Flavor South Florida: A Local’s Guide to Palm Beach County’s Restaurant Month
September is basically back in the Palm Beaches. That means while fall is definitely not in the air, and we are still likely weeks away from more moderate temperatures, you can start to wear fall colors at your discretion. More importantly, one of South Florida’s biggest restaurant months has begun.
The event first began in 2007 as Flavor Palm Beach. September is traditionally a slower tourism month and historically a time of year when local restaurants need our support the most. School is back in session, the air outside is thick and humid and afternoon downpours are practically scheduled. So, residents typically retreat into their homes as often as possible to enjoy the air conditioning.
But this month-long event is reason enough to emerge. Flavor South Florida has evolved over the years, right alongside our local restaurant scene. For locals, Flavor, as it’s called, is a welcome opportunity to revisit old favorites and try somewhere new.
So, where to eat this month? Most Palm Beach County locals will happily share their favorite hotspots with you, and I’m no exception. Of the restaurants participating in 2026, here are my personal top five:
Café Boulud Palm Beach
Palm Beach
This restaurant is tucked inside the stately, historic Brazilian Court Hotel. It comes from Lyon-born chef Daniel Boulud, whose refined cooking is rooted in classic French cuisine.Try the Dover sole if you have the chance. If you have the opportunity, I suggest wandering the hotel, enjoying a service at the salon and reading a book by the pool. The library is especially a sight to see. I would be remiss not to share the recipe for CB’s iconic signature cocktail, the White Cosmopolitan.
Cool’a Fish Bar
Palm Beach Gardens
Thisis a personal favorite of mine. With its beautiful ambience, Cool’a is lovely for special occasions and a must if you enjoy good seafood prepared extraordinarily well. Even when I was pregnant with a seafood aversion, my husband and I would still frequent this cozy place, and I would alternate between ordering Hawaiian Chicken and Chicken Piccata for dinner. I also remember enjoying the steak and the signature “Cool’a Potato.”
Hawaiian chicken with green beans and rice at Cool’a Fish Bar in Palm Beach Gardens, with the restaurant’s signature Cool’a Potato alongside.
Ela Curry & Cocktails
Palm Beach Gardens
A relatively new kid on the block, turning heads with creative, flavorful bites from Chef Pushkar Marathe. In 2023, he was a James Beard Award Best Chef: South semifinalist. As for me, I probably downed more than my fair share of mocktails there and at Stage, the chef’s sister spot, while pregnant. The selection of chutneys and spreads is impressive. Sushi lovers, try the spicy tuna bomb. The fact that a section of Ela’s menu features “lunch wine specials” would draw Hoda and Kathie Lee (remember those good ol’ days?) there in a heartbeat.
A colorful mocktail at Ela Curry & Cocktails in Palm Beach Gardens, garnished with fresh mint and dried citrus.
Honeybelle
Palm Beach Gardens
This sweet spot is as prim and proper as you might imagine, with menu items to appease even the hungriest Southern gentleman. Celebrity chef and Top Chef alumna Lindsay Autry brings her seasonal American cooking to Honeybelle inside PGA National Resort. While there, I suggest trying the crave-worthy fried chicken Lindsay is known for (and my personal favorite, if you can catch it on the menu: tomato pie) and booking The Beekeeper Experience hosted by none other than my friend and favorite beekeeper, Sierra Malnove of Sierra’s Bees and Creamed Honey Company.
One of my longtime favorites from Chef Lindsay Autry: her tomato pie, photographed at one of her former Palm Beach County restaurants.
Hullabaloo
West Palm Beach
Oh, Hullabaloo. We first met during some sort of organized downtown bar crawl, involving purchased tickets and an element of philanthropy. It was then that I realized you mix up a killer craft cocktail. Many years and many dinners later, you’ve truly never disappointed. While I don’t drive downtown as often anymore, you still retain a place in my heart, and I’m happy to see this local favorite on the Flavor South Florida roster this year.
While September in the Palm Beaches may not bring colorful leaves, crisp afternoons or much reason to pull out a sweater, it does give us an excellent excuse to make a dinner reservation. Whether you revisit an old favorite or discover somewhere new, Flavor South Florida is a delicious way to support the restaurants and chefs that make Palm Beach County such a special place to call home.
A creamy pasta dish at Hullabaloo in downtown West Palm Beach, one of my longtime local favorites.
Flavor South Florida 2026 at a Glance
When: September 2026
Where: Participating restaurants throughout Palm Beach County and the Treasure Coast
What: Special prix-fixe restaurant menus and dining offers
My five picks: Café Boulud Palm Beach, Cool’a Fish Bar, Ela Curry & Cocktails, Honeybelle and Hullabaloo
Full participating restaurant list: Flavor South Florida
About Rachel Jackson
Rachel is the founder of Pink Pedals and a longtime Palm Beach County resident sharing firsthand guides to dining, entertaining and life in the Palm Beaches.
