Greek Guys Souvlaki is expected to open in September in Fort Lauderdale's Gateway Shopping Center. (Rod Stafford Hagwood / South Florida Sun Sentinel)
When it comes to food, South Florida is a great place to be. So many new places open up every day. Below, find what’s coming soon to a city near you.
Ramen Lab Eatery, West Boca Raton
This Japanese izakaya chain plans to open its fourth outpost sometime later this summer, in West Boca Raton’s Mission Bay Plaza, replacing the former Rotelli. The noodle house will sport a different design than its counterparts in east Boca Raton, Delray Beach and West Palm Beach, with underground Tokyo vibes and an expanded menu of stir-fry and Wagyu steak dishes, along with its usual tapas, donburi and build-your-own ramen bowls (chicken, pork, spicy lemongrass tom yum). 20449 State Road 7, Boca Raton; RamenLabEatery.com
Greek Guys Souvlaki, Fort Lauderdale
Scheduled to open in late September, this fast-casual eatery will be the second South Florida restaurant from Ted Dranias. The Montreal-based restaurateur is also opening a yet-to-be-named spot next door to the storied Gateway Cinema. As for Greek Guys Souvlaki, which is going into the space vacated by Monster Subs, Dranias says it will be Greek fast-food and meals-to-go. Think moussaka, pastichio grilled souvlaki as well as chicken and vegetarian brochettes. 1978 E. Sunrise Blvd., Fort Lauderdale
Greek Village Taverna, Fort Lauderdale
The second restaurant from Dranias (see above) and partners Michael Reppas and Theodoros Xidis, Greek Village Taverna is scheduled to debut this summer next to the Classic Gateway Theatre, replacing the old Mod Wine Lounge. No menu or website is yet available. 1828 E. Sunrise Blvd., Fort Lauderdale
(l. to r.) Larry's Ice Cream's hand-dipped Waffle Cones with a Scoop: Chocolate Crunchies Cone with Mallo-Marvelous Ice Cream, Fruity Pebbles Cone with Cake Batter Ice Cream, Strawberry Crunch Cone with Chocolate Raspberry Truffle Ice Cream, Cotton Candy Cone with Cotton Candy Ice Cream and Rainbow Sprinkle Cone with Birthday Cake Ice Cream. (Nickolette Cimetta / Courtesy)
Larry’s Ice Cream & Cafe, Boca Raton
The original Larry’s Ice Cream has been selling its sweet chill-ness in Coral Springs since 1986. But now, new owner Janet McGinnis is expanding Larry’s to St. Andrews Plaza, near the Town Center Mall. Known for over-the-top desserts and unique takes on comfort food, the menu in Boca Raton will remain largely New Jersey Boardwalk-inspired, but with a little more sparkle and glam. As of now, McGinnis’ team plans to open the Boca Raton location by the end of August. 21090 St. Andrews Blvd., Boca Raton; 561-931-3982; LarrysIceCreamAndCafe.com
Ela Curry Kitchen, Palm Beach Gardens
After two years of global small plates at his Stage Kitchen & Bar, chef Pushkar Marathe (Ghee Indian Kitchen, 3030 Ocean) veers into traditional Indian entrees with Ela Curry Kitchen, expected to open in late August or September inside the Donald Ross Village plaza. The 65-seater, which Marathe is opening with Stage business partner Andrew Dugard, will serve a la carte Indian street food and thali-style entrees, in which small bowls of chutneys, naan, rice, lentils and protein are presented on a large platter. 4650 Donald Ross Road, Palm Beach Gardens; Facebook.com/ElaCurryKitchen
The Salty, West Palm Beach
Started in 2015 in Wynwood by Amanda Pizarro and Andy Rodriguez, The Salty is scheduled to host a grand opening for its seventh location on Aug. 19 at trendy Rosemary Square. The Salty specializes in over-the-top, brioche-raised doughnut treats, with flavors such as horchata, prickly pear margarita, brown butter and “churro + dulce de leche.” The shop, dubbed one of the “31 best donut shops in America” (if you ask Thrillist), has been teasing its presence in West Palm Beach since October 2021 with camper pop-ups parked in the square. 700 S. Rosemary Ave., Suite 200, West Palm Beach; SaltyDonut.com
Harat’s Irish Pub, Lauderdale-by-the-Sea
With just five out of its 38 menu items evoking the Emerald Isle, it’s probably best to describe Harat’s as a loosely Irish pub. (Think Twin Peaks but with shepherd’s pie.) Pub classics, instead, are far more common at this franchise run by Andrey and Dmitri Serebrianik and Yuri Denisenko, opening later this fall in the primo corner space at Commercial Boulevard and El Mar Drive, next door to Vinnie’s and Even Keel Fish Shack. Harat’s, a global franchise with many Eastern European locations — and one that opened on Hollywood’s Young Circle last spring — serves loaded fries, flatbread pizzas, burgers, Reuben sandwiches, and fish and chips. 100 Commercial Blvd., Lauderdale-by-the-Sea; Harats.com
