What are the best restaurants in Delray Beach and its environs?

[Benjamin68]

My wife and I will be visiting my mother at her Delray Beach retirement community later this month. We would love to know what the best dining options are in the area. We're primarily concerned with great food, and are not looking to visit nostalgia joints or high-end "status spots," unless, of course, they genuinely merit the status. Thanks for your help.

[jfb130]

There are a lot of options in Delray Beach. I noted a few comments already posted but will add a few ideas.

Here are a few restaurants that I like.

32 East
Blue Anchor British Pub
Bostons on the Beach
Busch's Seafood Restaurant
Cabana Restaurant - Delray
City Oyster
Dada
Delray Beach - Gol The Taste of Brazil
J&J Seafood Bar and Grill
Vic & Angelo's Delray

Each of these has a different flair but very good food.

Best Palm Beach Restaurants http://www.bestpalmbeachrestaurants.com is a good reference for Delray Beach Restaurants. I also look on the site at http://www.bestpalmbeachrestaurants.c... to look for good discounts in the area to save a few bucks.

My personal favorite is VIc & Angelo's but that is because I like the style of food the best.

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City Oyster
213 East Atlantic Ave, Delray Beach, FL 33444

Blue Anchor British Pub
804 E Atlantic Ave, Delray Beach, FL 33483

Busch's Seafood Restaurant
840 E Atlantic Ave, Delray Beach, FL 33483

[smartie]

Busch's closed a few months ago

[predacon99]

#1 Is Bamboo Fire Cafe - It's the only place you will be talking about well after your vacation ends. Go here first because it's less expensive (and better) than most. Only place in Delray you can get gourmet food in a casual setting.

#2 Jimmy's Bistro. Best food in Delray -- can be a little stuffy at times. NOT CHEAP!

#3 The Living Room (Boynton Beach) - it's worth the 13 minute drive.

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Bamboo Fire Cafe
Delray Beach, FL 33483, Delray Beach, FL 33483

Jimmy's Bistro
9 S Swinton Ave, Delray Beach, FL 33483

[themaddiner]

overall the best restaurant on the avenue. the dimly lit bar, mix of jazz + modern classics + constantly updated menu sets it apart from the others. i'm not very interested in the menu for the most part as items are often trendy + contrived, looking good in print but not working well as finished dishes. the bar area is a great place to enjoy a glass of wine or cocktail along with a margharita pizza which is always available. appetizers can be rather small (seared tuna), house made pastas can be very good as well as fresh fish although the presentation is often uninspired. the desserts are really hit + miss. often a unique sorbet or ice cream will be your best best. a door man would be welcome on weekends when the college kids filter in. they should be pushed towards sol kitchen (owned by 32 east). senior hostess can be rude + forgetful. be sure to check back often to let her or the other girls know you are there as they may forget about you. tables in the bar area may be reserved. the owner is there often + is very pleasant + accommodating.

THE GOOD
• extremely friendly bar staft (don't forget other customers)
• margharita pizza is always available
• upscale, intimate bar area during the week
• very good dishes, when the ingredients mesh

THE BAD
• servers are a bit robotic at times
• menu item combinations often unsuccessful
• routinely small appetizer portions + weak presentation
• bar staff often too focused on individual customers

THE UGLY
• college kids mixing in late night on weekends

[jfood]

Mad,

resto name please?

[themaddiner]

32 East . . .

[pringle347]

Love 32 East, and for less money, DaDa, right on Swinton.

[HDB107]

Dada offers the best food and setting in Delray, Shore Beach Bar is a great spot for proximity to beach, and Black Tip Reef is a great happy hour.

[smartie]

don't forget Dada, Bostons, Cabana, Gol, Luna Rosa.

[predacon99]

I agree mostly except for Bostons. Bostons has a great location but they put the "barf" in bar food. Best though is Bamboo Fire Cafe.

