46 Best Restaurants in Fort Lauderdale
Last updated February 21, 2026
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With new restaurant launches, chef-led eateries, and stylish new rooftop lounges, Fort Lauderdale is enjoying a period of prominence.
This lovely city has evolved into a vibrant culinary hub, enhancing its already remarkable food scene.
The vibrant ambiance here merges with various international cuisines in fashionable manners.
Here are the 46 best restaurants in Fort Lauderdale!
1. Gilbert 17th Street Grill
This is a nice family-owned restaurant situated in an unassuming strip mall, serving famous burgers and traditional American dishes.
The menu here includes classics such as ribs, burgers, and house-made soups, as well as various desserts like New York-style cheesecake.
The restaurant serves families with a wide variety of tasty burger toppings together with child-friendly choices like macaroni & cheese.
2. Bulegreen Cafe Yard
This place provides brunch with a range of delicious options, including Belgian homemade waffles and personalized omelets.
The café takes pride in offering freshly prepared meals and traditionally brewed coffee made with care.
Visitors can savor their dishes in a magical outdoor garden atmosphere, adorned with charming decorations.
3. Greek Islands Taverna
This is a delightful, family-run restaurant that provides a friendly ambiance and al fresco dining.
Situated close to the shore, it is recognized for its classic Greek dishes like fresh seafood, grilled lamb chop, lemon-flavored octopus and chicken, and feta cheese.
The restaurant's famous "ladoregano" sauce remains so beloved that it is usually bottled for visitors to take to their homes.
4. Laspada's Original Hoagies
This is a cherished location within Fort Lauderdale, famous for its outstanding hoagies, deli subs, and salads.
Laspada's distinctive meat blanket method differentiates it, as its sandwich artisans expertly arrange cheeses and cold cuts to form a tasty pocket that keeps all the ingredients intact.
Its hoagie with Genoa salami and Mamasturkey, featuring hot and sweet peppers, is another favorite among customers.
5. Tinta
Tinta is an inviting Fort Lauderdale brunch venue that features a delightful combination of classic American breakfast options infused with a nice Mexican flair and distinctive Peruvian specialties.
The restaurant offers a delightful and tasty meal experience, enhanced by patio seating and scenic ocean views.
Tinta remains famous for its delightful and flavorful dishes, making it a perfect option for anyone looking for a satisfying breakfast or lunch.
6. Wine Garden
Situated in the lively Central Beach area, merely a short walk from Fort Lauderdale’s Beach, this place offers a charming escape for individuals in search of a magical dining adventure.
This delightful location features a snug garden terrace embellished with sparkling bistro lights, providing an inviting ambiance ideal for romantic nights or relaxed get-togethers.
Visitors can indulge in genuine Italian dishes and Neapolitan pizza made from the ground up while appreciating the tranquil outdoor setting here.
7. Aruba Beach Cafe
Aruba Beach Cafe is a favored option for anyone looking for a laid-back dining atmosphere with beautiful ocean vistas.
After its full restoration and public opening in 2015, the restaurant gained a reputation for its tropical drinks, Caribbean-American dishes, and frequent live music events.
8. Chima Steakhouse
Chima Steakhouse is a contemporary Brazilian restaurant that provides a distinctive dining experience.
It blends open-flame classic cooking methods with contemporary Brazilian culinary styles.
Talented gauchos skillfully carve and present delicious meats here such as beef, pork, lamb, and chicken right at your own table in a limitless dining environment.
And along with the elegantly crafted churrasco meats, this restaurant also provides a classy dining area and a fashionable ambiance.
9. Casablanca Cafe
An excellent historic home crafted around the 1920s by Francis Abreu, an architect, Casablanca Cafe provides a distinctive dining experience that features ocean vistas and American-Mediterranean fare.
This Moorish-inspired home includes light stone chambers that evoke Scheherazade's residence in Key West.
10. New York Grilled Cheese
This is a charming spot that serves a variety of grilled inventive cheese sandwiches, even a vegan choice with meat crumble, sautéed onions, and smooth mozzarella.
The restaurant additionally offers vegan poutine topped with rich mushroom gravy.
This melty and stretchy cheese paired with well-cooked fries really creates a delightful sensation.
New York Grilled Cheese’s laid-back sandwich spot has continued to garner enthusiastic feedback for its artisanal grilled cheese offerings, teeming with taste and crafted from fresh, high-quality components.
11. Sistrunk Marketplace and Brewery
This is a vibrant and roomy spot that provides a variety of international cuisine and craft beers.
This indoor culinary village of 40000 square feet within Flagler Village is more than merely a lovely food hall.
It includes one island bar, a speakeasy lounge, a retail shopping coop, a recording studio, a DJ academy, and plenty of seating.
Reservations can be made here, though not mandatory, and visitors can easily place orders from various food stalls making use of the QR code on their mobile devices.
