Fort Lauderdale Restaurants

Seafood Restaurants in Fort Lauderdale

Fort Lauderdale lives up to its reputation as an upscale seaside vacation destination with its choices in seafood dining.

3030 Ocean is a gem of a restaurant located at the Harbor Beach Marriott. Chef Dean Max reaches into local ingredients and traditions to serve truly beautiful seafood dishes. You may just wish to come in and enjoy the raw bar. You will be tempted, though, by starters like the leek soup with smoked shrimp and wahoo sashimi with daikon. Max then pulls out all the stops with dishes like five-spice crusted tuna and "lobster jacuzzi," a rich broth redolent of shellfish and fennel.

Come to Louie's Oyster Bar for the best the sea has to offer: stone crabs, caviar, lobster and, of course, fresh oysters. This trendy spot on Las Olas also features high caliber sushi.

Of course, there's nothing like a beautiful waterfront view to go along with your seafood. Jeremiah's Waterfront Grill provides both. Jeremiah's serves a variety of seafood dishes from fried shrimp to "snapper mardi gras" on its balcony overlooking the water. There are also various seafood buffets offered during the week.

Eating at Cap's Place is a special adventure. The restaurant is found on its own island accessible by Cap's boat service, so you dine in seclusion right on the water. The place is a local institution with a long history and was a favorite of Franklin Roosevelt and Winston Churchill during World War II. The kitchen is known for its fresh chowder and broiled fish.

Sunfish Grill is cozy restaurant with a sophisticated palate. Try the garlicky calamari or the tuna tartare topped with avocado and quail egg for an appetizer. Then on to the main course with choices like Chilean sea bass served with apples, spinach, lentils and truffles; snapper with an olive couscous salad; and seared scallops with asparagus. If you end up with room for dessert, try the creme brulee sampler or Kahlua-marscapone mousse cake.

Latin American Restaurants in Fort Lauderdale

Fort Lauderdale is truly a gem of a destination for Latin American cuisine. From spicy Jamaican food to comforting home-style Cuban to the excitement of "nuevo latino," you will want to try it all.

Why not start at Aruba Beach Cafe? This restaurant right on the beach is known for its moderate prices and great waterfront view.

Aruba Beach Cafe serves West Indian favorites, along with burgers and salads along with live jazz entertainment. Start your meal with one of their tasty specialty drinks like the Mango Madness, a frozen concoction of coconut spiced rum and mango fruit punch.

Bahama Breeze is more than just good food, it's great fun too! The restaurant feels like a Caribbean sugar plantation and offers live music every night. Recommended are the spicy jerk shrimp and the Bananas Supreme dessert.

For a different twist on the latin theme, try Brazilian Tropicana. This eatery features the traditional rodizio of grilled meats (Tuesday - Sunday) and a selection of fresh seafood, including their broiled snapper topped with shrimp.

Go to Anita's Grill Mexicano for a gourmet experience. This is creative, high caliber Mexican cuisine. Try their chile relleno, for example, stuffed with salmon mousse and pasilla chiles. Anita's offers the rare opportunity to savor the "Mexican truffle," huitlacoche and their roasted duck with shitakes and chiles comes highly recommended.

Cafe Seville offers traditional Spanish cuisine, from tapas to gazpacho to paella, in a beautifully appointed environment. There's also a good selection of meat, poultry and seafood main dishes.

The Cuban favorite Fantastic Restaurant's name says it all. This place may not be posh, but Fantastic's renditions of Cuban classics, like caldo gallego, media noche and Cuban sandwiches, all served at reasonable prices have made it a local favorite.

Samba Room serves up a Cuban/Caribbean menu in its Las Olas location. Start off with their "big seafood platter;" this combination of cooked and raw seafood is sure to please with sea bass ceviche, grilled mussels, tuna and avocado ceviche, shrimp ceviche in mango and grilled squid with black beans.

Whether you are a long-time fan of latin cusine or a new convert, Fort Lauderdale's selection will definitely please your palate.

Asian Restaurants in Fort Lauderdale

The exotic tastes from across Asia always make a meal exciting. Fort Lauderdale has a full range of great Asian eating experiences.

Hong Kong City Barbeque stands out among local Chinese restaurants. Of course they serve all the standard dishes Americans have come to love; they also go much further. The adventurous may opt for a more daring meal like the duck feet with jellyfish or the "Chinese chitlins" with pickled vegetables. The Sunday dim sum buffet is a culinary adventure that keeps the place packed.

What could be better than enjoying the view at the famous Riverside Hotel? How about doing it over a tasty bowl of noodles at their sidewalk cafe, Indigo? Beautifully redecorated, Indigo serves Indonesian and Malaysian cuisine at extremely reasonable prices, with most main dishes under $8.

