2023's most popular dishes: What diners adored at 14 Palm Beach restaurants
Time will tell what fare shines in Palm Beach’s 2024 dining-out scene, but what about 2023? The answer: Think indulgence.
What flew out of restaurant kitchens in 2023 were luscious lobster dishes, fancy soufflés and elevated spins of beloved rich-and-hearty eats.
Lighter dishes were popular, too, but the tuna crisps at Buccan, for one, mix flavors and textures in a way that’s an indulgence all its own.
Here’s a look at the most popular dishes in 2023 at several Palm Beach restaurants, which determined them based on sales figures or firsthand staff observations of which dishes dominated night after night.
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Buccan, 350 S. County Road
With its robust, loyal and always growing following, there have been Buccan “classics” since not long after the restaurant’s 2011 debut.
Three of them continued as favorites in 2023: tuna crisps ($23), short rib empanadas ($6 each) and sweet corn agnolotti ($21 appetizer; $24 entrée), according to general manager Andy Boles.
Such dishes may be overtaken in the future by some of chef-owner Clay Conley’s plant-based fare added in recent years, but not yet.
La Goulue, 288 S. County Road
The classic French bistro features many apropos favorites — vichyssoise, coquilles St. Jacques, beef au poivre — and guests in 2023 couldn’t get enough of another one: the signature cheese soufflé ($28).
Gruyère and Parmesan cheeses enrich the appetizer finished with white truffle oil and a pinch of sea salt. A small salad of mixed greens is served with the soufflé.
“It’s popular because it's an experience that elevates the senses and captivates taste buds with its creamy richness and exquisite texture,” general manager Mathieu Potelle told the Daily News.
Swifty's at The Colony, 155 Hammon Ave.
Swifty’s favorites never go out of style — including its jumbo-lump Maryland-style crab cakes served with creamed spinach and Lyonnaise potatoes — but the most popular in 2023? House-made tortilla chips served with crushed avocado and Yami-brand salsa.
The dish ($34) is a “table share” item friends routinely devour.
“It’s a good sharing superfood, and everyone loves to dip,” executive chef Tom Whitaker, who has introduced a variety of dishes to Swifty’s menu, including vegan items, told the Daily News.
Everything is made to order, including the flour tortillas fried and then drizzled with agave syrup and espelette salt, Whitaker said. “The chips are so good, guests say we should bag and sell them.”
Café L'Europe, 331 S. County Road
Dover sole and slow-roasted duck are among perennial favorites at Café L’Europe, thanks to co-executive chefs/France natives Alain Krauss and Benoit Delos, but in 2023, another menu item earned most-popular status: the Grand Marnier soufflé.
“This souffle is grand and opulent,” Café L’Europe co-owner Emanuela Marcello told the Daily News. “It’s a dessert no one makes at home, making it all the more special. Lots of its flavors are delicious, but there’s also a je ne sais quoi about the Grand Marnier soufflé.”
The Grand Marnier soufflé is $28.
Henry's, 229 Royal Poinciana Way
Since The Breakers opened Henry’s in 2020, popular menu items have always included “Pigs in a Pretzel Dough Blanket,” a comfort food Henry’s aims to take to another level.
In 2023, it took top honors. The rich-and-tasty Pilsner cheese fondue for dipping is just one reason why it’s a much-liked appetizer.
“It’s a comforting, delicious dish with a hint of nostalgia,” The Breakers’ executive chef of restaurants, Anthony Sicignano, told the Daily News. “The warm Pilsner cheese fondue adds a fun element that is great for sharing.”
Imoto, 350 S. County Road
Imoto’s sushi options — from sashimi to nigiri (don’t miss the spicy seared yellowtail with jalapeno and ponzu) — are always popular, but the Peking duck tacos appetizer at Imoto was the top-seller in 2023.
Peking duck is a beloved Asian delicacy, but pair it with the concept of tacos and it’s a handheld delight. Plum sauce, sesame and carrots amp up the flavors and textures.
Imoto’s duck tacos appetizer is $20.
Renato's, 87 Via Mizner
The Dover sole and rack of lamb are among favorites at Renato’s since the restaurant opened more than 35 years ago, but in 2023, another dish was the hands-down favorite.