12. Rivertail
This is a relaxed restaurant featuring a delightful terrace and verdant scenery, and offering a variety of international seafood plates and drinks.
Situated in the heart of Fort Lauderdale, the seafood-centric restaurant features New River's views and presents a varied menu designed by Jose Mendin, a celebrated chef.
From crab doughnuts to yellowtail ceviche tacos, the communal dishes here are ideal for dining in groups.
The restaurant likewise features a brunch bar weekly that showcases delicious Bloody Mary variations and flavorful Micheladas.
13. Padrino Cuban Restaurant
This is a lovely family-operated venue with a deep-rooted legacy that extends across generations and various locations throughout South Florida.
It was a nice grocery store that started in Cuba and evolved into one of the restaurants in Hialeah, then later grew to Fort Lauderdale.
This restaurant serves classic Cuban meals such as cafe conleche and ropa vieja, delivering a genuine flavor of Cuba.
14. El Camino
This is a lively Mexican eatery situated in the center of Fort Lauderdale.
It provides a genuine dining experience featuring traditional Mexican dishes and margaritas in a modern and spacious dining area.
The eatery is famous for its exquisite taco options which feature crunchy fish tacos, pork belly glazed with ancho chili, and Oaxaca cheese paired with chorizo.
15. DUNE
Situated in the Auberge Beach Residences’ Lauderdale Beach area, this restaurant has been named one of Fort Lauderdale’s best restaurants.
The menu here merges American staples with French touches and an array of sushi selections.
The restaurant provides a combination of outdoor and indoor seating with breathtaking Fort Lauderdale Beach’s views.
Guests can savor a variety of dishes here, such as spicy hot tuna rolls, Spanish grilled octopus, mushroom truffle flat bread, and lamb chops.
16. Larb Thai-Isan
This is a warm Fort Lauderdale restaurant that offers genuine Northeastern Thai dishes.
Although it was an undiscovered treasure, it has now become a favorite destination for delicious meals such as duck curry, pad keemao noodles, khao soi, som tum, and larb.
17. Riverside Market Cafe
This is a relaxed venue that features a varied menu and a wide array of more than 550 specialty wines, craft beers, gourmet sodas, waters, and teas.
The diverse decor here features mismatched sofas for guests to unwind and savor their drinks.
This cafe is favored by both beer lovers and those new to the world of craft beer.
Also, it's recognized for providing a genuine Jewish deli eating experience and remarkable breakfast sandwiches.
18. Dolce Salato
This is a relaxed counter-service establishment featuring a tasty Italian menu that emphasizes gelato and pizza, which can be ordered for delivery or take-out.
This family-owned restaurant takes pride in delivering a genuine Italian culinary experience.
19. Casa Sensei
Casa Sensei stands as a well-known restaurant situated in downtown of Fort Lauderdale, providing a distinctive mix of Latin American cooking styles and Pan-Asian tastes.
The restaurant offers a sunlit atmosphere with a patio, creating a lovely backdrop for savoring its varied menu.
Guests can enjoy a variety of plates here including pork belly Korean burgers, lobster egg Benedict, and French toast filled with guava cheese.
20. Mai-Kai
This is a lively local attraction that has continued to captivate visitors since 1956.
This restaurant provides a vibrant setting featuring tiki bars, classic Polynesian shows, and vibrant South Pacific dishes.
Visitors can savor tropical drinks and unique meals here from their celebrated menu while watching nimble warriors and graceful maidens showcase South Pacific traditional dances.
21. Burlock Coast
Burlock Coast provides a distinctive dining experience influenced by the old Prohibition period.
This restaurant has a rustic and stylish ambiance and offers rum-based cocktails within a speakeasy-themed bar.
The restaurant's weekend brunch offerings feature middle neck steamed clams, a smoked salmon platter, and unlimited mimosas.
22. Canyon Restaurant
Situated in Fort Lauderdale's center, this restaurant has continued to please guests for more than 25 years thanks to its distinctive fusion of international flavors and Southwestern American dishes.
This lively bistro is famous for its creative meals which include a blue cornmeal crunchy chile relleno filled with goat cheese and wonderfully paired with the restaurant's signature pricklypear margarita.
23. Boatyard
This is a well-known restaurant by the water situated inside Fort Lauderdale.
It provides a relaxed environment and draws in guests of various age groups with its lively bar scene, steak and seafood meals, and the chance to observe yachts at the marina.
This restaurant embodies the city's laid-back and seaside atmosphere, offering expansive harbor vistas for a memorable meal.
Boatyard Restaurant is also recognized for its creative coastal dishes which feature standout options such as seafood paella.
24. Wild Sea Las Olas
This is a contemporary and chic seafood restaurant, providing stunning Intracoastal Waterway views.