Vietnamese cuisine is enjoying a surge in popularity. Dine at Indochine and understand why. The food of Vietnam marries the best of Asian ingredients with sensibility of French culinary style. Everything is fresh and fragrant. You may simply make your meal of Indochine's many soups, appetizers and noodle salads. But you probably don't want to miss out on their strong repertoire of main dishes featuring shrimp.

If you are one of those people who find a sushi dinner the ultimate in comfort food, you will enjoy Sagami. Here you will find all your favorites and then some. Have no fear for your raw-fish-phobic dining companions, though. Sagami has an extensive menu featuring all sorts of Japanese dishes, including innovative grill and noodle items. For a full Japanese feast, come in a group and try Sagami's full-course "Emperor's Dinners."

The cuisine of Thailand is also enjoying new popularity. Thai food tends to be sophisticated and often on the spicy side. Thai Angel demonstrates both of these qualities. For example, a house special is a crispy fried grouper filet served in your choice of three tasty sauces. The choice of curries is also tantalizing.

French Restaurants in Fort Lauderdale

Crepe Christina is a master of a French favorite. Crepes are basic French comfort food, elegant and satisfying at the same time. Crepe Christina serves theirs with a variety of fillings, savory and sweet. Round out your meal with hearty soups and interesting salads for a moderately priced French treat. Try the simply named "French Place" for classic country French food at reasonable prices. They've been serving your favorites for more than two decades.

The snazzy French Quarter marries haute gastronomie with New Orleans flair. Fitting for a city on the ocean, the French Quarter's menu offers a good selection of seafood a la francaise, while not forgetting classics like escargots bourguignons and vichyssoise. La Reserve serves upscale French dishes accompanied by fine wines. The restaurant is steeped in elegance and diners enjoy a view of the Intercoastal Waterway. When Le Cafe de Paris opened in 1960, it was the city's only French restaurant. For an authentic French restaurant experience, try one of their prix fixe meals such as the "Celebration Dinner" for two which includes a bottle of wine and is topped off with a flaming baked Alaska, a good value at $68. Of course, Cafe de Paris has an extensive wine list. Reservations are recommended.

Oh La La. How can you pass up a name like that? Chances are you will be repeating the sentiment by the end of your meal. The chef's poached fresh foie gras at an honestly bargain price is a great way to start. Pork and wild board grilled on a skewer is sure to dazzle. Top it all off with a selection from the restaurant's smart wine list. Oh La La, indeed.

Restaurants for Travelers on Vacation

There seem to be two types of travelers when it comes to eating on vacation. Those of us who plan their whole itinerary around mealtime and those who fit it in between the other joys of holiday-making. Fort Lauderdale happily fits the bill for both types, providing ample restaurants for consummate foodies and simply hungry tourists alike.

The Armadillo Cafe is one of those places you plan a day around. Its smart, upscale, new southwestern cuisine is worth the anticipation. Should you have the smoked duck quesadillas or the grilled portobella tostada? How about a salad bejeweled with smoked mozzarella encrusted with pistachios and deep fried? And then for a main course... cedar planked salmon with a mango barbeque glaze? Grilled ostrich? Sea bass dusted with roasted porcinis? The menu is full of tantalizing choices.

So everyone is really famished, including the kids? Then dinner at the Ark Restaurant may well be in order. Most Ark patrons go for the all-you-can-eat "Captain's Table" buffet. Its crowd pleasing variety and consistent quality keep the place busy. Kids under 10 can eat their fill for $5.99. They will enjoy the rustic decor as well.

Want something casual, delicious and right at the hotel? If you're staying at the Marriott Harbor Beach Resort, you are definitely in luck. You can enjoy a meal or a tapas-style snack pool-side by the real cascading waterfalls and within sight of the beach. 300 SW First Avenue, Suite103, (954)527-0075.

Bistro Mezzaluna gets great reviews, as well as awards for its wine list. The beautifully decorated dining room is the perfect setting for Mezzaluna's creative Mediterranean offerings. Appetizers include jumbo shrimp with a red horseradish sauce; classic tomato, basil and fresh mozzarella salad; and filet mignon carpaccio. Consider moving on to a gorgonzola and red onion salad with spicy pecans and champagne vinaigrette or perhaps a traditional penne puttanesca. And then there are the house specialties like Mediterranean grilled chicken or a 20 ounce black angus prime rib chop. You will definitely not leave hungry.

Fort Lauderdale Dining with Exotic Flare

One of the best ways to indulge all of your senses is dinner at an exotic restaurant. Here are some of Fort Lauderdale's best spots for it.