When it opens this summer, Sixty Vines will offer charcuterie boards, steak, pizza, sandwiches and 60 wines dispensed from tap handles in Boca Raton. (Sixty Vines / Courtesy)
This Texas-born upscale chain, inspired by wine country and catering to wine lovers, is expected to debut in late August, from CEO Jeff Carcara and partners Jack Gibbons and Brad Leist. Sixty, which replaces a Brio Tuscan Grille at The Shops at Boca Center, expects to seat 355 with a wine-garden patio. The name refers to its 60 wines on tap, a sustainable measure meant to reduce waste and evoke the experience of drinking straight from barrels at vineyards. There will also be charcuterie plates, pizzas, Cabernet-infused burgers, pork chops and Atlantic salmon. 5050 Town Center Circle, Boca Raton; SixtyVines.com
Chow Won Korean Steakhouse, Fort Lauderdale
Replacing a former Outback Steakhouse in Imperial Point, this Korean steakhouse registered to George Yuan is expected to debut this fall. Chow Won is from the same owner as Chow One in Pembroke Pines, which serves all-you-can-eat, cook-it-yourself Korean dishes. Dining tables are equipped with heating plates, and customers cook one of 24 proteins, ranging from pork belly and Cajun shrimp to beef bulgogi and curry chicken. They’re paired with sides cooked to order from the kitchen, including ramen, egg custard and seafood pancakes. Future locations are planned for Plantation, Tallahassee and Pensacola, plus Alpharetta, Ga. 6201 N. Federal Highway, Fort Lauderdale; ChowOneKoreanSteakhouse.com
El Camino, which describes its fare as "Mexican soul food," has restaurants in Fort Lauderdale, Delray Beach and West Palm Beach. Its next outpost is planned for Boca Raton's Restaurant Row. (El Camino / Courtesy)
El Camino Mezcal and Tequila Bar, Boca Raton
The fiesta’s on its way to Boca Raton’s planned Restaurant Row, where the popular Mexican restaurant chain is expected to debut its fourth location this winter. El Camino will offer indoor and outdoor seating, along with Mexican beers and handcrafted margaritas. Other locations are in Fort Lauderdale, Delray Beach and West Palm Beach. 5355 Town Center Road, Unit 4, Boca Raton; ElCaminoBocaRaton.com
Hof’s House of Sweets, Fort Lauderdale
The Las Olas storefront of Hoffman’s Chocolates has closed its doors, but this wonderland of confections will be reborn under a new name and branding — as Hof’s House of Sweets — this summer. The revival, planned for the end of August, only affects the Las Olas location, which will be transformed into a lounge serving local beer and wine, international sweets and treats, along with doughnuts and pastries. Hof’s, of course, will still carry chocolate made from its factory in Greenacres. 601 E. Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale; 954-368-4320; HofsHouseofSweets.com
A rendering of the Blackbird restaurant in Jupiter, which will have Pan-Asian cuisine when it opens in the early fall. The decor is meant to evoke Shanghai in the 1940s. (Kat Solomon Interiors / Courtesy)
Expected to debut in early fall, this restaurant has an impressive ownership team behind it: restaurateurs Scott Frielich (SubCulture Group) and Angelo Abbenante (Lynora’s) as well as nightlife maestro Cleve Mash (Pawn Shop, Clematis Social) and executive chef Tim Nickey (Komodo, China Grill, Joe Namath’s Lucky Shuck). Taking the space vacated by Shipwreck Bar & Grille, the two-story eatery will have a view of the Jupiter Lighthouse and the Loxahatchee River. The design — evoking 1940s-era Shanghai — will be by Kat Solomon, who worked side by side with Venus Williams at V Starr in West Palm Beach. The Pan-Asian cuisine will have menu dishes such as smoked salmon with everything bagel ragoons; Shanghai soup dumplings; sweet and sour pork with pineapple and dragon fruit; Australian Wagyu tomahawk with truffle ponzu butter sauce; and Szechuan ribs inside a smoke-infused glass dome that will be removed tableside. 1511 N. Old Dixie Highway, Jupiter; BlackbirdModernAsian.com
Henry’s Sandwich Station, Fort Lauderdale
After four years of artful sandwiches, bakery treats and housemade sodas in mural-splashed FAT Village, owner Marc Falsetto is moving Henry’s flagship storefront across the street to the Sistrunk Marketplace food hall, the CEO of Handcrafted Hospitality (Tacocraft, Anthony’s Pronto Kitchen) posted on social media. Henry’s move — it closed its current location on July 24 — is timed around the imminent teardown of funky art enclave FAT Village, and the upscale sandwicherie will reopen in late August. 115 NW Sixth St., Fort Lauderdale; 954-329-2551; SistrunkMarketplace.com; henryssandwich.com
