restaurateur Paul Hugo is expected to open June 1 in the former location of Brown Dog Eatery. 2701 E. Oakland Park Blvd.
Hamburger Mary’s, Wilton Manors
This drag-themed restaurant known for over-the-top hamburgers, hand-cut fries and queens who perform and mingle with the crowd, will debut sometime in May on Wilton Drive, replacing the space formerly occupied by Rumors Bar & Grill. 2426 Wilton Drive; HamburgerMarys.com
Andrew’s Diner, Fort Lauderdale
After changing ownership twice since the pandemic began, Andrews Diner has moved off Andrews Avenue and onto Cypress Creek Road, where it will replace the former Duffy’s Diner when it reopens in June. The longtime Greek greasy spoon is best known for dishing gyro omelets and spinach pie, and for appearing on Food Network’s “American Diner Revival” in 2016. 925 NE 62nd St.
No Man’s Land, Fort Lauderdale
Restaurateur Memphis Garrett will turn his fast-casual Poke House into a ghost kitchen and convert the space into a No Man’s Land, a cocktail parlor and lounge. Opening in June, the lounge will offer a 10-item menu of small shareable plate dishes. 666 Federal Highway. NoMansLandFTL.com.
Lynora’s, Fort Lauderdale and Boca Raton
An Italian mother’s cooking is the inspiration behind the eatery expected to expand to a total of six locations between Palm Beach and Broward counties by the end of the year. The Abbenante family’s brand of traditional Italian recipes over the past 35 years includes dishes such as tagliolini alla carbonara, linguine alle vongole and cannelloni al forno. The Boca Raton and Fort Lauderdale locations are expected to open by year’s end. 2364 N. Federal Hwy, Fort Lauderdale; Uptown Boca plaza, 9560 Glades Rd., Suite 180; Lynoras.com
Mystic Lobster Rolls, Boca Raton
A beachside eatery boasting whole Maine lobster rolls with no fillers. The restaurant, founded in New Jersey, is also bringing its lobster bisque and lobster mac-n-cheese down to South Florida. Owners say doors will open in May. 771 E Palmetto Park Road, Boca Raton; mysticlobsterrolls.com
Divieto, Coral Springs
Italian for “prohibition,” Divieto aims to takes diners back to the roaring ’20s in a new 5,907 square foot space expected to open at the end of the year. This is the restaurant’s fourth Florida location serving scratch-made Italian dishes, thin crust pizzas and era-inspired cocktails. 2729 N. University Drive; divietoristorante.com
Grampa’s Bagel Bakery Deli Café, Dania Beach
New York bagel-shop veterans Mark Fried (Bagel Boys Café) and Marc Goldberg (Goldberg’s Famous Bagels) plan to rebrand this 64-year-old bakery – closed since the beginning of the pandemic – as a New York-style deli serving New York water bagels, rugelach, housemade corned-beef brisket and other diner classics. Opening in May. 17 SW First Ave., Dania Beach
Warren, Delray Beach
From Damn Good Hospitality CEO Jeff John, Warren will feature “American bistro with a world flair,” under the direction of Chef Jared Case, as well as more than 1,000 bottles of hard-to-find scotch and bourbon. 15084 Lyons Road, Delray Beach; WarrenDelray.com
Closed
Troy’s Barbeque, Boca Raton
After two years, Troy’s Barbeque has pulled out of Boca Raton. The original Boynton Beach location (1920 S Federal Highway) remains open, and coming soon is a new West Palm Beach restaurant (3950 Georgia Ave). 1198 N. Dixie Highway, Boca Raton; BBQTroys.com.
Madisons New York Bar & Grill Restaurant, Boca Raton
The upscale steak and seafood restaurant was sold after seven years to New York based Gallagher’s Steakhouse. 2006 NW Executive Center Circle
C.W.S. Bar & Kitchen, Lake Worth
After six years, the kitchen and bar will close on May 23, “due to the unfortunate inability to reach an agreement with landlords,” according to a statement from Damn Good Hospitality. 522 Lucerne Ave., 561-318-5637, cwslw.com
Fat Boyz Barbecue, Coral Springs
Owner-pitmaster Jarael Holston-Jones closed his Coral Springs outpost to zero fanfare, farewells or even final plates of Southern-style smoked ribs and brisket, though he plans to keep his remaining Fort Lauderdale open. 6192 W. Sample Road, Coral Springs; 954-415-4810, FatBoyzBarbecue.com
Patio Delray, Delray Beach
This upscale seafood eatery with a tropical, pet-friendly patio will permanently close after its final dinner service on April 17, owner Lily Buchheit confirms. The restaurant opened a decade ago and features Maine lobster, seafood pot pie and homemade desserts. 800 Palm Trail, Delray Beach; 561-279-0880
Eddie’s Thai, Cooper City
A loyal following could not save Eddie Watana’s upscale Thai restaurant, the offspring of his family’s Sukhothai in Fort Lauderdale. He said a bankruptcy filing pre-COVID nearly ended his restaurant but the pandemic was the “final nail in the coffin.” 2571 N. Hiatus Road, Cooper City.
Franco & Vinny’s, Fort Lauderdale
This iconic Italian restaurant nicknamed the Pizza Shack, open since 1971 near Fort Lauderdale Beach, closed April 25, prompted by owner Vincenzo Esposito’s decision to retire at age 79. 2884 E. Sunrise Blvd., Fort Lauderdale; 954-564-9522, FrancoandVinnys.com
