Mediterranean in South Florida

8271 Sunset Strip Plantation

954-742-8344

Burgers, Cafe, Greek, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Vegan, Vegetarian, Best Of, Sponsor

Any health-food store can sell stuff that claims to be good for you. But go to the counter at Simply Natural in Sunrise and you're liable to find Richard or Shahrooz, the husband-and-wife owners who are not just selling healthy stuff, but creating a community of wholesome living. Together, they have been known to offer free meditation classes, free guest lecturers, and even free samples of vegan foods. They can draw upon their vast expertise on all matters health to recommend an herbal remedy or nutrition supplement for whatever ails you. Or they can set you up with one of the many practitioners who rotate through the shop's back office: an acupuncturist, masseuse, reflexologist, iridologist, or CardioVision analyst. Plus, it's a short walk next door to the Simply Natural Café, which boasts the area's cheapest and most truly organic menu around. The meat is grass-fed and hormone-free, and even the beer and wine are organic.

1 article

13 American Table

451 E. Palmetto Park Rd. Boca Raton

561-409-2061

American, International, Italian, Mediterranean, Recommended

A newcomer in the Boca food scene in summer 2013, this place has brought a piece of South Florida's burgeoning foodie ethos to town. Owners Albert and Melanie Aletto opened the spot earlier this summer, and they brought in some heavy hitters from Delray Beach. Both chef Anthony Fiorini and general manager Oliver Tito have worked at highly respected Atlantic Boulevard hot-spot 32 East. Here you'll find a somewhat similar approach to cuisine with simple food prepared with the finest-quality ingredients that can be found. The new American-style fare incorporates international influence with dishes ranging from Josper-grilled octopus and family eggplant with burrata, crostini, and basil to Florida grouper ceviche and BBQ pork belly. When you look at it, what could be more American than that?

5 articles

Al Bawadi

1787 N. University Dr. Sunrise

954-693-0986

Mediterranean, Turkish

Al Bawadi, an eatery sequestered in a Plantation strip mall, serves typical Mediterranean fare like hummus, falafel, and kebabs. Its interior is drab and dimly lit, looking more like a banquet hall than a proper restaurant. But what makes up for the lack of scene are some fine takes on Mediterranean classics. Al Bawadi's falafel, in particular, arrives crisp and greaseless and perfect with the amazing hummus authentically served with a pool of lemon juice and olive oil in the center. Add some warm pita bread and homemade salads of tabbouleh and tomato and this is great, cheap street food - no matter what the environment is like.

Boathouse At The Riverside

620 SE 4th St Fort Lauderdale

954-377-5494

New American, Mediterranean, Menu

Boathouse at the Riverside is a dock-and-dine, waterfront restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating. The Mediterranean-inspired menu includes an array of hot and cold tapas paired with several coastal-inspired main courses.

Casablanca Cafe

3049 Alhambra St. Fort Lauderdale

954-764-3500

Mediterranean, Bars and Clubs, Recommended, Best Of

A classy respite from the noise and hubbub at Beach Place, Casablanca Cafe sits on A1A across from Fort Lauderdale Beach in a quasi Mediterranean-style structure. You'll know you've arrived because there is no other establishment as packed for at least half a mile north or south. Sure, there may be a wait, but enjoying the beach and Florida sun is hardly an imposition. The cafe sits on two floors, and though it is mainly a restaurant, a fully stocked, comfortable, nonsmoky bar sits in the back. If you don't feel like sitting at the bar, grab a table outside (seating is available in or out of the sun). The views of the beach and passers-by make the outside an excellent location to throw back some cocktails. Try the berry mojito (the strawberries are big, plump, and fresh), sangria, or any number of specialty drinks. The food and drinks are a bit pricey, but that's what you pay for Moroccan-inspired ambiance and mingling with beach-chic patrons.

2 articles

Falafel Gourmet Mediterranean Market

4344 U.S. 441 Coconut Creek

954-752-8340

Mediterranean, Best Of, Menu

Freshly baked pita bread, a hearty serving of chickpea fritters, tomatoes, onions, pickels and tahini sauce on top is the winning formula served up by Falafel Gourmet. Add a drink and baklava and you've got one hell of a meal. This Coconut Creek stand serves more than just the sammies, though -- their menu offers tabouleh, kabobs, grape leaves and lots of other goodies. Not just an eatery, they're also a market, hocking yogurt soda, hookahs, spices of all kinds, jars of olives and other goods. So you know where to go when the craving strikes for Mediterranean eats.

