my palm beach guide
the best of west palm / palm beach area: where we went, ate & loved!
We laughed, we ate, we had a good time! After spending three months in Palm Beach and visiting a handful of times, this post has been LONG overdue coming.
I want to start by commending the PB community - it is strong. It’s such a tight-knit one, but not in a bad way. It’s an open-hearted community that welcomes you wholeheartedly, even if you’re only there as a snowbird. I think Millie had more friends than I did, to be honest!
My nanny still, to this day, messages the other nannies who were heartbroken to hear that we chose to rent in Miami this winter instead. So far, Miami has so much more to offer in terms of food and things to do, but the community here isn’t the same. Not to say that I haven’t met wonderful moms and made friends while here, but there are simply more options. Thus, you need to be more purposeful and deliberate with your plans and with whom you choose to spend time.
In West Palm Beach, we rented a house in the neighborhood of El Cid, where there was one park everyone went to. The community was small, and the houses were stacked close together, naturally creating a more tight-knit neighborhood. You grew to know your next-door neighbor, the neighbor down the street, and those who lived directly across the park. The restaurant scene was scaled back; you’d find yourself going to the same spots as everyone else - The Colony, Buccan, Renato’s - all the usuals tourists and locals would pour into and fight for reservations at on a Friday night. While I love and miss that, it reminded me of a bigger Santa Barbara (where I grew up). However selfishly, I felt that for Chase and I, Miami had a lot more to offer - hence why we chose to try Coconut Grove this winter.
I have to admit though, I was not the biggest fan of the PB food scene. Call me a food snob, call me a New Yorker, but I just couldn’t fully get behind the restaurant scene there. That’s not to say I didn’t have some good meals, though. I think I could count on one hand the number of great meals I had versus the “okay” ones, haha.
They also seem to have gotten an influx of exciting new restaurants this year (like Tutto Mare from the Hamptons and Elephante from LA), with more opening later this year. So I have faith in their food scene evolving - which, for my sake, is a must - and I’m jealous these weren’t open last year!
Enough about Miami vs. Palm Beach - I’ll have to give my full review and comparison after our season here is done. Who knows, we might even see ourselves moving there full-time. If we move to Florida, we’ve decided it will be either Palm Beach or Miami.
Let’s get into what we loved during our time in the Palm Beach / West Palm area…
Matcha and coffee
Composition Coffee - my favorite matcha in PB, but it’s in West Palm, so you need to drive to this spot.
Chik Monk - best for on-the-island matcha, iced lattes, and baked goods.
Pink Paradise Cafe at The Colony - perfect if you want something central before bopping around for a day of shopping or exploring town.
Restaurants
For Lunch: casual pickups / quick bites
Aioli - we would dine in several times for a yummy breakfast / lunch sandwich situation.
Celis - good for juice, coffee, matcha, and smoothies. I would always order an avocado melt or a turkey sammy.
Field of Greens - I liked their breakfast wraps in the morning and sandwiches for a casual, quick, and easy lunch pickup.
Hot Pie Pizza - ‘best NY-style pizza in Florida’ is their motto, and I agree! We loved the Upper East Side pizza, the white pizza, and their hot pie pizza.
Piccolo Mondo - great Caesar wrap.
For lunch: leisurely sit-downs
Bricktops - a great outdoor lunch spot if you can snag a table outside or by the semi-outdoor bar. We liked the crispy tuna. It’s not the most amazing food, but it makes for a central, leisurely outdoor lunch close to the shops.
Four Seasons Palm Beach - weirdly, the only place you can get a true beachfront dining setting. We’d come here often with out-of-towners because the hotel is so pretty, has a beach bar, and you can grab a poke bowl right next to the beach. We’d always sneak into the pool chairs afterward.
Honor Bar - a classic staple we loved for dinner or lunch when it was raining, too hot, or when I was craving a marg since it’s indoors. Must-order: a marg, the dip duo, and the crispy chicken sandwich (split it unless you plan to take half home). My only complaint is that there’s no outdoor seating. This is the only Honor Bar I’ve ever been to without it, which I find bizarre because Royal P is a great outdoor mall, and Sant Ambroeus there has outdoor seating.
Le Bilboquet - prefer this spot for a weekend lunch since it’s very much a ladies-who-lunch scene. Friday dinners are a good scene too, especially before heading to the Brazilian Court DJ night.
