Best Restaurants In West Palm Beach, FL

Looking to shake off those winter doldrums? Head to West Palm Beach, the tranquil yet cool city about an hour north of Miami. West Palm Beach and its neighboring cities are seeing new life breathed into them, thanks to an influx of millennials. Enjoy the beach and explore the street art all you want, but when the hunger pangs kick in, these local hot spots are the places to be.

The original Lynora's opened in 1976, winning the hearts of Palm Beach residents with handmade pastas and classic Italian dishes. While the original location has since closed, a laid-back outpost opened earlier this year in a converted 1950s gas station on Dixie Highway. In addition to Neapolitan pizza made with imported ingredients from Italy, the retro spot also offers hoagies and pasta dishes. Claim a table on the outdoor patio or take your lasagna, salumi and desserts to go for the beach.

Industrial design meets vintage decor at this downtown space, which roasts small batches of beans daily, sticking to lighter roasts so as to not mask the coffee's bright flavor notes. Adjacent to the shop is an annex where you'll find sandwiches, salads and smoothie bowls. Order the Bliss Acai Bowl, with house-made granola and a medley of fresh berries, and enjoy it in front of the colorful Einstein mural by Brazilian artist Eduardo Kobra.

Don your Sunday best and get a taste of Old Florida luxury at this historic hotel that's more European palace than beach shack. At $115 a person, the opulent buffet brims with selections like a raw bar with Alaskan king crab legs, lobster, oysters, shrimp and two types of caviar. Meanwhile, the dessert station is stacked with artful pastries and cakes bound to push you into a sugar coma.

Venture about 20 minutes west into Lake Worth's farm country, and you'll find Sons & Daughters Winery tucked out of sight, proving there is, in fact, a winery in South Florida. But it's not the typical kind: There are no grapes here (the region is way too hot), so instead you'll find wine made with Florida-appropriate produce grown on the property, like star fruit, hibiscus and pumpkin, depending on the season. The wines are fermented in steel, so there are no tannins or sulfates (and no droopy wine hangovers). There's also kombucha on tap in varieties like banana and mulberry.

The restaurant's name is a reference to owner Clay Carnes's take on Ecuadorian cuisine, in which he blends tacos with Andean street food. The brightly hued yet intimate spot on flourishing Antique Row showcases Carnes's passion for locally grown ingredients, which is why you'll see him milling organic Florida corn into masa for tortillas. If you can't try all six taco options, go for the smoked pork with pickled pineapple salsa. Also make sure to try the llapingachos, Ecuadorian potato patties topped with corn salad and ají casero sauce, and the mote pillo, a farm egg scrambled with hominy and scallions.

Head 30 minutes south of West Palm Beach to the artsy town of Delray Beach, where at first, Avant strikes you as an art gallery with its brass light fixtures, glass wall installations and black-and-white herringbone flooring. An eclectic menu offers tapas like the eggplant stack with arugula, mozzarella and tomato, and the poached lobster grilled cheese with tomato bisque. After dinner, stroll down Atlantic Avenue, Delray's bustling stretch lined with bars and cafés.

Lia Picard is an Atlanta-based writer who seeks out local gems wherever she goes. Follow her on Instagram at @liapicard.