Even though we share about two dozen restaurants with you annually, only a fraction deserve to be remembered annually as “the best of the best.” Some we try don’t pass muster. A few, our “default” spots, are consistently good and take the #10 and #9 spots.
#10 The Office (Downtown Delray): For lunch, dinner and weekend brunch, here’s the “old reliable” you can count on, creative and fresh, with value for dollar. Great drinks, great service. Highlights: PEI Mussels with lobster broth, chorizo and saffron garlic mayo; Sliders with gruyere, tomato jam and hand-cut fries; Maine Lobster Roll; Huckleberry BBQ Short Rib Grilled Cheese; crispy Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich; Maine Lobster & Crab Cakes; Crispy Pork Chop Milanese with a sophisticated salad on top; and Roasted Pear & Cheese Tortelloni in cream sauce.
#9 City Oyster (Downtown Delray): This attractive, popular spot isn’t a classic oyster house but feels like it could be. Lovely cocktails, entrees including Florida fish and seafood, steaks and burgers, and New England and Japanese seafood specialties contrast with the quality sushi menu. In essence, this is where to go for dinner when no one can agree on what to eat. Highlights: Lobster Bisque; Rock Shrimp Tempura; Fresh Boston Cod Fish & Chips; Maine Lobster Roll; assorted oysters, raw, Casino or Rockefeller; Seafood Tower; Shrimp & Crab Gumbo Bowl with Cajun sausage; Miso Glazed Sea Bass; and Kung Pao Shrimp & Scallops. And lots more.