1 article

Ferdos Grill

4300 N. Federal Highway Fort Lauderdale

954-492-5552

Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, Recommended, Best Of, Menu

This pleasant place bills itself as "Home of the Kebab," and the chicken, beef, ground beef, shrimp, and vegetable kebabs attest to that claim. But the Middle Eastern restaurant, which has its roots in Syria and Lebanon, is also the domicile for terrific fatoush (bread) salad, kibbeh (raw ground lamb), lamb chops, mixed grill, and authentic gyros. Go Mediterranean with escargots and mahi-mahi, or stick with hummus, grape leaves, and falafel. Baklava - of course! - for dessert.

7 articles

Fresh First

1637 SE 17th St. Fort Lauderdale

954-763-3344

Smoothies, Gluten-Free, American, Mediterranean, Raw Food, Critics' Pick, Best Of, Menu, Slideshow

Fresh First is Fort Lauderdale's first place to earn the recognition of "Great Kitchen" by National Foundation for Celiac Awareness (NFCA), and it caters to diets and lifestyles of all shapes and sizes. Owned by mother/daughter team Mary and Francesca Siragusa, the restaurant offers a wide variety of organic fare ranging from vegan and vegetarian to wild caught fish to free-range chicken. Everything in the spot is gluten-, corn-, and peanut-free as well as non-GMO. The menu spans from meat-based dishes like the mushroom turkey burger with local mozzarella to raw zucchini puttanesca with sprouted garbanzo beans, sprouted lentils, cherry tomatoes, red pepper, kalamata olives, and scallions in a garlic lemon sauce. Vegan chocolate chip cookies for dessert!

4 articles

Greek Islands Taverna

3300 N. Ocean Blvd. Fort Lauderdale

954-565-5505

Greek, Mediterranean, Turkish, Recommended, Best Of, Menu

Even if you're not from New Jersey, chances are you'll consider Greek Islands Taverna a good Greek diner for various reasons: its wide-ranging menu of classic Greek dishes, bustling atmosphere, and reasonable prices. The top items at this Fort Lauderdale spot include baby back ribs grilled with lemon and oregano and a fluffy moussaka with eggplant. Saganaki is flamed expertly here, and baklava for dessert rounds out the meal sweetly.

2 articles

Indomania

131 26th St., Miami Beach South Beach

305-535-6332

Mediterranean, Recommended, Menu

Indomania, a Dutch-Indonesian restaurant, is owned and operated by Dutch couple Pieter and Ineke Both. He welcomes guests to the stylish and streamlined establishment, pours drinks at the compact bar, and helps out with the front of the house; she works in the kitchen with an Indonesian chef. Daughter Isabelle waits on the dozen or so tables, many lined against charcoal banquette seating that occupies the left side of the space. Rijsttafel is the house specialty, but rather than being served as numerous dishes of food, as is tradition, the components -- anchored by a mound of steamy rice -- come crammed onto a single plate: ayam opor (chicken braised with coconut milk); grilled, skewered chicken sateh (satay); crisped green beans, pickled cucumbers, a hard-boiled egg splashed in curry sauce; and, best of the lot, daging semur, softly braised chunks of beef in dark, sweet kecap manis sauce. Best main course is a meltingly tender duck breast grilled, steamed in banana leaves, and imbued with a wealth of Balinese herbs and spices. For dessert, be sure to try the buttery lemon pie, which comes with mango sorbet on the side.

Joe Allen

1787 Purdy Ave., Miami Beach South Beach

305-531-7007

American, Italian, Mediterranean, Recommended, Menu

Despite being located just a Manolo Blahnik's throw from the bustle, hustle, and flow of Ocean Drive and Lincoln Road, Joe Allen is more about grits than glitz. The square dining room with a long bar at the entrance is comfortable and casual rather than intimidating... and designed to within an inch of its life -- a study in cool grays and warm dark woods with an American bistro feel. The food is similarly bistrolike, including all of your hearty, comforting favorites: thick, juicy burgers; a big slab of meat loaf with mashed potatoes and gravy; tender sautéed calf's liver with more mashers; skirt steak with tangy chimichurri. The kitchen also turns out an excellent caesar salad and thin-crusted pizzas that are better than the stuff of many local pizzerias. Try the goat cheese with mozzarella, spinach, roasted garlic, and tomatoes, then go on to a luscious New Orleans bread pudding for dessert.

Kababi Cafe

3828 N. University Dr., Sunrise Tamarac

954-909-4133

Persian, Mediterranean, Music Venues, Critics' Pick, Best Of, Menu, Slideshow

A slick, upscale supper club with Middle Eastern flourishes, Kuluck Persian Restaurant & Lounge serves Iranian cuisine that feels like it came straight from the kitchen of a Persian matriarch (a pleasant counterpoint to the modern aesthetic). Steamed rice called chelow is generously dished out next to marinated chicken kebabs, juicy strips of ground beef called koobideh, bowls of slow-simmered stews with beef and eggplant, and flecked with heady herbs as polos with salmon or lamb. Check out the lunch buffet too.