Swifty’s at The Colony - the best spicy margs in town. Come for weekend brunch or lunch for a true ladies-who-lunch Palm Beach scene — or better yet, during bingo nights if you can score a table (make reservations in advance). We loved coming here with Millie on weekends, grabbing one of the outdoor couches, and posting up with a bottle of Sancerre. The turf stays soft and doesn’t get hot, making it perfect for littles and dogs!
Sant Ambroeus - great outdoor lunch spot for meeting a girlfriend, having family in town, or grabbing breakfast. We loved stopping here before our Lake Trail walks on weekends. You can park, grab a matcha, croissants, or breakfast sandwiches, then head out with the stroller and family along the scenic Lake Trail - or walk to the beach from here!
For Dinner
BICE - a place to be seen on a Friday or Saturday. Great vibes, similar to Renato’s, and ideal for good people-watching
Buccan - the spot everyone takes out-of-towners (literally where we brought everyone who came to visit). The corn agnolotti is a must. Absolutely divine - but by the end of the season, I got over it. How many times could I go back each month?
Flanigan’s - from my Miami days, I’ll never say no to a wings, beer, and fries situation, especially during the week on $1 nights.
HIVE - a happening lunch spot. During peak season, you must have a reservation even during the week!
Imoto - I think I preferred this over Buccan next door?? Everything, including the drinks, is so good here! I would skip the Peking Duck Tacos, though - we didn’t love those.
La Marina - people loved the sushi here (I didn’t), but I think it’s because there aren’t a lot of good PB sushi spots in general, so people think this is good. Anyways, we came here for the marina vibes and happy hour: insanely huge yachts, a young crowd, and fun atmosphere! I think this is where I have seen the most young people in all of PB.
Lola 41 - for a girls din and fun cocktails! A good outdoor dining spot, too.
Renato’s - this is the Italian version of Buccan in terms of a classic of PB. If you’re visiting PB, this, Buccan, and Le Bilboquet are likely already on your list. Think charming outdoor courtyard dinners surrounded by florals. I remember Chases’ ravioli pasta being really good and me enjoying the soufflé dessert.
Oceano - I think this was my favorite meal in WPB, though it’s technically in Lake Worth (adjacent to the Four Seasons, which also claims to be PB). The menu is constantly changing, but everything here was so good, especially the rigatoni, Brussels sprouts salad, and cocktails. Food-wise, this is the best dinner spot and absolutely worth the drive.
Pizza Al Fresco - ideal for large groups when you want to sit quite literally al fresco. Very family-friendly, so if you have kids, this is perfect for a 5 p.m. dinner followed by ice cream next door.
Drinks
Sorry, I am not a fan of HMF at the Breakers, but people love it. We just never did, never ever really went unless a group invited us to go with them.
Cafe Bouloud at the Brazilian Court - if you want to keep the party going post-dinner, come for the DJ bar scene on a Friday night.
Cucina - we never went, but I’ve heard this is the spot to party on the island. It tends to draw a younger crowd these days and is often rented out for wedding after-parties or bachelorette / bachelor parties!
Mary Lou’s - the only true going-out spot in WPB. Think lounge vibes, with bottle service available if you’re feeling bold. Not for the food - you come for the scene and cocktails. Don’t arrive before 9 pm, though; it’s pretty dead if you do.
The Colony Palm Beach - the outdoor bar in the back is probably where we went the most for before or after dinner drinks, or during the day for drinks.
Things to do
Farmer’s Market - just a word of caution: if you’ve ever been to a California farmers market (especially in Santa Barbara or Ojai), you’ve set the bar too high, so lower your expectations when this one is referenced as one of the “best farmers markets in the nation,” LOL. They do have some good vendors, though! My favorites were the matcha from the Airstream and the arepa stand on Saturday mornings.
Kips Bay Show House - this happens once a year (typically end of Feb - March), when they select a home currently for sale and decorate it to the nines. If you’re into interior design, this is not to be missed! It would make for a fun girls’ trip visit.
Pan’s Garden, Four Arts, and City Place - all good places to go with kids. Usually, ZenHippo or the Library hosted classes at these locations, or we’d just take Millie on our own so she could run wild in the water fountain.