“The lobster risotto was definitely the most popular, and it’s not just because of lobster, which everyone loves,” said head chef Javier Sanchez. “When risotto is done right, it is hard to resist, and this dish also has crab meat and other ingredients that come together to make a perfect combination.”
In addition to lobster and crab meat, the dish at Renato’s features saffron risotto, sweet peas and diced tomato ($39 at lunch; $45 dinner).
Restaurant 44, 44 Cocoanut Row, Palm Beach Towers
Two dishes tied for the most popular in 2023, according to executive chef Sam Norwood: charred octopus ($38) with cauliflower puree, chorizo, fava bean, fennel and cilantro emulsion; and Peconic Sound escargots ($24) with garlic cream, rendered prosciutto and crispy pastry.
The latter, Norwood said, is particularly notable because “this is fresh escargot, which is pretty uncommon outside of France. Most places serve a precooked canned product (escargots).”
Almond, 207 Royal Poinciana Way
Considering Almond’s culinary groove is all about serving global comfort food with a twist, it’s not surprising that two comfort-food dishes tied for top sellers in 2023.
They are: lobster spaghetti and house-made ricotta cavatelli with veal-and-pork sausage, bitter greens, pecorino and tomato. “They’re always favorites because people love a hearty and delicious pasta,” chef de cuisine Brendan Long told the Daily News.
The lobster spaghetti ($49) features cherry tomatoes, basil, lobster butter and scallions. The ricotta cavatelli with veal-and-pork sausage is $37.
Le Bilboquet, 245 Worth Ave., Via Encantada
If you thought the Cajun chicken was the most popular dish at Le Bilboquet — it’s been a perennial favorite at other Bilbo locations — it has a rival in Palm Beach: lobster curry.
The lobster curry has been tops since the restaurant opened in 2021. It features whole Miane lobster prepared two ways (tail cooked in the shell; claws served as a tartare on crostini) with curry and coconut broth and charred baby gem lettuce.
“This dish gained so much popularity that regular guests were disappointed when we removed the dish seasonally,” said general manager Ilic Darko. “We’re excited to bring the crowd-favorite back starting Jan. 11.”
Echo, 230 Sunrise Ave.
The most popular 2023 menu item at pan-Asian-cuisine Echo, with its black-and-lipstick red interior, once again is shrimp pad Thai.
With shrimp, rice noodles, shallots, bean sprouts, chives, egg, Thai basil and roasted peanuts, it’s $41.
“The complex flavor profile of this classic dish delicately balances sweet and sour, creating an exciting culinary experience that’s also approachable,” Anthony Sicignano, executive chef of restaurants for The Breakers, which owns and operates Echo, told the Daily News.
Cucina, 257 Royal Poinciana Way
Two elevated versions of comfort-food dishes at Italian-inflected Cucina tie for the most popular in 2023: lobster beignets ($45) and cannelloni Bolognese ($42 for one person; $65 for two to three people).
Cannelloni Bolognese, with such ingredients as fresh house-made pasta, Bolognese sauce and parmigiano cheese, “is good for sharing and everything in it is made lovingly from scratch,” executive chef Kent Thurston told the Daily News.
As for the beignets, the lobster is slow-cooked in butter and “there’s minimal filler with a light tempura texture on the outside,” he noted.
PB Catch, 251 Sunrise Ave.
Seacuterie, the seafood version of charcuterie at PB Catch, has long been a proprietary specialty, but as much as it’s always in demand, the most popular dish in 2023 was “a standout,” PB Catch officials said.
The dish, prepared by chef de cuisine Kevin Sawyer, features pan-roasted Chilean sea bass with caramelized brussels sprouts, glazed baby carrot and beech mushrooms.
What makes the dish especially “unique” is the “soy-caramel sauce,” Sawyer noted.
Meat Market, 191 Bradley Place
While Meat Market’s doesn’t only feature meat as its name implies — seafood options are prevalent and stone crab claws are a hit here — one of its most popular dishes of 2023 was a beef bonanza.
The extravagant Wagyu Sampler (market price) includes a 6-ounce Japanese Wagyu filet, a 12-ounce Japanese Wagyu New York strip and a 7-ounce domestic Wagyu filet.
Throughout 2023, guests repeatedly “indulged” in this “buttery” and “melt-in-your-mouth” trio, Meat Market officials said.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: What were 2023's most popular dishes at Palm Beach restaurants?