3 articles

Keese's Simply Delicious

4350 N. Ocean Dr., Lauderdale-by-the-Sea Beaches

954-776-4616

American, Mediterranean, Best Of

Located on Ocean Drive in the chill, walkable beachside community of Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, Keese's opened its doors in 1953. The nondescript family-owned cafe is not the place to hang out but rather, a spot to grab take-out. There are more than 50 items to choose from. Locals rave about the award-winning fried chicken and the healthier options like the falafels and charred grilled kebabs. Also on the menu: burgers, BBQ ribs, deep-fried chicken livers, wraps, subs and salads, and gyros -- all under ten bucks a pop.

5 articles

La Marea

1220 Ocean Dr., Miami Beach South Beach

305-604-5070

Mediterranean, Recommended, Menu

The Tides has really revived with the arrival of chef Gonzalo Rivera and his clean, uncomplicated Mediterranean fare. There is no getting around it: La Marea is expensive. But it's worth the money. Seafood is the main catch, a smart selection including loup de mer, dorade, Florida yellowtail snapper, and wild salmon served grilled, roasted, or steamed, accompanied only by olive oil and sea salts (which is all they need). Pastas are priced more affordably than other entrées, and are plated in full or half orders -- the latter generously portioned.

1 article

La Piaggia

1000 S. Pointe Dr., Miami Beach South Beach

305-674-0647

Mediterranean, Recommended

This South Pointe haunt re-creates the leisurely French Riviera via an elegant, open-air beach club ambiance. Half the tables are set on a tiled floor under a white canopy awning; the rest sit in sand and are shaded by bright orange umbrellas. Warm, crusty bread in a cloth-covered basket arrives first and goes hand-in-hand with Mediterranean appetizers such as whole steamed artichoke with vinaigrette, fresh anchovies with harissa and tomato, and a dazzling salad Niçoise with two planks of seared tuna and invigoratingly sharp Dijon vinaigrette. The jewel of the menu's crown is grilled dorade royale, two thick white fillets expertly extricated from the bone and skin tableside and served with lemony, tarragon-perfumed butter sauce. The delicate dorade, chaperoned with ratatouille, is $39. A bountiful bouillabaisse is $28.50; sprightly mango-threaded tuna tartare $19.50; herby, full-flavor hangar steak smothered in sautéed shallots and sided with skinny frites, $25.50. La Piaggia is a members-only club, but if you sound respectable when making reservations, there usually isn't a problem.

A La Turca Turkish Restaurant

1848 Harrison St. Hollywood

954-925-5900

Mediterranean, Turkish, Recommended, Menu, Slideshow

Don’t let the beige motif fool you. With its vinyl banquettes and campy Mediterranean music, a La Turca is a Turkish diner with personality. But really, you’re here for the food. Mezes include greatest hits like baba gannouj, hummus, grape leaves, and kibbeh, though a table with an appetite should go for the chef’s-choice sampler for an off-menu selection. This is the place to go for kebab cravings, whether it’s variations on lamb or chicken cooked over an open flame. Falafels are pillowy inside, with a light, crisp exterior. The guilty pleasure is the doner, a Turkish spin on the gyro, with tomatoes, a garlic sauce, and an array of toppings for the condiment fiend. Happy hours feature deals such as two-for-one drinks and a small selection of mezes.

4 articles

North Beach Village Hotel

551 Breakers Ave Fort Lauderdale

954-652-1475

Australian, Mediterranean

This summer Hardy Park Bistro will entertain foodies with a new pop-up dinner series to take place at unexpected locations throughout South Florida. The dinner series coined “Summer Nights X HPB” will take place every third Thursday and Friday of the month, beginning in July and the first dinner will cost $100 per ticket, which includes a 4-course family style meal, wine, and beer pairings from Stacole Fine Wines and Stephens Distributing. The first dinner will be held on Thursday, July 23rd and Friday, July 24th at the Penthouse of North Beach Hotel, located at 551 Breakers Ave, Fort Lauderdale FL 33304 in North Beach Village. The first menu will embody a Mediterranean style with a touch of Australia to finish—true to the Hardy Park fashion. Tickets can be purchased through http://www.hardyparkbistro.com/#!summer-nights/cwm3.

The Pirate Republic Seafood

400 SW Third Ave. Fort Lauderdale

954-761-3500

American, Mediterranean, Seafood, Bars and Clubs

The old Shirttail Charlie's location is tricky to access by car (tucked in a maze of streets behind Andrews Avenue) but is one of Fort Lauderdale's best. How many downtown restaurants boast 150 feet of waterfront on the New River? The biker/pirate motif is contrived but fun, and Pirate Republic is actually a step up from the past. Drinks have names like "One-Eye Mojito" and "The Jack Sparrow" and "Fuzzy Buccaneer," and the food, featuring a deep, wide selection of shellfish dishes, has taken on a Mediterranean flair. Suck it all down while you soak up the scenery and watch yachts and tour boats glide past. Diners and drinkers can ride to the restaurant via water taxi or float up on their personal watercraft -- there's plenty of room to tie up. And if you don't enjoy boat-watching, the Florida East Coast Railway sends dozens of trains over the nearby drawbridge daily.

