New restaurants recently opened in Vero Beach, Fort Pierce, Port St. Lucie and Stuart.
TCPalm tells you where to find food locally on the Treasure Coast
TCPalm’s entertainment reporter Laurie K. Blandford finds the best food, reports on new restaurants and goes behind the scenes to tell their stories.
New restaurants recently opened feature coffee, Mexican food, prepared meals, Cuban food, pizza, Italian food, Japanese steakhouse and fine dining experiences.
In case you missed any of the stories for subscribers that TCPalm previously posted throughout the past month about new restaurants — as well as those that closed — here’s a roundup with links.
Click “read the full story” for the name, location, hours, photos, menu highlights, signature dishes and more information about the restaurants, especially exclusive interviews with chefs and owners. If you have restaurant news, please email laurie.blandford@tcpalm.com.
NEW RESTAURANTSCoffee shop, Mexican cafe
Two Indiantown natives have opened the area’s only local coffee shop and Mexican cafe. They serve specialty coffee, collaborating with Gainesville-based Sweetwater Organic Coffee Co. From the bakery, they currently offer pan dulce, or Mexican sweet bread, and a popular jalapeno roll with ham and cheese. Read the full story.
Upscale dining experience
A special event venue in downtown Vero Beach recently added a new upscale dining experience and cabaret shows. Highlights of the full menu featuring small plates and entrees include ahi tuna poke avocado Napoleon, pan-charred Mediterranean octopus and seared Australian lamb chops. Read the full story.
Food hall, indoor market
An indoor market with over 100 vendors has opened in downtown Fort Pierce. It also includes a food hall with a cafe, coffee shop, dessert bar, beer and wine bar and a candy and sweets shop. Pop-up boutiques sell clothes, jewelry and leatherwork, home decor and health and beauty products. Read the full story.
Cuban bakery, Cuban coffee
A new bakery bringing classic Cuban desserts has opened in Port St. Lucie. It has an in-house baker making Cuban desserts and bread daily. The Cuban bread is used for sandwiches and sold to customers. Read the full story.
Grab-and-go prepared meals
A national health food chain has opened a Stuart location where you can either walk in or order online for pickup or delivery from a menu of grab-and-go, heat-and-eat prepared meals focused on nutrition. Read the full story.
Japanese steakhouse, sushi
A family-run Japanese steakhouse has opened in Vero Beach. The Japanese-trained chef emphasizes quality ingredients and uses only bluefin tuna and Scottish or Norwegian salmon. Read the full story.
Italian restaurant, pizzeria
A 37-year-old family-run Italian restaurant that began in Jupiter has set its sights on the Treasure Coast. There’s a full bar, indoor-only seating, online ordering, pickup or delivery and live music. Read the full story.
COMING SOONHistoric, haunted building
A new restaurant will breathe life back into one of the oldest, most historic and most haunted buildings on the Treasure Coast. The menu gives nods to Boston with New England clam chowder, lobster rolls with caviar, and Porterhouse steaks. The history of the building is scattered across the walls of the waiting room. Read the full story.
CLOSED RESTAURANTSVegan, vegetarian food closes
One of only a handful of vegan or vegetarian restaurants on the Treasure Coast has closed after 10 years. It was started by a longtime vegan and animal lover who opened a small juice bar and cafe in 2015 that grew into a full-service restaurant. Read the full story.
National chain location closes
A national chain has closed one of its locations on the Treasure Coast, leaving only two locations remaining in the area. The closure comes after the business filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Read the full story.
Laurie K. Blandford is TCPalm’s entertainment reporter dedicated to finding the best things to do on the Treasure Coast. Email her at laurie.blandford@tcpalm.com. Sign up for her What To Do in 772 weekly newsletter at tcpalm.com/newsletters.
Dining and Cooking