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Bamboo Fire Cafe
Delray Beach, FL 33483, Delray Beach, FL 33483

[NancyH]

I'm just returned from doing the same thing. Hands down, the best meal I had was at The Cuban Cafe, [phone], 14400 Military Trl, Delray Beach, FL 33484. Casual and unassuming - the drinks were a little watered, but the food was outstanding! I blogged about the trip in some detail at http://funplayingwithfood.blogspot.co..., but below are a few photos from our Cuban Cafe dinner. My snapper stuffed with shrimp in seafood sauce was just amazing.

[albee]

Was the Snapper a filet or whole fish ? In the picture it looks like filet. I have been finding it very difficult getting whole Snapper in the restaurants locally. I see loads of " Snapper Filet" not mentioning what kind of Snapper it is. With all of the articles in the newspapers about substituting of "Snapper" and "Grouper" I have become very wary of these filets, which makes my restaurant dining not as pleasurable as it should . Recently I went to a restaurnt where I had been eating whole Yellow Tail Snapper for years. They said that they had only filets.Upon further inquiry they said they have whole snapper "once in a while". Sounds fishy to me, eh ?

[NancyH]

Both restaurants served filet of snapper. The Cuban Cafe's version was a huge filet stuffed with wonderfully fresh shrimp (and I can't stand processed shrimp - the smell and taste of sodiumpolytriphosphate mades me want to heave). Though I know the controversy of which you write - the substituting of cheaper or frozen filets for the local ones.

[jfood]

First bit of advice is stay east of I-95. Once you cross over to the western part of Delray Beach the only good food is bagels and novey.

32 East is the best, full stop. Others, it depends on the night and the chef's temperment. I've had a pretty good meal at the Oyster place across from Kilwins most times, but once it was not that great. People rave about Sonoma Cafe, my lamb was sent back twice and then they screwed up the skirt steak. My dinner was banana ice cream at Kilwin's that night. The sushi/asian place three doors down from Kilwin's looked nice as well.

[rcburli]

Is 32 East still the best option in Delray?
What are the possibilities for one lesser price point? $20 entrees rather than $30 and $40?

[predacon99]

Go to Bamboo Fire Cafe. They will make ANYTHING and it's VERY reasonable. Otherwise, in that price. range Downtown Delray is not the place.

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Bamboo Fire Cafe
Delray Beach, FL 33483, Delray Beach, FL 33483

[predacon99]

The sushi/asian place three doors down from Kilwin's is called Lemongrass and it's terrific.

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Kilwin's
10281 Midtown Pkwy, Jacksonville, FL 32246

[HotMelly]

jfood, I am quite confused with your statement about staying east of I-95. Is it an age thing? Please explain? I see that you must visit Delray from your past posts quite often.
I respect all of your posts but sometimes I get a little confused with what you are saying.
jfoof, What do you think is a reasonable price for one dozen raw oysters at a Palm Beach county restaurant. I a a laywoman and would appreciate you expertise.

[JAC13]

I second 32 East but the best place in my opinion is Sundy House- delicious and it is like you are in you're in an oasis. Also, make sure you get some ice cream or candy at Kilwin's

[predacon99]

Sundy House has gone down hill.

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Sundy House
106 S. Swinton Ave., Delray Beach, FL 33444

[Benjamin68]

Thanks, is your list in order of preference?

[rsanders99]

These are not in any particular order.

[rsanders99]

Go to the following:
32 East in Delray Beach
Tamonte in Delray Beach
New York Prime in Boca Raton
Chez Jean Pierre in Palm Beach
Nick' Hawaiian Fish Market in Boca Raton

[lsernoff]

A brief 2010 uodate: rsanders99's list remains good. I would add La Cigale (Mediterranean) on Federal Highway between Atlantic and Linton and Caruso in Royal Royal Palm Plaza in Boca (high end Italian like Tramonti). Though many would disagree, I am not wild about Vic & Angelo's on Atlantic in Delray--but the same owner's new American bistro across the street , The Office, is very good.

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Tramonti
119 E Atlantic Ave, Delray Beach, FL 33444