West Palm Beach always seems to be booming with one new development or office building, especially in the downtown area. Even with all those people and all that foot traffic restaurateurs crave, however, sometimes it’s just not enough.
A favorite spot can succumb to bad timing, traffic snarls, changing tastes, increased competition or rent hikes. Other places just never catch on. And sometimes it’s hard to keep up with what’s closed.
Here are six ‘Orchid City’ (aka West Palm Beach) restaurants that closed in 2026. We mourn their loss while celebrating the good times and great meals we may have had.
West Palm Beach
Oriental Food Market, West Palm Beach
This much-loved, tiny Thai specialty grocery store at 4919 S. Dixie Highway was forced to close on March 1. Operating at the same location for more than 40 years, Oriental Food Market had become extremely popular and was a go-to spot for dishes like house-made kimchi, papaya salad, sticky rice, spring rolls and much more. The closing was unexpected, they said, explaining that their landlord refused to renew the lease. One customer who managed to secure the last two quarts of kimchi before they closed said “You’ll never get this flavor and freshness again,” she said. “This is a community restaurant.”
Tropical BBQ Market, West Palm Beach
Sister restaurant to the wildly popular Tropical Smokehouse in West Palm Beach and a new Tropical Smokehouse in Delray Beach, Tropical BBQ Market on Olive Avenue closed in March. This fast-casual outlet focused on Florida and Caribbean flavors. Owner, chef and pitmaster Rick Mace said it was a hard call to make and that one of the factors was the immediate success of the new Delray Beach restaurant. The booming business at the recently opened Atlantic Avenue location made them realize where they should focus their energy, he said. “We have a location that’s three years old and is still doing smaller sales volume than a store that’s three months old.”
Morton’s The Steakhouse, West Palm Beach
Operating out of downtown West Palm Beach’s iconic Phillips Point building for more than 30 years, the popular restaurant served its last meals on May 31. Known for old-school service and white-table-cloth ritual, for decades Morton’s The Restaurant was the place where business deals unfolded over ribeyes and martinis and the city’s professional class returned again and again. They still have a location in Boca Raton.
City Cellar, West Palm Beach
The last of CityPlace’s original restaurants closed its doors on May 24 after a 25-year run. Opened in 2000 as part of the downtown shopping and dining development’s original lineup, City Cellar was owned by South Florida-based hospitality firm Big Time Restaurant Group. The business was founded in the early 1990s by Todd Herbst, Bill Watson and Lisabet Summa. A popular spot for business lunches, City Cellar attracted attorneys and judges from the Palm Beach County courthouse. “It was the cafeteria for the courthouse,” Watson said. Attorneys, judges, business leaders and journalists were regulars, he said. “If you wanted to know who was who around West Palm Beach, that’s where you went to lunch.”
Grease Burger Bar, West Palm Beach
This burger destination closed its doors in mid-July after 17 years on Clematis Street. Known for creative burgers, that featured a house-ground blend of dry-aged sirloin, chuck and brisket and was offered in 10-ounce and Viking-worthy 12-ounce monsters, Grease Burger Bar’s closing was a gut punch to many. In 2014, one of their burgers was featured on The Travel Channel program “Food Paradise.” The segment highlighted then chef Jordan Stilley’s gargantuan creation “The Grease Beast.” The behemoth featured two grilled cheese sandwiches as buns that bookended a hulking 12-ounce patty topped with golden fries, crispy onion rings, cheese sauce and a quick drizzle of ranch.
Juliana’s Pizza, West Palm Beach
In the Nora District just north of downtown, this pizzeria had a pedigree that should have guaranteed a long run. Sadly, despite Brooklyn roots and ties to pizza icon and Grimaldi founder Patsy Grimaldi, it was not meant to be. After opening in November 2025, Juliana’s Pizza closed its doors in June. Some online comments decried the high prices, while others said the space was just too big or that it was just a matter of poor timing.
Eddie Ritz is a journalist at The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach him at eritz@pbpost.com. Help support our journalism. Subscribe today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Six notable West Palm Beach restaurants that closed so far in 2026
Reporting by Eddie Ritz, Palm Beach Post / Palm Beach Post
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Eddie Ritz, Palm Beach Post | USA TODAY Network
