While our USA TODAY NETWORK-Florida Dining and Entertainment Team has already published its 2024 lists of the best restaurants and top bars in the Sunshine State, we now turn our attention to new favorites that debuted this year.
Our list of a dozen highly recommended new Florida restaurants spans the state, featuring big cities like Jacksonville and Tallahassee as well as popular tourist destinations such as Naples, Sarasota, West Palm Beach, and Cocoa Beach.
These selections showcase a variety of culinary experiences, from fine-dining destinations serving aged steaks and fresh seafood to casual spots offering excellent sandwiches for the perfect lunchtime visit. Presented in alphabetical order, here are our picks for the best new Florida restaurants of 2024.
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Adeline and Little A | Sarasota
The raw scallop with cream, chive, and basil at Adeline restaurant in Sarasota, photographed on Nov. 26, 2024.
Details: 1920 Hillview St., Sarasota; 941-444-7692; adelinesrq.com
The charming Southside Village, a shopping and dining district just 1.5 miles south of downtown Sarasota, showcases Chef Drew Adams’ striking culinary creativity. Formerly known as Meliora, the reimagined dining duo of Little A and Adeline share the same roof while offering distinct yet equally exciting experiences. Little A shines at lunch, serving comfort food classics with elevated sandwiches like lamb or jerk chicken, complemented by sesame seed buns and hand-cut fries or chips.
By dinner, the space transforms into Adeline, offering inventive dishes such as raw scallop with cream and basil, perfectly paired with Japanese milk bread slathered with cultured butter. Debuting earlier this year, these sibling spots are a testament to refined flavors and quality, making them standout destinations for Florida locals and visitors alike. — Wade Tatangelo, Sarasota Herald-Tribune
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Alexander’s Prime | Ormond Beach
Prime, dry-aged, bone-in Delmonico ribeye from Alexander’s Prime in Ormond Beach.
Details: 123 W. Granada Blvd., Ormond Beach; 386-238-9228, alexandersormond.com
Alexander’s Prime, a name known by longtime locals of Ormond Beach, where the now fine dining steakhouse originated roughly four decades ago, opened its doors along the city’s Granada Boulevard in April. The downtown restaurant, revered for its timeless charm, white-tablecloth dining and 1920s Art Deco-inspired design, is the product of a creative collaboration between local developer Bill Jones and New York City restaurateur Joe Oliva.
Inside the nearly 100-year-old building, guests can savor a New York-style steak dinner, fresh fish filet or pasta plate of their choosing or claim a seat at the entry-way bar, adorned with George Rodrigue Blue Dog artwork, for a craft cocktail. Alexander’s offers a curated selection of dry-aged prime cuts and steaks on its menu, boasting the top 3% of USDA beef, as well as locally sourced seafood and appetizers under $20, my personal favorite being the 14-hour slow roasted bacon bites dressed in a bourbon, brown sugar glaze. — Helena Perray, The Daytona Beach News-Journal
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Bar Capri | West Palm Beach
Bar Capri checks all the boxes: waterfront, rooftop, great pizza, caviar, cocktails, good wine.
Details: 185 Banyan Blvd., West Palm Beach; 561-342-6699; barcapriwpb.com
Waterfront? Check. Rooftop dining with vast views of nearby yachts, a skating rink below, and twinkling lights of the world-famous Breakers Hotel in the distance? Check.
Think of Bar Capri as a sexy pizza party in the sky, where cocktails and caviar are mere introductions to a fun bar menu featuring a choice of 14 artisanal, significantly-sized shareable pies made downstairs at the renowned Elisabetta’s, then delivered to your table in a box. Since its April debut, it’s become a downtown hotspot as one of the cool, insider-y places locals go. Even weeknights are bananas busy, but it’s so worth a visit. Sure, you can sit at the pretty bar, but much of the seating is like a friend’s comfortable lanai…if that friend lived in a penthouse. — Diana Biederman, Palm Beach Post
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Bruno’s of Brooklyn | Fort Myers
Bruno’s of Brooklyn lights up the corner of First and Dean Streets in downtown Fort Myers.
Details: 2149 First St., downtown Fort Myers; 239-278-0211; brunosofbrooklyn.com
When Cal and Genevieve Bruno’s two-story gem in the heart of downtown debuted in November, it was a dream come true — for them and local foodies. More than 200 customers filled the inviting Italian eatery during the grand opening and have kept seats filled night after night since. And for good reason. It begins with Genevieve herself, tending to each and every guest like they’re old friends. And there’s Cal, the driving force behind the magnificent dishes he built a loyal following with at Bruno’s previous location.