3 articles

Posh

110 N. Federal Highway Fort Lauderdale

954-763-3553

Coffeehouse, Greek, Mediterranean, Tea, Bars and Clubs, Best Of, Menu

Posh Lounge is a full-service liquor and wine bar that sits in the lobby of the Waverly building. The bar, which has a pension for naming cocktails after residentâ??s dogs, makes some mean drinks. But beware. Cocktails at this Fort Lauderdale bar might cloud your senses. This heady sensation whets the appetite for fun, which could lead you to puff a hookah at a table near the bar or relax outdoors, where the barkeeps sometimes light a fire.

1 article

Shabo's Mediterranean Barbecue

1814 Harrison St Hollywood

954-367-2991

Mediterranean

This family-run restaurant has a menu full of Mediterranean dishes along with American classics. There is also an outdoor patio with hookahs.

Taverna Opa Fort Lauderdale

3051 NE 32nd Ave., Fort Lauderdale Beaches

954-567-1630

Greek, Mediterranean, Recommended, Menu

Fort Lauderdale Opa has been the go-to Greek party for many years, with belly dancers, smashed plates, and flurries of thrown paper napkins, along with Greek specialties.

2 articles

Taverna Opa Hollywood

410 N. Ocean Dr. Hollywood

954-929-4010

Greek, Mediterranean, Recommended, Best Of, Menu

Taverna Opa has been the go-to Greek party in Lauderdale and Hollywood for many years, a bacchanalian blowout of belly dancers gyrating on tables, smashed plates, flurries of thrown paper napkins and gallons of retsina, along with delicious Greek specialties ranging from grilled prawn to crisp fried rounds of zucchini sprinkled with cheese and served with skordalia, steamed wild greens soaked in olive oil and lemon, classic spanakopita (spinach pie), tender roast lamb, moussaka - and gorgeous if occasionally overburdened waiters. It's a pit stop for the jet set, who pull their yachts up to the docks right next to the outdoor tables or park their porches in the lot. Great location for large parties.

2 articles

Taza Mediterranean Kitchen and Lounge

1430 SE 17th St. Causeway Fort Lauderdale

954-530-7064

Greek, Mediterranean, Recommended

Note: Taza is no longer in operation. Greek cuisine in South Florida has come to be synonymous with throwing around napkins and guzzling ouzo while dancing on top of the tables. But Greek-influenced Taza makes a distinct break from that tradition. The swank, nouveau-Athenian digs are located along 17th Street Causeway, home of the power lunch. Here, suits looking for a quick bite can polish off kebab platters with grilled chicken or parsley-flecked kafta while they watch sporting events on flat-screen panels hanging above the slick granite bartop. From there, Taza's ship sails west, where it picks up gnocchi with sautéed garlic and spinach, mussels steeped in aromatic saffron broth, and a puff-pastry take on escargots Bourguignon. The full bar is well-stocked with spirits and draft beer, and the weekday happy hour from 4 to 7 p.m. includes random bouts of belly dancing, also reprised on Friday and Saturday nights.

1 article

The Hummus House

900 NE 20th Ave. Fort Lauderdale

954-314-7686

Vegetarian, Mediterranean, Vegan, Menu

This laidback vegetarian counter-serve spot offers Middle Eastern and Israeli hummus bowls, pita, falafel, salads, and more.

Trata Greek Taverna

1103 E. Las Olas Blvd. Fort Lauderdale

954-712-8933

Greek, Mediterranean, Recommended, Best Of, Slideshow

For great people-watching without the worry of bare feet dancing tabletop next to your appetizer, pay a visit to the sleek new Trata Greek Taverna on Las Olas Boulevard. The upscale eatery has several tables outside on a romantically lit covered patio, along with a dozen tables and a chic bar inside. The menu is loaded with traditional favorites from the motherland, starting with appetizers such as grilled baby squid, marides (AKA pan-fried smelts), and everybody's favorite flaming saganaki cheese. Entrées include paidakia (lamb chops soaked for 24 hours in garlic, olive oil, and herbs, then grilled), stifado (a Greek beef stew made with braised short ribs), and ortikia (charbroiled whole baby quails served with lemon potatoes).

3 articles

Trina- (Now East End Brasserie)

601 N. Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd. Fort Lauderdale

Contemporary, Italian, Mediterranean, Moroccan, Seafood, Critics' Pick, Menu

Trina is closed. Now occupying the same space is East End Brasserie. For more information on this eatery, click here.

14 articles

Mediterranean in South Florida

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