Dinner at a nightclub? A great idea, at least in the case of El Baraka. Here you will enjoy top-notch North African cuisine with a backdrop of souk music and belly dancers. Few regional cuisines are tastier than North Africa's with its liberal use of aromatic spices and subtle French sophistication. Be sure to try the traditional bastilla (a phyllo pastry of poultry and spices), a tangine roasted meat dish or the national dish of Morocco, couscous. By the way, baraka means "blessedness" in Arabic and a good meal is always a blessing, isn't it?

Mai-Kai is a Polynesian paradise right off the Atlantic (that's right ... Atlantic) coast. The setting instantly transports you away, with sarong-clad waitresses, tropical plants and Polynesian antiques. The twice nightly performances of dance and acrobatics complete the illusion, especially when abetted by one of Mai-Kai's 51 tropical drinks. The cocktails run the gamut from non-alcoholic to hyper-potent; the stalwart may want to venture one of the more daring, such as a "Shrunken Skull," a "Sidewinder's Fang" or the aptly named "Barrel O' Rum." Dinner offerings cover a wide variety of Asian styles, with the most interesting being the authentic Mongolian brick ovens used to delectably roast all types of meat and poultry. Children receive special attention and special prices.

Greek food may have become much more common-place these days, but Taverna Opa is far from it. This place is always a party. In fact, you should expect someone to dance on your table at some point, maybe even yourself! To go along with the frenetic cacophony of Taverna Opa is a range of traditional Greek cuisine. For an authentic Greek experience, make a meal of the "meze" which are small dishes served in the same style as tapas. With choices like marinated octopus, mussels in ouzo, stuffed grape leaves, sauteed sweetbreads, Greek meatballs and a delicious fried eggplant, you won't regret opting for this traditional Mediterranean grazing.

Restaurants Catering to Special Diets

Do you or a traveling companion have special dietary needs? If so, rest assured that there are restaurants in Fort Lauderdale can meet your needs and tickle your taste buds at the same time with delectable vegetarian, vegan, halal and kosher cuisine.

Tired of what's offered at most vegetarian restaurants? Dinner at Royal India certainly offers welcome variety. Though not a strictly vegetarian restaurant, Royal India serves over 20 vegetarian dishes. The exotic use of spices in Indian cuisines is sure to enhance the vegetarian experience. They will also make vegan versions on request. The fare is tasty and reasonably priced, with most dishes coming in under $12.

The Bread of Life is a natural foods cafe and market in an art deco setting with an impressive vegetarian menu featuring whole wheat pizzas, sandwiches and salads. Vegan options also available. This is also a great place to pick up provisions for your local outings, whether you are planning on picnicking on the beach or going for a boat outing on the local waters.

For some surprising vegetarian variety, try The Veggie Garden. In this Trinidadian restaurant, the only animal products used are fish and honey. The children's menu includes soy based meat substitute dishes. Many vegan desserts are also on the menu as well as fresh smoothies.

Delicatessens are a staple of kosher cuisine for a meal or nosh, and Fort Lauderdale boasts several, including Deli Den and the Star of David Deli for whenever you have a craving for a tall pastrami on rye or a heart-warming matzoh ball soup.

My Favorite Cafe, a kosher dairy restaurant, satisfies both kosher and vegetarian needs with innovative bistro foods, including quiche, sandwiches and salads; even burritos and other hot entrees.

Pita King serves up glatt kosher Middle Eastern favorites such as schawarma, falafel, stuffed grape leaves, hummus and kababs. For those following halal diets, try Ali Baba Kebab and Grill serving traditional Arabic and Pakistani cuisine. The behari kebab is particularly recommended.

Syed's Curry and Kabob offers halal pizzas and Pakistani dishes.

More Restaurants with a Variety of Cuisines

The Cheese Course is the perfect place for every cheese lover. In addition to bistro food, you will be in heaven with a choice of 150 different cheeses and a great wine list to go with them. Are you game for something different? Then go for Blue Goose Cafe's menu specializing in game dishes. Their menu features a variety of meats absent from your average restaurant, including buffalo, goose and ostrich. Spice it up cajun-style at Creolina's. They've got what Louisiana is famous for: jambalaya, crawfish etouffee, red beans and rice and, of course, gumbo. Make sure you leave room for those stars of New Orleans desserts: cherries jubilee, bananas foster, peach melba and bread pudding with bourbon sauce. The orchid is often considered to be the most exotic of flowers. The Black Orchid lives up to that reputation. Start with buffalo carpaccio or splurge on beluga caviar. Follow it with elk loin or lobster flamed in whiskey. Finish off with flaming hot peppered strawberries and Black Orchid's special spiked cappuccino. And then there is the sophisticated fare of Bistro 17. Here each dish is a new adventure. Take their lobster and citrus salad, offering a surprising combination of flavors, from plump lobster to watermelon, rose and blood oranges, all accented by fresh black truffles. Then there's the ever-pleasant adventure of fresh foie gras. For main dishes there is the pistachio yellow snapper served with purple potatoes and ravioli, accented by sweet and sour mango. Or perhaps the grilled rack of lamb served with tomato confit, balsamic mint sauce, broccoli rabe and a rich goat cheese pasta. The club house at Dania Jai Alai bills itself as "Florida's Most Unique Dining Experience" and they just may be right. Where else can you enjoy dinner while watching the exotic sport of jai alai? And maybe strike it rich in the process?

