We aren’t halfway into 2025, but it’s clear that Palm Beach County’s dining scene is hopping. In the county’s northern reaches, the new kids on the block are offering up fresh takes on ice cream and polishing those die hard favorites like pizza. The region is also home to two long-awaited revivals, both with waterfront locations.
Remember, these are just the latest additions. North county is also home to plenty of tried-and-true restaurants, including three that recently earned Michelin “selected” status: The Butcher’s Club in Palm Beach Gardens, a buzzy steakhouse at the PGA National Resort. Coolinary & the Parched Pig in Palm Beach Gardens, a neighborhood-y spot known for indulgent comfort food.Stage in Palm Beach Gardens which imbues Indian influences on its menu through spices and concepts but is not an Indian restaurant.
Palm Beach Gardens
Crispy Cones
Opened on Feb. 7 and one of only a few like it in the country, this Palm Beach Gardens shop serves up gourmet soft serve ice cream in a unique cone made famous on the show “Shark Tank.” A feast for the senses, those cones are made by wrapping dough around a wooden dowl and grilling them rotisserie-style until golden. And the ice cream? Local Crispy Cones franchise owners Vincent and Angela Canella were instant fans. “Vinny and I, we love ice cream.” “When we tasted the chocolate, we couldn’t believe it. It was like Häagen-Dazs in a swirl.”
Details: 11940 US 1, Palm Beach Gardens. thecrispycones.com/palmbeachgardens
Waterway Cafe
Good things come to those who wait and after 18-months, Waterway Cafe is finally reopened. Following this multi-million dollar renovation, the beloved restaurant is once again open for business with a menu that packs significant seafood and steak offerings. The entire property was remodeled, including the crumbling seawall and what the cafe boasts is Florida’s only floating bar. There was initial talk about changing Waterfront’s concept and name, but after the first week the new owners said they realized that idea was a no-go. “I probably spoke to 40 people who first met their spouse here decades ago, and now they were enjoying a drink with their adult kids. So many memories were created here, and that’s a tradition we want to continue,” said Marc Mariacher, who owns and operates the restaurant with his wife Cindy. ~Diana Biederman
Details: 2300 PGA Blvd., Palm Beach Gardens. waterwaycafe.com
Macaron Maestro
Macaron Maestro promises a treat that is far from your typical variety of macaron. These are ginormous as well as elaborately and elegantly designed. Through plenty of testing, they have managed to create a cookie that perfectly balances the three components of a macaron-shell, ganache and jam. In addition, the treats are gluten-free because they are made with almond flour. Macaron Maestro is open Tuesday through Sunday and closed on Monday. ~Diana Biederman
Details: 7100 Fairway Drive, unit 56, Palm Beach Gardens. macaronmaestro.com
North Palm Beach
Leonardi’s
This newcomer to the Palm Beach County pizza scene opened in February and is already developing quite a following. Nominated for The Palm Beach Post’s Pizza Madness challenge, Leonardi’s started off in the Sweet 16 and made it all the way to the Final 4 before eventually falling to Delray Beach heavyweight Death by Pizza. Needless to say, that after only two months in business, Leonardi’s “Inspired by Brooklyn” pies are worth checking out. ~Diana Biederman
Details: 11575 US 1, North Palm Beach. leonardispizzafl.com
Palm Beach Shores
Buccaneer Waterfront Bar & Grill
Opened in the mid-1950s and closed in the early 2000s, this iconic, Singer Island restaurant has been resurrected. Though the location required major renovations, the new owners worked hard to keep as much of the original as possible. They repurposed much of the original bar, saved many of the fixtures and even the original emblems that had the Buccaneer logo. “We tried to save as much as we could and weave it into the new design,” said Sharfing Holdings Inc. partner Ryan Steely. Reopened on March 18, the new restaurant is helmed by Hell’s Kitchen winner Paul Niedermann. It features a diverse menu with many dishes inspired by Niedermann’s travels like the Mexican Street Corn pizza. Other dishes include the pan-roasted local mahi, lemon & rosemary brick oven chicken and local grouper cioppino. Palm Beach Shores Mayor Alan Fiers, said that in it’s heyday “The Bucc was the place to be!”
Details: 142 Lake Drive, Palm Beach Shores. buccgrill.com
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Waterfront revivals highlight what’s new on northern Palm Beach County’s restaurant scene
Reporting by Eddie Ritz and Diana Biederman, Palm Beach Post / Palm Beach Post
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
