From kosher burgers to viral pizza to big brasserie rebrands, buzzy restaurant newcomers are heading to South Florida later this summer and fall. Here are nine eateries we’re anticipating in Broward and Palm Beach counties. Please note: Opening dates are subject to change.
Broward County
Peppi’s Pizza, 1900 E. Sunrise Blvd., Fort Lauderdale: This pizza parlor became a viral sensation when Barstool Sports’ Dave Portnoy featured the Miami location in his “One Bite” pizza review series. The chef/owner is Ryan McKeown, who appeared on the first season of the Bravo-TV series “Below Deck Down Under.” McKeown also has Peppi’s Steaks & Hoagies inside Miami’s Brightline station, but this is his first foodie foray into Broward County, choosing The Gateway Shopping District for his latest debut. OPENING: End of September or early October, per McKeown. INFORMATION: peppispizzamia.com
Anthony Nader @52Chefs
Ryan McKeown, chef and owner of Peppi’s Pizza, appeared in the first season of “Below Deck Down Under.” (Anthony Nader@52Chefs/Courtesy)
CAVA, 1344 SE 17th St., Fort Lauderdale: This Mediterranean fast-casual chain from Washington, D.C., which features pitas and build-your-own bowls, is scheduled to open this weekend in the South Harbor Plaza. It’s part of a South Florida growth spurt that includes recent openings in Delray Beach, Plantation, Hialeah and Miami’s Brickell neighborhood. Dishes include harissa avocado bowls, steak and feta pitas, and falafel crunch salads. OPENING: The venue will host timed “Community Day” seatings Aug. 8-9 to diners who register via Eventbrite.com, followed by an Aug. 10 grand opening, according to spokesperson Emma Vogt. INFORMATION: Cava.com
CAVA / Courtesy
CAVA, the Mediterranean-focused bowl and pita chain, will open its newest location with a series of events starting Aug. 8. (CAVA/Courtesy)
Motek by the Sea, 401 N. Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd., Fort Lauderdale: For the first time, Motek is moving into Broward County. The brand already operates a location in Boca Raton, plus multiple in Miami-Dade County and New York. The upscale Israeli-style Mediterranean restaurant will take over the space that was Stephen Starr’s oceanside El Vez at the W Fort Lauderdale hotel. “With its oceanfront location and unmatched views, Motek by the Sea represents everything we strive for: warmth, quality, and an experience worth returning to,” said owner Charlie Levy, founder of Happy Corner Hospitality. OPENING: November, according to the public relations firm. INFORMATION: motek.com
Barchetta, 1850 SE 17th St.; Fort Lauderdale: The seventh and final restaurant/bar to open at the Omni Fort Lauderdale hotel, Barchetta (Italian for “little boat”) will offer a still-under-wraps menu of steaks, handmade pastas and fresh seafood under chef Cristian Mosquera. The Italian chophouse’s dining room will be distinguished by Art Deco finishes, marble tables, a wine wall and a vintage red motorcycle suspended over the rear bar. OPENING: Fall, per Omni spokesperson Jordan Cook. INFORMATION: OmniHotels.com
Phở Bar Vietnamese Kitchen, 2515 E. Atlantic Blvd., Pompano Beach: After much success in Broward County, owner Minh Do (who also runs 545° Bánh Mì Café) will grow his Phở Bar footprint with this sister location, joining outposts in Pembroke Pines, Orlando and Boston. The restaurant will serve crispy tamarind wings, coconut mussels, rice flour crepes and many varieties of pho, from flank and brisket to rare eye round. OPENING: Late August or early September, per the owner. INFORMATION: PhoBar.co
Marina Fiore
A rendering of the bar at Tonno Nero, which is headed to Fort Lauderdale this fall. (Marina Fiore/Courtesy)
Tonno Nero, 510 N. Federal Highway, Fort Lauderdale: Led by Michelin-trained chef Joe Anthony, this restaurant is taking over the space that was formerly Tacocraft Taqueria & Tequila Bar, adding what they described as an ingredient-first philosophy and a coast-to-coast approach to cooking. The menu is designed around responsibly-sourced seafood, handmade pastas and breads, as well as dishes inspired by the flavors of South Florida and the Mediterranean. The name? It’s Italian for “black tuna,” describing both the vibe (“dark, a little enigmatic, slightly playful”) and the culinary direction (“tuna sits at the center of Mediterranean culture, something you build a meal around”). OPENING: This fall, according to its public relations firm. INFORMATION: tonnonero.com
Marina Fiore
This rendering offers another peek inside the new Tonno Nero in Fort Lauderdale. (Marina Fiore/Courtesy)
Meat Master Burger, 6770 Stirling Road, Hollywood: When it debuts this month, this kosher burger takeout will be a spinoff of owner Avraham Dadon’s ORB-certified Meat Master Kosher BBQ butchery and grocery next door. The 650-foot space will offer a small menu of half-pounders alongside french fries and other sides that are still being finalized, Dadon told the Sun Sentinel. OPENING: Late August, per Dadon. INFORMATION: MeatMasterBBQ.com
Meat Master Kosher BBQ / Courtesy
Chef and butcher Avraham Dadon’s Meat Master Kosher BBQ in Hollywood, pictured here, is opening a burger-focused spinoff next door in late August called Meat Master Burger. (Meat Master Kosher BBQ/Courtesy)
Palm Beach County
Boca Brasserie, 5377 Town Center Road, Suite 200, Boca Raton: This Boca reboot of Stage Kitchen & Bar is expected to arrive six short weeks after its final July 5 dinner service, with a revamped menu of prime rib, burgers, matzoh ball soup, sourdough flatbreads and tableside martinis. The swap to American comfort classics came after chef Pushkar Marathe realized that Stage’s slate of tandoori churrasco, truffle naan and Peruvian chicken was too adventurous for folks who “like to be in their comfort zones,” he said. OPENING: Mid-August, according to Marathe. INFORMATION: BocaBrasserie.com
Man Ray, 522 Lucerne Ave., Lake Worth Beach: The latest offshoot of Subculture Group brainiac Rodney Mayo is part-art gallery celebrating Dadaism and part-restaurant. After a year of buildout, it’s expected to debut this month in downtown Lake Worth Beach, replacing the former CWS Bar + Kitchen, he told the Sun Sentinel. The American restaurant, a kindred spinoff of Subculture’s Dada in Delray Beach, will offer cedar plank salmon, country-fried steak frites and martinis in an arty space adorned with murals, lyrics by Joy Division, and lines from Kurt Vonnegut novels. OPENING: Late August, per Mayo. INFORMATION: Sub-Culture.org/Man-Ray
Anthony Nader @52Chefs
Ryan McKeown is chef and owner of Peppi’s Pizza, which is opening a second location in Fort Lauderdale. (Anthony Nader@52Chefs/Courtesy)
Dining and Cooking