A restaurant space in a prime location on Palm Beach’s historic Main Street has a new tenant, although it will be months before diners are able to sample the fare.
Élephante, a restaurant described by its owner as “Mediterranean upscale,” is planned to replace the former Almond restaurant, which closed in May 2024 in the landmarked 207 Royal Poinciana Way.
The Town Council at its Jan. 14 development review meeting voted unanimously to approve two special exceptions and a variance that pave the way not only for Élephante and its outdoor streetside seating, but also for an expansion into neighboring space at 208 and 210 Sunset Ave.
Élephante is part of the Wish You Were Here Group, a hospitality company based in California with restaurants in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, New York City and Scottsdale, according to its website.
“I’m so excited to actually be able to work in this town,” said Nick Mathers, the Australian-born founder of Wish You Were Here Group. “And I also think for us, we like to come to places and actually be part of the community.”
The project is expected to return to the council during its Feb. 11 meeting for consideration of a proposed “declaration of use” agreement to addresses traffic, parking and business hours.
The property is owned by the Breakers-affiliated corporation Flagler System Management Inc., which acquired the buildings in a 2024 deal with The Frisbie Group. That purchase expanded Flagler System’s ever-growing commercial real estate foothold on Royal Poinciana Way.
The address at 207 Royal Poinciana Way has a storied restaurant pedigree. It was the original home of longtime Palm Beach eatery Testa’s, which operated there from 1929 to 1946. It then saw its sign change several times through the decades, including a long stretch as Chuck & Harold’s before a nine-year run as Nick & Johnnie’s.
A request for a variance to put the restaurant’s name on the awning, which the council granted, is an homage to Testa’s, said attorney James Crowley, who represented Flagler System Management before the council.
“We think it will be beneficial for the facade and the aesthetics of the building,” he said.
The awning design, Crowley noted, will need to be reviewed by the town’s Landmarks Preservation Commission, because of the landmark status of the front facade of 207 Royal Poinciana Way.
The plan for the Sunset Avenue addresses is to combine the two retail spaces into one to create a market where people will be able to grab a quick coffee or a sandwich, along with other items from Élephante, Crowley said.
The windows and doors that open to the outdoor dining area along Royal Poinciana Way will remain, as will the ceiling, which can open and close as needed, said Keith Spina of Spina O’Rourke and Partners, the architect for the project.
While Mathers is from Australia, he said he has “an affinity for Palm Beach” after frequent trips here that started 22 years ago. Growing up, he played polo in Wellington, he said. He later dated a woman who had a house on Australian Avenue.
The proposed facade on Sunset Avenue is “more architecturally successful” than the existing one, said Mayor Danielle Moore. She questioned if the market would take business away from Main Street by The Breakers just north on Royal Poinciana Way in Via Flagler.
“Our mission was to bring Main Street back to Main Street,” said Paul Leone, CEO of Flagler System Management and The Breakers. “And in this particular property (we wanted) a restaurant — we’re in the restaurant business, as everyone knows — but I felt like we have enough restaurants in our collection, and we wanted to find the perfect partner.”
The building has been dormant for a long time, Leone said, noting that the location posed a rare opportunity both for Flagler System and a potential tenant. Their goal was to make sure any restaurant concept would be complementary not just to The Breakers and Flagler System but also to Palm Beach, he said.
The market side of the business is intended to, in a similar way, complement Main Street by The Breakers, Leone said. Main Street has been “incredibly successful in serving the town” as a gift shop that sells home accessories and food items such as coffee, he said. But Élephante will bring a different element to the area, he added.
The Élephante market will include a bakery with fresh breads and croissants, plus a hot-item section with sandwiches and coffee, Mathers said. There also will be smoothies and fresh juices, he said.
“We won’t be really competing in that retail element,” Mathers said.
Asked by Council Member Bridget Moran if Élephante would be a regional draw similar to a restaurant such as Nobu, Mathers said his concept is “very, very Palm Beach specific.”
“I want to find something unique in what we do, and so we (will) change our menu and our brand a little bit,” he said.
Kristina Webb is a reporter for Palm Beach Daily News, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach her at kwebb@pbdailynews.com. Subscribe today to support our journalism.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Daily News: Élephante restaurant planned for Palm Beach with neighboring market
Reporting by Kristina Webb, Palm Beach Daily News / Palm Beach Daily News
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