Quick Bites and Snacks in Fort Lauderdale

Everyone has that time of day when you just need a little something to get you through until your next meal, whether you call it tea time, elevenses, quatres heures, a nosh or simply a snack. One of the great things about being on vacation in Fort Lauderdale is being able to indulge those moments in your favorite ways.

Everyone enjoys an ice cream treat, especially the kids. Aspen Ice Cream and Desserts offers a variety of gourmet ice cream, pastries, fresh fruit smoothies and coffees. Boston Bagel Cafe serves up 21 varieties of this quintessential nosh along with 9 types of cream cheese to spread on them. Sandwiches are also available. Crepes are the original French street snack food. But you can enjoy yours in the pleasant setting of Cafe La Belle Crepe featuring 36 different varieties of the confection. A simple butter and sugar crepe can be a most delicious way to satisfy that snack need. Sushi is the perfect light nosh: filling, healthy and not likely to spoil your dinner at the same time. Sushi Rock Cafe will cheerfully cater to your sushi craving. They also serve a wide variety of other light (and some not so light) dishes. Their naruto veggie salad is very interesting and, in fact beautiful. It is made of carefully rolled raw and cooked vegetables and served like sushi. Their clams in miso broth is another great find. Bonjour Bakery Cafe is a classic French bakery, a great place to satisfy that sweet tooth with a classic French pastry. Go for a traditional croissant au chocolat or an eclair. Jimmie's Cafe is the perfect afternoon indulgence with tempting desserts, gourmet coffees and their signature handmade Belgian chocolates. Sometimes all you need, in fact all you want, is some delicious, fresh-from-the-oven bread. Satisfy that craving at the Atlanta Bread Company with their signature sourdough. Lefty's Wings and Raw Bar offers chicken wings, oysters on the half-shell and other great grazing food. Swensen's has a long history of serving up ice cream and fun.

These are just a few of the treats waiting for you in Fort Lauderdale for whenever you get that urge to snack.

Okay, we covered snacking, now back to eating... Whether you want down-home Southern cooking, authentic German sausages or something much more creative, you will find it among Fort Lauderdale's restaurants. Here are even more great choices for eating out in Fort Lauderdale.

Bozo's Sub and Sandwich shop is so much more. In fact, Rosa Bozeman is a local fixture because of her Friday specials. That's when she serves up traditional Southern fare like smothered liver, oxtails and fried catfish along with your choice of sides (turnip greens, okra, macaroni and cheese, etc.) and a corn muffin for less than $8. Canyon Southwest Cafe is a great neighborhood restaurant known for its friendly clientele and margaritas. Their food is great fun, too. Try the sauteed snails in a port sauce with cremini and a chile corn cake. Or the poblano stuffed with goat cheese and served with a red chile sauce. The creativity here is astounding. Ostrich is flavored Indonesian style and then served with a scotch-bonnet and blueberry cream. The pork rubbed with a chile and mustard pesto is delicious. Dessert is luscious, too with offerings such as the white chocolate bread pudding with Chambord berries or the blueberry banana cheesecake with caramelized bananas. Stop in at Bar Amici for its unique menu, interesting clientele and definitely the Chocolate Bomba dessert. Hi-Life Cafe is a place to come for intimate, eclectic dining. Their menu includes roasted red pepper soup, roasted scallops with pecan and corn, salmon with sauteed spinach and mustard sauce, twice-cooked duck, pork shank osso buco and in-house made pies and pastries for dessert. Las Olas Cafe specializes in light, yet complex cuisine. Start with a simple apple and walnut salad or a grilled portobello. For your main dish, there is the spinach and pine nut ravioli or perhaps the spicy hot Cajun shrimp. For the feel and taste of Germany, go to Old Heidelberg. Meat lovers will be in paradise, especially with the homemade sausages. Old Heidelberg also serves traditional schnitzels and roasts with spaetzle and, of course, excellent beers.

Fort Lauderdale's culinary variety not only addresses the concerns of those with special dietary requirements, it makes dining out a pleasure. Dining should always be an adventure. You can make the adventure a reality in Fort Lauderdale.