Last Updated on October 23, 2023
Located on Florida’s picturesque east coast, Delray Beach offers more than beautiful beaches and sunny skies. This coastal community has a thriving culinary scene delighting visitors and locals alike.
I frequently visit south Palm Beach County to enjoy the deliciousness that Delray Beach restaurants offer. I love the diversity of cuisine. Whether you’re in the mood for fresh seafood, sizzling steaks, flavorful Mediterranean dishes, or exotic fusion creations, Delray Beach has it all.
From upscale fine dining to cozy beachside cafes, here are some of my favorite Delray Beach restaurants.
Best Delray Beach Italian Restaurants
Delray Beach is home to several charming Italian restaurants. I have two favorites: Rose’s Daughter and Elisabetta’s.
Rose’s Daughter is known for its homemade pasta and wood fired pizza, as well as innovative craft cocktails and extensive Italian wine list. If you’re looking for a hand-crafted pizza or bowl of homemade short rib pappardelle with a glass of earthy Italian wine, Rose’s Daughter is the place to go.
At Elisabetta’s you can build your own antipasti board to share, or dive into a bright creamy bowl of tagliarini al limone. Their wines by the glass list includes a wide variety of Italian varietals.
For a romantic beachfront setting, visit Café Luna Rosa, to savor traditional Italian fare while enjoying stunning ocean views.
Vic & Angelo’s offers a lively party-like atmosphere at their tables directly on Atlantic Avenue.
Whether you’re craving dishes like risotto and ossobuco or in the mood for seafood- inspired dishes like Bronzino oreganata, these Italian restaurants are sure to satisfy your appetite for a taste of Italy.
Best Delray Beach Mexican Restaurants
My favorite spot is El Camino, an energetic restaurant serving up delicious Mexican soul food. I love the avocado margarita with a spicy chicken taco.
Another notable option is Rocco’s Tacos, known for its relaxed ambiance. Try the molcajetes, served sizzling in a lava rock bowl – a cross between fajitas and a stew. Add a jalapeño margarita and your tastebuds will enjoy a Mexican fiesta!
La Bamba Mexican & Spanish Restaurant is another top choice. I’m a huge fan of its enchiladas verde and their steak fajitas – a great choice for homestyle Mexican cooking.
Best Delray Beach Seafood Restaurants
Delray Beach is a coastal town renowned for its exceptional seafood restaurants. One of my favorites is City Oyster & Sushi Bar located in the heart of downtown. It offers the best of both worlds, serving up exquisite seafood and sushi options. What could be better than a plate of freshly shucked oysters, followed by a spicy tuna roll?
Another delicious seafood spot is Deck 84 on the Intracoastal Waterway. The restaurant offers an impressive menu featuring seafood classics like blackened mahi-mahi and shrimp scampi, though it’s hard for me to pass up their grilled shrimp skewers with a glass of Sauvignon Blanc while enjoying the view of boats cruising past.
Lionfish invites you to enjoy fresh seafood while doing good for the ocean environment by serving its namesake lionfish, an invasive species devouring native sea life around Florida and damaging coral reefs.
This rare, but delicious white flaky fish can be served a multitude of ways, including in a citrus-infused ceviche. My husband’s favorite way to eat lionfish is as fish and chips. Consider that every lionfish removed from the ocean helps preserve future generations of other fish species.
A recent addition to the Delray Beach food scene is 50 Ocean at Boston’s. On the second floor of the beloved, homestyle restaurant Boston’s, 50 Ocean offers sweeping views of the Atlantic and tasty dining options including my favorite, crab crusted grouper.
Best Delray Beach Chinese Food
Offering bistro style Pan Asian, I love the Tom Yum Soup, spicy tuna crispy rice pop and a bao bun at Lemongrass.
Just down the street is the lively Hawkers Asian Street Food. With a menu that includes spicy lamb skewers, duck fried rice and Sichuan Dan noodles.
Delray Goodies is bubble tea, rolled ice cream and so much more. The causal grab- and-go restaurant offers dim sum, xiaolongbao (soup dumplings) and jianbing. It’s my favorite place for a quick Asian Meal.
For a unique experience, visit Beg For More Izakaya. Think of it as Asian tapas. This traditionally Japanese style of dining is designed for shared plates. You can get sharables of sushi, dumplings, and Yakatori.
Best Delray Beach Cuban Restaurants
Delray Beach has several options for people seeking the rich and flavorful taste of traditional Cuban cuisine south Florida is known for.
Consider Cabana El Ray offering traditional dishes like ropa vieja and paella Valencia. I prefer to order a few appetizers like empanadas and ceviche with a minty mojito to wash them down.
