Our local culinary scene is buzzing with restaurants serving a mouthwatering variety of cuisines, but are these traditional venues the only places where we can find standout dishes? Better known for their tigers, gardens or antiques, these local attractions also have stellar restaurants worth a dine.
Palm Beach Zoo
The zoo’s Latitude 26 features a kid- and adult-friendly menu—pizzas, chicken tenders, burgers and hot dogs are always available, but the restaurant excels in its seasonal menus. For fall, guests indulged in butternut squash pasta, day-after-Thanksgiving sandwich, and creamy pumpkin pie. Bringing the zoo’s environmentally focused mission into the restaurant, Latitude 26 looks to sustainably source ingredients like palm oil, seafood, coffee and even chocolate. The sweet treat is bird-friendly and sourced from certified cocoa farms that protect tropical forests and native trees. The restaurant makes all its dressings, salsas and heavenly desserts in-house, and proudly dishes out juicy, never-frozen smashburgers and handbreaded crispy chicken sandwiches. Dine overlooking the pink flamingoes, and after your meal, stop by and say hi to Lewis and Clark, the black bear brothers. There’s no other restaurant in town where that’s possible.
Only open for lunch. 1301 Summit Blvd., West Palm Beach; 561/547-9453; palmbeachzoo.org
Henry Morrison Flagler Museum
The museum’s Railcar No. 91 Tea Room overlooks the Lake Worth lagoon and sets the scene for an elegant afternoon tea experience, complete with a multi-tiered tray of treats and an exclusive tea blend only found within the walls of Whitehall. Named after Flagler’s personal train car that he would ride down to Florida, the restaurant aims to embrace the Gilded Age tradition of afternoon tea with period-appropriate menu items but with a contemporary twist. The prix fixe menu features finger sandwiches, including tuna with green apple, cucumber with herb cheese, turkey with spinach and cranberry spread, and ham and Swiss cheese. Each guest can also enjoy a house-made cranberry orange scone, chocolate éclair, cream puff and brownie (a Gilded Age invention). The meal and proprietary blend of black and oolong teas created by Harney & Sons are served on the museum’s opulent tropical resort-colored china, portraying a few of the home’s architectural details. The tea room hosts several holiday experiences throughout the year, including a special Valentine’s Day tea celebration.
1 Whitehall Way, Palm Beach; 561/655-2833; flaglermuseum.us
Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens
The Chen family has run the Cornell Café within Morikami’s 16-acre gardens for decades, with the goal to provide guests with a taste of Japanese and Asian flavors through various offerings suitable for every palate. Small-plate classics like miso soup, chicken gyozas and spring rolls share the menu with fresh and simple sushi rolls and larger entrées like teriyaki salmon and crispy pork. Their lunch bento boxes are affordable for hungry diners looking to sample the menu. They come with teriyaki chicken with white rice, teriyaki salmon, chicken dumplings, shrimp on fried tofu, an egg roll, mixed vegetables and assorted sushi rolls. There is also a vegetable bento box option. The standout dish on the menu must be the spicy tuna poke bowl with vibrant tuna tossed in spicy mayo accompanied by avocado, edamame, cucumber, carrots and a seaweed salad. Morikami offers guests a tranquil lakefront retreat to enjoy lunch, while serenading birds and a gentle breeze soothe their stress away.
4000 Morikami Park Road, Delray Beach; 561/495-0233; morikami.org
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