Willie T’s Seafood Shack, Fort Lauderdale
A replacement for Elliot Wolf’s pandemic-closed sandwicherie, Lunchroom, this seafood house from Virginia’s Thompson Hospitality expects to open in late August inside the Harbor Shops on 17th Street. Willie T’s, which has locations in the Washington, D.C., area, serves fried and grilled Gulf shrimp, catfish and lobsters, along with oyster po’boys, crab cakes, salmon and Old Bay-seasoned, waffle-cut fries. 1824 Cordova Road, Fort Lauderdale; WillieTsSeafoodShack.com
Plant-based chicken wings are on the menu of the new Down the Rabbit Hole restaurant and art space opening this November in Delray Beach. (Carline Jean / South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Down the Rabbit Hole, Delray Beach
When he planted his flagship Rabbit Hole in Pompano Beach last year, chef Samuel Woods crafted an all-vegan menu aimed squarely at meat-eaters. He created hot dogs, chicken wings, Korean-style meatballs and hamburgers without dairy or meat, but instead with plant-based ingredients that mimic their crunch and texture. His new sister restaurant, set to open this November in Delray Beach’s Pineapple Grove, is even curiouser. This part-restaurant, part-art event space will be a partnership with local historian Emmanuel George, serving plant-based wings and burgers alongside exhibits from local Black artists and pioneers. Many works will be sourced from nearby Delray Beach Historical Society, the Arts Warehouse, Spady Cultural Heritage Museum and Arts Garage, and the space will also host book clubs, poetry readings and film screenings. Rabbit Hole’s Pompano original will remain open. 311 NE Second Ave., Delray Beach; TheRabbitHole.Life
Henry's Sandwich Station in Fort Lauderdale has closed its FAT Village location after four years and plans to reopen across the street at Sistrunk Marketplace in late August. (Amy Beth Bennett / Sun Sentinel )
Just Pizza & Wing Co., Coral Springs
This Buffalo, N.Y.-born franchise is expected to open its first South Florida pizza-wing stop this September under local franchisee Noel Morreale. The eatery’s name, to be fair, sells short its sheer number of specialty configurations, such as the 3 Cheese Steak Pizza with a mozzarella-Swiss-white American blend atop thin-sliced sirloin steak, and wings with intriguing (bourbon whiskey, blackberry barbecue, Cajun honey) and scald-your-mouth-out flavors (“lethal hot” Buffalo style). 2359 N. University Drive, Coral Springs; 716-341-2744; JustPizzaUSA.com
South PMP Bar & Kitchen, Pompano Beach
If Jet Runway Café is owner Mike Linder’s love letter to aviation and YOT Bar & Kitchen is his mash note to the sea, then his newest restaurant, South PMP, is securely on terra firma. Linder’s Southern comfort food kitchen expects to debut this November in Pompano’s Old Town district, anchoring a wave of new restaurants and art spaces opening soon off the corner of Atlantic Boulevard and North Dixie Highway. 165 NE First Ave., Pompano Beach; SouthPMP.com
Raising Cane’s, Royal Palm Beach
This national chicken chain, based in Baton Rouge, La., specializes in one thing: hand-battered tenders in several combo specials, from its three-finger deal to the Caniac Combo (six tenders with crinkle-cut fries, coleslaw and Texas toast). A Royal Palm Beach location should debut sometime this fall, followed by another in Pompano Beach, on the former site of steakhouse icon Bobby Rubino’s. 100 N. State Road 7, Royal Palm Beach; RaisingCanes.com
The Hen and The Hog, Boca Raton
This rustic greasy spoon with pig roasts every Friday, an all-day breakfast and pork-centric decorative signs (“Don’t go bacon my heart”) is plotting a second location later this summer, replacing the former Blue Ocean Poke in Boca Raton. The flagship sits on North Federal Highway in Pompano Beach. Operated by Yardlene Tabora and George Abbondante, The Hog serves smoked meat platters, sandwiches, burgers, bowls and salads. 2151 N. Federal Highway, Boca Raton; 954-366-1572; TheHenHog.com
