Southwestern in South Florida

1310 S. Federal Highway Deerfield Beach

954-596-1304

Mexican, Southwestern, Recommended, Menu, Takeout-Home, Takeout-Cuisine, Takeout-Neighborhood

Fresh and ample, the Cal-Mex cuisine at Baja Cafe in Deerfield includes tasty, lard-free, refried bean-and-vegetable burritos, Pepe's delectable spinach enchiladas, and scintillating shrimp fajitas. Homemade salsa and chips deliver varying degrees of snap, crackle, and crunch, and flan topped with caramel for dessert.

Canyon

1818 E. Sunrise Blvd. Fort Lauderdale

954-765-1950

American, Southwestern, Critics' Pick, Best Of, Menu

Ask any Fort Lauderdale foodie for restaurant recommendations, and one name is sure to come up without question. Canyon has been a local gourmand haven for decades. In a town that has new restaurants opening and closing on a daily basis, that really is saying something. Inside this cavernous little restaurant, cuddly couples and lively singles sip prickly pear margaritas at the bar. The lighting is dim. The tables are secluded. The ambiance is ideal for an intimate dinner date. And it shows. The place is always busy, so much so that they refuse to take reservations; weekend customers will oftentimes wait hours for a table. Canyon's southwestern fusion menu features creative dishes with Asian, Southern, and Central American influences. Examples include blue-corn-fried oysters served with pico de gallo, chilli vinaigrette, and cilantro; a Maine lobster avocado salad with warm smoked bacon vinaigrette; and the highly esteemed filet mignon with poblano pesto goat cheese, zinfandel natural sauce, and cilantro potato mash. Read our full review.

18 articles

East Coast Burrito Factory

261 E. Commercial Blvd. Fort Lauderdale

954-772-8007

Mexican, Southwestern, Tex-Mex, Recommended

Long before Chipotle and Moes began hawking burritos in South Florida, hometown favorite East Coast Burrito Factory was constructing gargantuan, one-pound burritos and unleashing them like mini-Godzillas on the public. The burritos say East Coast, but the style is distinctly San Franciscan with a Florida twist -- Frisco burros are known for their bulging mass, their baby-like size, and their mess of everything-but-the-kitchen-sink fillings. East Coast ups the ante by turning their burritos into Floritos, huge flour tortillas that incorporate Caribbean and Cuban elements like black beans and rice, fresh seafood, and jerk sauce. Although jerk sauce on a burrito may sound like a foolhardy proposition, this place pulls it off. That plus a chipotle barbecue burrito that's perhaps the best bit of tubular love flung out in South Florida.

3 articles

Moe's Southwest Grill

1830 Cordova Rd. Fort Lauderdale

954-459-9940

Mexican, Fast Food, Southwestern, Best Of

If you threw a peso in any direction, chances are you'd hit a fast-food Tex-Mex establishment that has sprung up in the past few years. Since all of them have the same menu items, more or less, it's easy to figure out whose comida is bueno. Moe's emphasizes the fact that it doesn't use freezers or microwaves, but it's run by a big corporation, Focus Brands -- the same people who bring you Carvel and Cinnabon. Although much of what Moe's does is done better by a competitor (cough, Chipotle, cough), it'll do in a pinch -- think of it as the Subway of Mexican food. Try the John Coctostan (meat quesadillas) or Ruprict (vegetarian nachos).

3 articles

Tacocraft Taqueria & Tequila Bar

204 SW Second St. Fort Lauderdale

954-463-2003

Mexican, Southwestern, Best Of, Readers' Choice

25 articles

Zona Fresca

1095 S. University Dr., Plantation Davie/West Hollywood

954-370-3332

Mexican, Southwestern, Tex-Mex, Recommended, Best Of, Menu, Readers' Choice

The second location of the popular Fort Lauderdale Mexican joint, Zona Fresca duplicates the fresh flavors and exceptional burritos, tacos, and quesadillas of the original. Nothing on the menu tops $10, and orders usually take all of five minutes to fill. Yet Zona Plantation still manages to top most sit-down Mexican joints. The fish tacos are the best around, an inch-thick wedge of white fish, batter-fried and put to bed inside two soft corn tortillas along with crisp cabbage, pico de gallo, and a smattering of tangy sour cream sauce flecked with cilantro. The salsa too is topnotch, made daily with marinated and then grilled tomatoes, peppers, and onions.

5 articles

Zona Fresca

1635 N. Federal Highway Wilton Manors

954-566-1777

Mexican, Southwestern, Tex-Mex, Recommended, Best Of, Menu, Readers' Choice

Welcome to the “Fresh Zone,” where the Cal-Mex fare lives up to the joint’s name. Everything here is made daily on the premises, from lard-free beans to guacamole to cilantro-spiked rice. Baja-style Mexican food includes the best fish tacos and shrimp burritos in Fort Lauderdale. Zona Fresca's portions are huge and prices ridiculously reasonable.

14 articles

Southwestern in South Florida

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