Featuring live music during certain days, it's an ideal place to savor exquisite dishes while soaking up the vibrant ambiance of the Las Olas Bvd of Fort Lauderdale.
25. Blue Moon Fish Company
This is a high-end seafood restaurant that has gained popularity with food lovers for its charming atmosphere, outdoor patio, and buffet brunch on Sundays.
It is situated in Lauderdale-ByThe-Sea and features Caribbean seafood meals with expansive Intercoastal Waterway views.
The restaurant's Art Deco stylish dining area and airy outdoor dock create a lively atmosphere for guests to relish their meals.
26. Louie Bossi's
This is a lively Italian restaurant situated in Fort Lauderdale.
The inside of the restaurant showcases delightful elements such as tin ceilings, wooden beams, and cushioned leather booths, whereas the outdoor patio features a lovely garden-like atmosphere with brick paths, fireside pits, and a nice bocce court.
27. Rendezvous
Rendezvous is an excellent family-oriented grill situated in Marina Mile, providing traditional American dishes with a view of the water.
The restaurant offers a large patio for visitors to relax and live music.
Its menu features delectable choices like calamari, bacon-wrapped scallop, beef satay, penne cajun chicken pasta, and lobster linguini and shrimp.
28. La Dolce Vita
This is a premier Italian eatery inside Fort Lauderdale, celebrated for its tasty Northern Italian pasta and meat specialties.
Its comfortable room is decorated with stills from Fellini films, establishing an elegant ambiance.
Guests always receive a warm welcome here and are treated as if they are part of the family, rendering it an ideal place for a laid-back dining experience or a date.
The restaurant's broad menu features traditional Italian tastes that are tasty and fresh, including pasta prepared fresh every day.
29. Kaluz Restaurant
Kaluz Restaurant, situated in Commercial Boulevard, was conceived by Carlos Demirjian, an Argentine entrepreneur.
After achieving success in Buenos Aires with his restaurant ‘Kansas City Grills’, he introduced his culinary skills to the US in the year 2013 with the 200-seat restaurant by the water.
The menu here features a range of options such as fried starters, salads, flatbreads, burgers, and hearty main courses like diver scallop.
30. MAASS Restaurant
MAASS Restaurant within Four Seasons provides an upscale dining experience featuring intricately designed dishes that appear as artworks.
The professional chefs and elegant dining room here establish a refined ambiance, offering items such as avocados filled with king crab plus caviar, foie gras macaron, and specialties cooked over wood fire.
Although this restaurant is near the ocean, it's still emphasizing exceptional cuisine more than picturesque vistas.
31. TAKATO
This is a fashionable Fort Lauderdale restaurant that combines Japanese and Korean cuisine.
Located in the lively Conrad Hotel, the restaurant features breathtaking ocean vistas and a nice menu crafted by Taek Lee, a well-known local chef.
The cuisine here merges Korean and Japanese tastes, showcasing dishes such as short ribs jabche, wagyu galbi slider, sushi, and agemono.
The restaurant's dining spaces, both inside and outside, offer stunning views of the ocean while you savor delicious dishes.
32. Cafe Vico Restaurant
This is a delightful, family-run Northern Italian dining spot situated inside Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
This place is recognized for its lovely romantic atmosphere featuring candlelit interiors and al fresco dining, and it has been offering genuine Italian dishes for up to 25 years.
Regarded as one of South Florida’s best five restaurants, it ensures a pleasurable dining adventure with exquisite wines, live music, and delicious Italian meals such as risotto with truffle and beef.
33. Cafe Seville
This is a delightful, family-run restaurant that provides a cozy and welcoming environment to enjoy authentic Spanish dishes.
Situated in a nice strip mall close to Lauderdale Beach, this restaurant’s Spanish-inspired decor features arched windows, white tablecloths, and dim lighting which creates an ambiance perfect for a fun romantic meal.
34. Heritage
This is a modern and lively restaurant situated in Fort Lauderdale’s arts area.
Rino Cerbone, the chef and owner, has transformed Italian gastronomy here by emphasizing quality and creativity.
Heritage Restaurant’s menu features an array of unique pizzas, salads, and appetizers like agrodocle calamari and squash blossoms.
The cozy atmosphere here suggests that it is wise to book ahead.
Even, this well-known location has also turned into a preferred choice for commemorations and fun nights out.
35. Foxy Brown
Foxy Brown stands as a US bistro that provides a blend of classic and refined culinary experiences.
Throughout the week, the restaurant provides substantial dinner options, and on weekend, it changes into a spot with refined brunch selections.
The menu here highlights signature homemade doughnuts, short rib Benedict, and a pancake selection that changes daily.
This restaurant merges beloved childhood dishes with contemporary elements to offer a nostalgic and inventive dining experience.
36. El Vez
This is a colorful Mexican restaurant situated within W Fort Lauderdale, featuring an energetic ambiance and breathtaking ocean vistas from its expansive patio.