An abandoned Marathon gas station between the Intracoastal Waterway and an Umberto’s is being revived as Flamingo Seafood, a raw bar, wholesale market and seafood retailer scheduled to open later this summer. Owner Jamie Mattocks says the eatery will “serve sustainably caught, traceable, locally sourced seafood, as well as a selection of raw and cured fish, including oysters on the half shell, ceviche, crudo and assorted caviar.” 2798 E. Atlantic Blvd., Pompano Beach; FlamingoSeafood.com
The old River House restaurant on the New River in downtown Fort Lauderdale is about to be reintroduced in yet another incarnation as The House on the River. (Mike Stocker / South Florida Sun Sentinel)
The House on the River, Fort Lauderdale
The historic River House will live again. That’s what restaurateur Steven D’Apuzzo of Society 8 Hospitality Group is saying about his plans to reopen the venue as The House on the River in late summer or early fall. Built in 1903, the landmark is the second-oldest building (behind the 1901 Stranahan House) in Fort Lauderdale and was originally the home of city fathers Tom and Reed Bryan. The city owns the property and has leased it to various restaurant brands over the years. Society 8 currently operates Sistrunk Marketplace & Brewery, Park & Ocean, and Wild Thyme Oceanside Eatery. 301 SW Third Ave., Fort Lauderdale; Society8.com
Pitmaster Juliette Johnson’s popular Southern Caribbean food stand — and sellout brisket— is restaurant-bound. After setting up at farmers’ markets around Broward County every weekend for seven years, Johnson plans to open Lickie Stickie this summer, offering barbecue fixings all week long: spare ribs, salmon, chicken, cheesy grits, collard greens, and her homemade jerk and barbecue sauce. Her catering services will also continue. 7794 NW 44th St., Sunrise; 954-638-2324, LickieStickieBBQ.com
Greek Village Taverna, Fort Lauderdale
Not to be confused with Greek Islands Taverna, the venerable Greek icon on Galt Ocean Mile, this taverna from partners Michael Reppas, Theodoros Xidis and Theodore Dranias is scheduled to debut this summer next to the Classic Gateway Theatre, replacing the old Mod Wine Lounge. No menu or website is yet available. 1828 E. Sunrise Blvd., Fort Lauderdale
The future location of Fogo de Chão on Las Olas Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale. (Rod Stafford Hagwood / South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Fogo de Chão, Fort Lauderdale
Founded in southern Brazil in 1979, the steakhouse is scheduled to debut another Florida location, at The Main Las Olas, on Aug. 19. Owners say the restaurant brings the centuries-old cooking technique of churrasco — roasting prime cuts of meat over an open flame. Offerings include Wagyu New York strip and 42-day aged tomahawk ribeye, along with seafood and Brazilian-inspired cocktails. 201 E. Las Olas Blvd; fogo.com
This Nashville-spawned, music-minded, bar-food chain with a popular location on Delray’s glitzy Atlantic Avenue is moseying south to downtown Fort Lauderdale to open this fall inside the former Township bar, CEO Bob Franklin told the Sun Sentinel. Tin Roof will feature nightly live music acts and a menu nearly identical to that of its Delray Beach outpost: Nashville hot chicken, fried pickles, barbecue pulled pork quesadillas, burgers, mac ‘n’ cheese, and a suite of a la carte tacos. 219 S. Andrews Ave., Fort Lauderdale; TinRoofBars.com
Fiolina Pasta House, Boca Raton
Michelin-star chef and restaurateur Fabio Trabocchi plans to debut his Pasta House in 2023 at the soon-to-open Restaurant Row in Boca Raton. The restaurant would occupy the venue’s largest space at 7,000 square feet and include a market, a walk-through pasta room and an open kitchen. Trabocchi, also a James Beard Award recipient, already has Fiola in Coral Gables. His Washington D.C.-based restaurant group includes Del Mar and Sfoglina Pasta House. 5355 Town Center Road, Boca Raton; FabioTrabocchi.com
Dave’s Hot Chicken, West Palm Beach and Palm Beach Gardens
This mega-spicy chicken chain backed by the star wattage of Drake, Samuel L. Jackson, Maria Shriver and Michael Strahan plans to open seven locations in Palm Beach and Martin countries over the next three years. (There’s currently one Florida outpost in Orlando.) No lease has yet been signed, but the first is expected to debut in West Palm Beach or Palm Beach Gardens in late 2022 or early 2023 under franchisees Blair Bitove (daughter of Toronto Raptors founder John Bitove) and barbecue veterans Rob Shawger and Matt Abdoo (Pig Beach BBQ in West Palm Beach). The Los Angeles-based Dave’s touts tenders with seven spice levels, and the hottest — the Reaper — requires customers to sign a waiver before eating them. DavesHotChicken.com