And oh, what dishes they are. The pork braciole, signature house meatballs and shrimp with figs and spinach are just a few of our favorites. You’ll find it all in this completely renovated, modern yet historic, gorgeous brick-walled, wood-beamed and silver-and-black accented space. And did we mention there’s a dessert room? Like we said, Bruno’s is a dream come true. — Robyn George, The News-Press
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The Burrow | Pensacola
Executive chef Amy Potmesil releases hickory smoke from a pot of mussels at The Burrow, the new Odd Colony Biergarten, at the old Sacred Heart building in Pensacola’s East Hill on Thursday, Feb. 1, 2024.
Details: 1010 N. 12 Ave., Pensacola; 850-512-7095; facebook.com/TheBurrowbyOC
Ever since Pensacola’s Odd Colony Brewing Co. was launched by childhood friends and now co-owners Brett Schweigert and Blake Foster in 2019, the principle has remained the same: everything is done with purpose. Combine the handcrafted brews Odd Colony is known for, handcrafted signature cocktails and a creatively curated menu by executive chef Amy Potmesil and you get The Burrow — one of Pensacola’s most unique dining experiences.
Nestled in the lower level of a former Sacred Heart hospital, you’ll find an ethereal woodland-themed restaurant with Earth tone velvet booths, pressed flower beer taps, stained glass depictions of forest creatures and an outdoor biergarten with a live entertainment stage. While The Burrow was created by brewmasters, it has become a dining destination.
You can expect to find plates coming out of the kitchen of seared Gulf shrimp and white cheddar heirloom grits, beer braised Black Angus brisket sandwiches and piping hot hickory smoked mussels for lunch and dinner, with honey lavender crème brulee for dessert. You can also check out a brand-new Sunday brunch menu to score unique treats such as their black garlic hot honey butter chicken biscuit or French toast with maple whipped mascarpone. — Brittany Misencik, Pensacola News Journal
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The Chicken Place | Port St. Lucie
The Chicken Place Latin Rotisserie & Cocktail Bar in Port St. Lucie uses rotisserie chicken in a menu inspired by Latin American culinary traditions.
Details: 10228 S.W. Meeting St., Port St. Lucie; 772-777-4948; kgschickenplace.com
Treasure Coast restaurateur Kyle Greene pays homage to his South Florida roots and culinary adventures in Miami and San Diego, California, with his seventh restaurant, The Chicken Place Latin Rotisserie & Cocktail Bar in Port St. Lucie. His other restaurants include Kyle G’s Prime Seafood & Steaks in Jensen Beach, Oak & Ember Steakhouse in Port St. Lucie and Stuart, Kyle G’s Oyster and Wine Bar in Port St. Lucie, Nonna’s Italian Eatery in Jensen Beach and Nostalgia Italian Greek Kouzina.
At the new restaurant, chef Carlos Cua uses rotisserie chicken in a menu inspired by Latin American culinary traditions. Menu items include street tacos, Cuban sliders, a pork arepa stack, coal-roasted street corn on the cob, rotisserie chicken-stuffed empanadas and rotisserie chicken nachos. The “TCP Arroz Con Pollo” entree includes rotisserie chicken, chorizo, carrots, green peas, salsa criolla and chimichurri sauce. — Laurie K. Blandford, TCPalm/Treasure Coast Newspapers
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enRich Bistro | Bradenton
Dry-aged 12-ounce USDA Prime New York Strip with warm Mediterranean couscous at enRich Bistro in Bradenton, photographed on Nov. 16, 2024.
Details: 5239 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton; 941-289-1299; enrichbistro.com
After closing in 2020, enRich Bistro has reemerged in Bradenton, bigger and better than ever. Chef and owner Rich Knowles, alongside executive chef Larry Lane, has revived favorites like the calamari salad with wasabi vinaigrette and buttermilk fried chicken with honey truffle butter, while also introducing exceptional new dishes. Among the standouts are the pan-seared quail with mole negro, black bean purée, and street corn — a must-try for adventurous diners — and the New York strip, dry-aged in-house for 28 days to achieve its remarkable umami flavor.
For lunch, don’t miss Larry’s Hot Pastrami sandwich, featuring Black Angus brisket, fermented mustard seed aioli, and caraway kraut on sour rye. Yes, enRich has reclaimed its place as a premier dining and drinking destination in The Friendly City, just south of Tampa Bay. — Wade Tatangelo, Sarasota Herald-Tribune
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Iron Works Steaks and Fine Cocktails | Tavares
The entrance is surrounded by a larger-than-life gear at Iron Works Steaks and Fine Cocktails in Tavares.