The restaurant's menu includes renowned Mexican Baja-inspired dishes, offering choices for vegetarians, vegans, and anybody on a gluten-free diet.
Visitors can take pleasure in the complete bar and extra outdoor seating here to relish the waterfront views.
Owners of dogs will also value the pet-friendly features in the restaurant like bacon snacks and chicken liver for their four-legged friends.
37. Southport Raw Bar and Restaurant
This is a cherished establishment within Fort Lauderdale that provides a relaxed waterside dining atmosphere.
Boasting more than 40 years in history, it is a popular destination for visitors to savor raw fresh-bar selections alongside wine and beer on the patio by the dock.
After completing renovations, while preserving its traditional Old Florida atmosphere, the restaurant introduced a liquor bar.
So, whether you’re dropping in for a fast lunch or spending a fun evening with buddies, Southport provides a flavor of genuine South Florida life.
38. Etna Rosso Ristorante
This is a relaxed restaurant offering genuine Southern Italian dishes.
The restaurant’s menu includes a range of options including fresh fish and homemade pasta.
Some standout dishes here are Gnocchi Gorgonzola and Walnuts, Bolognese, and Pasta Fruti Di Mare.
This restaurant takes pride in serving South Florida’s most authentic Italian cuisine.
39. Rustic Inn Crabhouse
This is a lively restaurant close to the airport. Since 1955, it has been offering its famous garlic crab.
Located in DaniaBeach, this waterfront restaurant features both indoor and outdoor seating, creating a delightful Old Florida vibe.
And alongside their renowned steaming garlic crabs, their menu here includes Florida favorites like fried alligator, frog legs, conch fritters, conch salad, and during the season, sweet stone crab from Florida.
40. Doc B's
This is a well-liked American dining spot famous for its comfort seasonal dishes offered in a chic and modern atmosphere.
Since it opened, it has turned into a beloved local hangout, providing a cozy and welcoming vibe.
Its menu showcases handcrafted meals made with premium ingredients such as large salads, burgers, unique entrees, and sandwiches, the signature WokOut Bowl, and decadent desserts.
The restaurant also offers a wide variety of craft beers, wines, spirits, and unique cocktails.
41. Katherine Restaurant
This is a well-liked venue famous for its varied and internationally-inspired menu.
It has a nice Sunday brunch that showcases distinctive offerings such as Thai curry shrimp with grits, carbonara mac, and beet toast.
You can pair your meal here with invigorating cocktails like jalapen bloody Mary and mimosas, or select from a range of organic wines and local beers.
42. Casa DAngelo Ristorante
This is a high-end Northern Italian restaurant situated in the city of Fort Lauderdale.
Ever since its inauguration in 1998, the restaurant has led the way in Fort Lauderdale's food landscape.
Angelo Elia, the owner of the restaurant and executive chef, has received acclaim for his genuine 'Old Country' dishes and has also been recognized by numerous esteemed sources.
This restaurant serves classic Tuscan cuisine made from fresh ingredients and features an extensive wine selection too.
43. Steak 954
Steak 954 stands as a modern steakhouse situated in the lively W Hotel, featuring breathtaking ocean vistas and a stylish ambiance.
The steakhouse boasts an unusual decor and offers innovative meals that are ideal for celebrations.
Steak 954’s exciting new brunch offering features raw bar classics, Wagyu beef options, and exclusive weekend treats such as king crab-topped lobster and avocado toast accompanied by grits and shrimp in a lobster brandy cream sauce.
44. Bombay Darbar
This is a well-known venue that started in Miami’s Coconut Grove.
It offers an indulgent Sunday brunch together with a constantly rotating buffet selection that includes a range of vegetarian and meat dishes, basmati rice, naan, and many other Indian specialties.
The atmosphere here is fashionable and lively, resembling a nightclub in South Beach with beautifully arranged drinks and food.
The vibrant theme in this restaurant creates an ideal atmosphere for a remarkable dining experience.
45. Shooters Waterfront Cafe
This is a casual venue situated on Fort Lauderdale’s Intracoastal Waterway, featuring a chill vibe with lovely water scenery and live music.
Since its opening in the year 1982, the cafe has turned into an essential spot to visit on the lovely Gold Coast.
This restaurant offers a perfect outdoor atmosphere to relish South Florida’s way of life, with excited visitors enjoying the beautiful weather and captivating sights of boats cruising by.
46. S3
S3, which is Sun, Surf, & Sand, stands as a high-end Fort Lauderdale restaurant that provides a stylish dining experience.
Its menu highlights locally sourced coastal and New American dishes, drinks, and sushi.
The restaurant's seaside setting offers breathtaking Atlantic Ocean views, and its elegant design renders it a favored destination for residents and tourists alike.