La Bamba Mexican & Spanish Restaurant, mentioned above, is also known for its extensive menu featuring Mexican as well as Cuban classics like Snapper a la Vercruzana and picadillo. If you’re torn between Mexican and Cuban, this is a place to enjoy both.
My favorite Mexican/Cuban meal at La Bamba is guacamole, Snapper a la Veracruzana and a cafe con leche to top off the meal.
Just north of Delray Beach near I-95 in Boynton Beach is one of the best Cuban restaurants in the area, Guarapo’s Cuban Cuisine. It’s worth the drive for a Cuban sandwiches and piece of tres leche cake.
Best Delray Beach French Restaurants
For a unique French dining experience, you must visit La Colonial. Dishes like Goi Bo/Spicy Beef Carpaccio Salad or Canh Hai San/Vietnamese Seafood Bouillabaisse blend the flavors of Vietnam with the preparations of France. The result is absolutely delicious.
For a causal French dining experience, check out The French Cafe & Bakery offering breakfast delights and sandwiches on freshly baked bread and croissants. It’s a perfect place to stop on your way to the beach for a breakfast bite or handmade sandwich to. I go for a chocolate croissant and a cappuccino every time I’m in Delray Beach.
If your tastes run toward the sunny flavors of the French Riviera, La Cigale is just the place to satisfy them. Traditional coq au vin and shrimp and scallop Provençal grace the menu as well as sweetbreads, duck foie gras and tarte aux citron.
Best Delray Beach Indian Food
The standout is Victor’s Indian Palace delivering authentic Indian dishes from aromatic curries to flavorful biryanis. I love the chana masala. Victor’s offers a lunch buffet on weekends and daily during the winter season.
Another great spot is Persis Indian Grill known for its biryani – a rice dish from Northern India’s Mughal empire. My favorite is the spicy chicken biryani. Whether you’re craving flavorful chicken tikka masala or vegetarian options like chana masala, Persis Indian Grill is certain to satisfy your appetite.
5th Element Indian Bistro is known for its lunch buffet offering an extensive variety of regional Indian cuisine. From spicy South Indian dosas to North Indian kebabs, the bistro offers both a buffet and comprehensive menu catering to a range of preferences.
Best Delray Beach Pizza Places
One of my favorite meals is a shared salad, thin crust pizza and bottle of Italian red wine at Rose’s Daughter or Elisabetta’s.
If you’re looking for a Chicago-style deep dish pizza, Windy City Pizza has you covered. This casual restaurant also offers thin crust pizza, Italian beef sandwiches, and Chicago-style hot dogs.
Sazio, on the other hand, offers a trendier atmosphere, specializing in wood-fired pizzas and innovative Italian dishes. They also offer pizza by the slice and a lovely outdoor seating area on Atlantic Avenue.
Wood & Fire in West Delray Beach specializes in wood fired Naples-style pizza. They also have an extensive menu of non-pizza items, so it’s a great place if everyone in your group wants something different.
Five Star Restaurants in Delray Beach
For special occasions, Delray Beach’s fine dining scene does not disappoint.
Ocean’s 50 and Latitudes both offer stunning ocean views for enjoying a premium dining experience with a coastal Florida menu.
Cut 432 is a modern steakhouse that aims to impress. Known for prime cuts of beef, curated seafood dishes, and an extensive, high end wine list, the restaurant offers an elegant experience with a touch of New York City steakhouse charm.
If you favor a memorable Italian meal, Tramonti is an excellent choice. Try the handmade pasta. A sister restaurant to Angelo’s in New York’s Little Italy, this family-owned gem offers the highest quality ingredients bringing southern Italy to South Florida.
For a classy white tablecloth Italian dining experience, La Sorelle is an excellent choice. Or, for Italian with a Mediterranean flare visit La Cigale or Casa L’ Aqua.
Those who prefer modern American cuisine should try The Grove.
Whether you’re exploring Atlantic Avenue or looking for a beachside view, the local restaurants here are sure to satisfy both your taste buds and your desire for an unforgettable dining experience.
Come hungry and prepared to indulge in the flavors of this gastronomic paradise on Florida’s stunning and panoramic Atlantic Ocean.
NOTE: Travelers to Delray Beach from outside of Florida should be aware that the NAACP has issued a travel advisory for the state noting, and warning, that under its current governor, Ron DeSantis, Florida has “engaged in an all-out attack on Black Americans, accurate Black history, voting rights, members of the LGBTQ+ community, immigrants, women’s reproductive rights, and free speech, while simultaneously embracing a culture of fear, bullying, and intimidation by public officials.”
