The city welcomes a surge of culinary excellence for locals & visitors alike
West Palm Beach was not only named Tripadvisor’s top trending travel destination in the United States this year, but it is also emerging as a top culinary community. As visitors clamor for immersive experiences and locals demand diverse options at all price points and access to fresh and organic ingredients as well as international delicacies, food tourism has taken off throughout the US and certainly in the state of Florida, which is now host to multiple cities that have restaurants and hotels receiving Michelin recognition. A robust display of dining and beverage offerings can be found throughout the city’s myriad of neighborhoods, making way for continued and expanded culinary experiences.
As home to James Beard Award-nominated chefs like Clay Conley and Lindsay Autry, and the recent arrival of the Michelin Foundation, the dining scene is scaling new heights. Just this year, restaurants Aioli and Palm Beach Meats received the coveted Michelin Bib Gourmand, with Moody Tongue Sushi, and Buccan’s Sandwich Shop also receiving a recommendation in the dining guide.
USA Today recognized Mary Lou’s as one of the best – and most celebrity-visited – bars in the country in 2025; while standout wine bar The Blind Monk was included in Travel + Leisure’s roundup of top wine bars in the United States. Recognition has continued in highly respected regional media outlets such as Modern Luxury, where Elisabetta’s Ristorante, Felice, Grato, and Il Bellagio were named as Palm Beach County’s Top Italian Restaurants and the Palm Beach Post’s designation of Sour Seed Bagels as the king of local bagel shops.
Creativity and sustainability go hand in hand for those who are interested in learning about regional foods and food sourcing. Local farms like Bedner’s personify the farm-to-table ethos that so many are interested in exploring, being the go-to source for organic local produce for chefs throughout the state. And with the recent opening of Eataly at CityPlace, in the historic Harriet Himmel Theater, a new marketplace for Italian gourmet foods provides yet another location for high end quality ingredients. Meanwhile, the West Palm Beach GreenMarket, one of the top farmers markets in the United States, occupies prime downtown real estate on Clematis Street. Celebrating its 30th year, what was once a small neighborhood vegetable stand has grown into a 130-vendor seasonal Saturday staple for locals and visitors that has become so popular that there’s a Mornings in the Market tour for culinary adventurers seeking curated tastings at the market.
West Palm Beach Food Tours also hosts popular tours in downtown West Palm Beach and a Historic Neighborhood Food Tour which goes beyond downtown and into the city’s historic neighborhoods to sample everything from authentic Cuban cuisine, celebrity chef offerings and amazing barbecue.
Explore farm-to-table fare at local haunts such as Fern, True Food Kitchen and Avocado Grill. The City of West Palm Beach continues to evolve, with its culinary renaissance as no exception. Locals’ favorites showcase the variety of cuisine available – from upscale comfort food at The Blue Door in SoSo, to the Queen of Sheba for Ethiopian food in the historic Northwest. Tropical Smokehouse serves up barbecue in two locations, while acclaimed taco truck Tacos El Viejon boasts lines year-round.
With eclectic dining destinations like Malka’s – a high-end kosher restaurant that is one of the toughest reservations in town – to the oldest and potentially most beloved steak house in Florida – Okeechobee Steakhouse, and more culinary destinations on the horizon including nationally renowned New York imports like H&H Bagels and Pastis in up and coming The NORA District there’s something delicious for everyone today, tomorrow, and to come.
