Our Blogger Bite series continues this month with Cristyle Egitto of leading food blog Eat Palm Beach. The South Florida native and University of Florida grad launched her blog in 2013, when Instagram was just starting and the world of influencers had not yet emerged. She started it as a way to rediscover Palm Beach County that had gone through a massive transformation since she left for college.
Starting humbly by posting restaurant reviews, Cristyle has grown her IG audience now to nearly 30k followers. “The community really rallied around it and made it what they wanted it to be, and it’s been a fun ride ever since,” she says.
This year the foodie blogger, mom, wife and entrepreneur added author to her accomplishments when she published the international guidebook “111 Places in Palm Beach That You Must Not Miss”.
While our dining scene is ever changing, where does Cristyle keep going back to again and again? We sat down with her to find out.
Sara’s Kitchen
“I love breakfast,” she exclaims. So when she’s craving something extra special she heads over to this diner for its famous Red, White & Blue French Toast. The challah bread is thick–but not dense–and it’s topped with a rainbow of berries and fruit, which makes Cristyle feel like it’s a little bit of a healthy choice.
2000 PGA Blvd., Palm Beach Gardens; 561/540-2822; saraskitchenpga.com
Alaina’s Café & Bake Shoppe
Cristyle frequents this restaurant run by her high school friend Alaina and her sister Carlina so much that people jokingly ask her if she had a secret guest room in the back. For lunch she orders the Clucker, a chicken salad that’s light and refreshing and bursting with apples, pears and topped with Asiago cheese and a balsamic glaze.
On her way out, she picks up a few mini cupcakes for her family to enjoy at home.
4377 Northlake Blvd., Palm Beach Gardens; 561/318-6945; alainasbakeshoppe.com
Pura Vida
In between meetings, Cristyle pops into this Rosemary Square healthy eats restaurant for an iced latte and fluffy croissant. She loves supporting small businesses and especially goes out of her way for mom and pop coffee shops.
460 Rosemary Ave., West Palm Beach; puravidamiami.com
The Parched Pig
After a long day working at her family’s commercial real estate firm, Cristyle is ready to sway to nostalgic hip-hop tunes while sipping on a simple vodka and grapefruit cocktail at The Parched Pig. She pairs it with the chili pork tacos on the Happy Hour menu and her favorite smoked fish dip that is served with a variety of vegetables, which she enjoys over crackers.
4580 Donald Ross Rd., Palm Beach Gardens; 561/360-3063; thecoolpig.com
Kitchen West Palm
“He’s a super talented chef,” Cristyle says when describing chef and owner Matthew Byrne. That talent led him to be Tiger Woods’ private chef, and more recently garnered him an invitation to cook at the James Beard House. Cristyle says his wife Aliza is “the hostess with the mostest,” and together they run this restaurant along with Kitchen North, their newest venture in Palm Beach Gardens. For dinner, Cristyle orders her two favorite dishes the Asparagus, Proscuitto, Chevre, Poached Egg starter, the chef’s take on a bacon, eggs and toast (“It’s heavenly!”) and the Ahi, Mango & Avocado Salad with a spicy soy dressing.
319 Belvedere Rd., West Palm Beach; 561/249-2281; kitchenpb.com
To see more restaurants that Cristyle loves, follow her @eatpalmbeach on Instagram or visit eatpalmbeach.com.
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