The Lake Trail - we loved walking this! We’d park the car at Royal Poinciana, grab breakfast (usually croissants and iced matcha to go) from Sant Ambroeus, and then start on our walk. You can even walk to the beach if you want, from there.
Shopping
AERIN - I love all her stores, decor, and home stuff. Dream to fill my home to look like hers!
ASHA - if you are a caftan and color lover, you better get over here!
Casa Branca - I adore all of their fabrics and pillows. You will too if you’re an interior designer or simply have great taste!
CASA GUSTO - their green-and-white pottery is to die for. A unique home store worth visiting!
Church Mouse - for all things vintage, this is your stop on the island. Think vintage Chanel from the Palm Beach social scene. Expensive, but worth a visit!
City Girl Consignment - another designer vintage / consignment dream, located in West Palm.
Coniglio - I love their pareo wrap skirts! Everything about this store makes you think you stepped into Italy or 1950s Florida. So much charm, color, and thoughtfulness poured into the decor.
HIVE - great home and kids section! Literally where all my kids’ birthday party pick-ups were from.
Julia Amory - a must for fun PB prints, husband shirts, and classic white button-downs.
Leta Austen Foster - the cutest baby selection ever! Also, has a great and expansive home section, but I especially adored the baby corner.
Meg Braff Designs - another interior designer stop that is a must on the island!
Palm Beach Regency - if you wish to decorate your home in rattan, this store is a gem.
Pepa & Company - British children’s clothing brought stateside. I love everything here for special-occasion dressing.
Show Pony - a fun furniture store where you can find gorgeous, unique pieces for your home.
The Kemble Shop - one of my favorite stops on the Island to peruse for home inspo.
The Nix - another rattan heaven of a home store that screams Palm Beach.
The Real Real - this store is so good (of course, it’s always a fun game of hit-or-miss, but you can score some unique pieces here).
TUKE BAZAAR - probably one of my favorite places to buy apparel from a curated shop of local, European, and cool designers. She sold the La Veste striped pants when they were sold out everywhere else!
Stubbs & Wooton - where Chase got his wedding shoes and now won’t stop buying slippers from here. He owns far too many and only wears Stubbs.
Via Coquina - another spot that is an inspiration for how your home should look. A great place to find a gift or something perfect for a hostess.
Well Made Home - the pillow selection here is unreal.
Beauty, Health & Wellness
Labarre - pilates on the island where it’s always a fun people-watching scene, but $$$.
Living with Ivey - the spot for a last-minute gift for those into beauty, candles, or the home. They also have a location in Coconut Grove.
Maison Forme (formerly Re:Form Pilates) - where I got into pilates! Truly my favorite studio in West Palm. They offered the best unlimited membership pricing, with both mat and reformer classes included. I miss this place and the instructors every day.
Vita E’ Bella Spa - where I’d get my mani-pedis. Loved!
Hotels
There’s only a handful of them, they are all $$$, and I am sure you all already know them- but these are my favorites:
The Brazilian Court - another great central pick.
The Breakers - an institution. It’s a little too big, Disney feeling for me, but people love it. You get access to their pool, which is usually a fancy members-only area, so that’s the biggest perk IMO.
The Colony - the most central location, where everyone goes, but the rooms are tiny. It’s fun to go during their “Living Room” series on Wednesdays when they spotlight someone (Mark D. Sikes, among others in past) where you can sip on (free) rose and listen. Also, book a table for Bingo or Trivia night ahead especially during season.
Four Seasons - technically in Lake Worth, 15 mins from the action (depending on traffic and road closures when Trump is in town- which is like every weekend), but the best resort feeling hotel with beach access and service!
Palm House - newer kid on the block, gives Colony pink vibes. Good for drinks, too.
And Vineta just opened! It’s the new Oekter hotel (same group as Hotel du Cap and Le Bristol in Paris) making Its debut as their first US property.
Ok, that’s it! I am probably missing a few hits because it’s been a year since our full winter there, and so many new, fun places have opened. It’s definitely the place to be! We loved it, just slightly lacking in the food scene…but hey, those are just my personal taste buds as a food critic on the side.
I know anyone who goes to PB loves it! Perfect for a girls trip, family Spring Break destination or simply a solo beach trip. It’s the buzzing place to be for sure in the Winter. ENJOY!
xx,
Steph