Details: 132 W. Ruby St., Tavares; 352-321-9340; thedragonvaultdining.com/ironworks-home
This fine dining restaurant in Tavares specializes in steaks and also offers bourbon chicken breast, maple pork chop, grilled salmon, mushroom Alfredo, penne alla vodka and tuna steak. In keeping with the Iron Works theme, there are moveable gears on the walls and steel beams and iron columns in the dining room. The cocktail offerings include the Industrial Old Fashioned, Iron Maiden Jane, Electric Cure and The Bad Omen. — Cindy Peterson, correspondent, Leesburg Daily Commercial
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The Monroe | Tallahassee
The the bar and indoor dining area at The Monroe. A soft opening was held Tuesday, July 2, 2024.
Details: 1327 S. Monroe St.; 850- 896-9114; themonroetlh.com
SoMo Walls’ anchor tenant, The Monroe, an upscale eatery has been welcomed by many as it bestows a refreshed sense of energy to the South Monroe corridor since it opened in July. When it’s warm, guests can enjoy brunch and cocktails on the patio filled with sandy-colored plush seats for both high and low tables or at the pass-through bar seats. Accents of gold on the tables, footstools, chandeliers and arch frames that decorate the wall and bar area add a sophisticated look to the space, fitting developer Bugra Demirel’s portrayal of the space as one for the “grown folks.”
The menu, curated by restaurateur and chef Jesse Edmunds of the Seven Hills Hospitality Group, features modern American cuisine with hints of globally inspired flavors all combined to make decadent works of art made to eat. Cocktails to pair come from beverage director Jaymi London, another heavy hitter in Tallahassee’s hospitality scene. The distillery and restaurant have become a destination for holiday parties and it sells its home-grown vodka and rum, with gin on the way. ― Kyla Sandford, Tallahassee Democrat
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Rebellion Beachside Bar & Bistro | Cocoa Beach
Joe Yardley and Michelle Herndon, own Rebellion Wine Bar in Cocoa Village, and opened Rebellion Beachside Bar and Bistro in downtown Cocoa Beach in 2024.
Details: 26 N. Orlando Ave., Cocoa Beach; 321-613-2210; rebellionrestaurants.com
Joe Yardley and Michelle Herndon are known to be “rebellious,” as this is their second venture. A French bistro concept, with a sexy vibe, they’re taking classic dishes and giving them a bit of attitude: Guests can try pork chops with a French “Old Florida” twist, steamed mussels with frites, or an oyster stew, with a recipe handed down by Yardley’s grandfather. As for libations, they offer classic French wines to enjoy, from red to sparkling and everything in between. They also feature craft cocktails with rare French brandies, like Armagnacs, gins and cognacs. — Amber Olesen, Florida Today
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Taverna Oceana | Jacksonville
The three-tier Oceana Tower featuring two dozen oysters, five cocktail shrimp, Insalata di mare, ceviche, and a quarter-pound chilled lobster is a signature dish at Taverna Oceana in Jacksonville’s historic San Marco neighborhood.
Details: 1988 San Marco Blvd., Jacksonville; 904-398-3005; ocean.restaurant
Fourteen years after launching seasonal Italian cuisine restaurant Taverna in the heart of historic San Marco Square, owners Sam and Kiley Efron in May launched their new raw bar and seafood concept, Taverna Oceana, next door in the trendy neighborhood just south of downtown. Sophisticated but unpretentious, Oceana offers a menu of three-tier seafood towers, oysters, caviar service, smoked filet mignon and even “grown-up tater tots” — smothered with salmon roe and sour cream.
Kiley Efron describes the 80-seat restaurant as “Taverna’s older, sexier French aunt.” At Oceana, her husband, business partner and executive chef Sam Efron incorporates more Asian and Latin flavors into the menu compared to the Mediterranean and Italian cuisine he’s perfected next door. The restaurant joins two other seafood and raw bar concepts, City Grille & Raw Bar and Gemma Fish + Oyster, both of which opened in the second half of last year also in the San Marco area. — Gary T. Mills, Florida Times-Union
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Three Six Bistro | Ocala
Executive chef and owner Sean Langan cooks a dish on Nov. 20 at the Three Six Bistro in Ocala.
Details: 3751 S.E. 36th Ave., Ocala; 352-421-5236; threesixbistro.com
Executive chef Sean Langan and the folks at Three Six Bistro are ready to take you on a magical dining adventure. “We create magic,” said Langan, 58, a Seattle native and 40-year veteran of the restaurant profession. He has multiple successful restaurants to his credit, including the Flavour and Amore restaurants in the Seattle area. His newest is Three Six Bistro, a small, reservations-only “upscale casual” eatery in a tiny strip shopping center away from the main roads of southeast Ocala.
The “fresh modernist cuisine” menu includes filet mignon, pork tenderloin in creamed spinach and lobster pappardelle. There are also sharables like sausage and cheese and crab fondue, and a “fresh flavors” menu with recent selections like salmon bruschetta and lamb chops. — Andy Fillmore, correspondent, Ocala Star-Banner
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This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Best new restaurants in Florida of 2024: See our 12 favorite spots
