Restaurant news: IT Italian and Carrot Express open in Hollywood, Kebab Shop expands to Coral Springs

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The Kebab Shop, Coral Springs

1289 N. University Drive; 754-241-2261, TheKebabShop.com

This Lebanese Halal chain based in San Diego debuted June 18 in the Ramblewood Square plaza on University Drive with a build-your-own-kebab menu. The Mediterranean chain, founded in 2007 by Tony Farmand, AJ Akbar and Wally Sadat, offers a choice of chicken and lamb-beef doner, grilled saffron chicken, falafel, grilled steak and beef kofta. Proteins are offered in wrap, plate or box form, smothered in sauces (garlic yogurt, dill yogurt, cilantro jalapeno and fire chili) and served with sides ranging from saffron rice and chickpea salad to hummus and fries. The Coral Springs outpost marks the second South Florida location of Kebab, joining a Miramar outpost that opened in February and 40 more locations in California and Texas. A Boynton Beach location (1780 N. Congress Ave., Suite #300) is also forthcoming.

Skillets

13860 Wellington Trace, Wellington; 561-660-8304; skilletsrestaurants.com .

Skillets just opened its third Palm Beach County restaurant in Wellington (the other two are in Boca Raton and Delray Beach). At the July 9 grand opening the throwback homestyle diner that serves breakfast and lunch from a scratch kitchen donated $1,000 to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County. “As we expand in Palm Beach County, the Wellington area is an ideal fit,” explains Joe DiGangi, CEO of Skillets Restaurants. “This equestrian and family-centric area has many early risers looking for a quality breakfast experience. Wellington will fall in love with our great breakfast and lunch food choices and seasonal menu.” Owners Ross and Noreen Edlund started the brand in Naples and now there are 16 locations throughout the state. The new Wellington restaurant can seat 195 guests in over 4,500 square feet.

Macamochi

115 NW Sixth St., Fort Lauderdale; 954-637-3306; macamochi.com and sistrunkmarketplace.com/maca-mochi .

This dessert destination just had a soft opening last month with a second location in Sistrunk Marketplace and Brewery. The original, which opened in 2023, is in Hollywood’s Yellow Green Farmers Market. As the name suggests, Macamochi makes gluten-free macarons and never-frozen mochi, with lots of vegan options — all baked fresh daily. “We minimize sugar in recipes to make sure nothing is covering (the) original taste,” says Dzmitry Balashevich, who co-owns the brand with Iryna Balashevich. “Pistachio Macaron and Fresh Raspberry Mochi are our top bestsellers.”

IT Italian Trattoria

349 Johnson St., Hollywood; 954-466-8824; it-trattoria.com .

Finally there’s an IT Italian Trattoria in Broward County. The family-founded, fast-casual restaurant has two locations in Miami Beach, one in New York City and more than 70 across Europe. “We’ve had remarkable success with our first three U.S. restaurants and are thrilled to announce the opening of our first Broward County location,” Edoardo Paredi, an IT Trattoria partner overseeing the U.S. expansion, says in a company statement . “We love the vibrant atmosphere of Hollywood Beach and are excited to establish the restaurant as a must-visit destination for locals and visitors.” Founded in 2014 by Calabrian brothers Renato and Gio Iera, the brand’s newest location is next to Margaritaville Hollywood Beach Resort and spans 3,500 square feet with 150 seats, including indoor seating and outdoor tables with beachfront views. Inspired by the recipes of their Uncle Romolo and Grandma Rosina, the brothers have made sure that the menu includes signature dishes such as Radiatore Del Capo with Sicilian cherry tomatoes and spianata calabrese; Rigatoni Tartufo with truffle cream and mushrooms; Pizza Regina topped with mozzarella, mushrooms, prosciutto cotto, arugula as well as house-made pastas, pizza, salads, paninis, cannoli, tiramisu and flavored croissants.

The Food Republic

1910 E. Sunrise Blvd., Fort Lauderdale; 954-302-2300; ordergreatfood.com .

Chef Nikol Zarbalas has expanded her empire with this new eatery in Gateway Shopping Center, in the space formerly Tipico Cafe. She also has the Culinary Republic catering company and Hellenic Republic , which Guy Fieri summed up with, “hands down, the best Greek food” he’d ever had when the Coral Springs hotspot was featured on the Food Network superstar’s “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” in 2022. This past April, The Mayor of Flavortown had her compete in his “Guy’s Grocery Games” show. In her latest project, Zarbalas says her culinary concept is a mix on the menu. “The Food Republic is an eclectic dining experience,” she told the South Florida Sun Sentinel . “The things on the menu are things that I execute really, really well. They are things that I love to eat, the things that I enjoy cooking. When you come here, I want you to feel good. I want you to feel welcome. I want you to sit down, enjoy yourself and feel like you’re at a friend’s house and that I’m cooking for you.” Foodie faves so far include Fried Chicken, Shrimp & Grits, Skirt Steak Sandwich and Pasta Carbonara.

Carrot Express

1818 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood; 954-628-5558; carrotexpress.com .

The veggie-centric, fast-casual chain opened in Hollywood on June 28 with its signature salads, bowls, veggie burgers, made-to-order wraps, ciabatta sandwiches, smoothies and grab-and-go juices. “Hollywood is one of the fastest-growing cities in Florida and as it’s going through a major resurgence,” owner Mario Laufer said in a statement. “We wanted to make sure our doors were open for the community. As health is taken more serious than ever, it’s no longer seen as a fad or a trend … now the residents and visitors of Hollywood can fuel their bodies with food that’s not only healthy but, delicious too.” Carrot Express, which started in a Miami Beach gas station on Alton Road back in 1993, offers options for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

The Blind Monk

655 S. Olive Ave., West Palm Beach; TheBlindMonk.com

After warning customers for a year about a pending move, wine bar and hip tapas hotspot The Blind Monk shut its Evernia Street location after 13 years last December — and migrated in mid-April into the chic AKA Hotel , also in vibey downtown West Palm Beach. The Blind Monk debuted in 2010 under the auspices of former U.S. Marine Capt. Ben Lubin, who’s also a graduate of the French Culinary Institute and a certified sommelier. The new location — triple the size of its OG perch on Evernia — lets Blind Monk leap from wine bar to tastefully appointed bistro, with new covered terrace seating on the patio and new craft cocktails. The all-day menu (also new) features items such as sour cream pancakes, shakshouka, chicken liver mousse, and grilled swordfish skewers with black lentils.

Coast to Coast Pizza Co.

656 N. Federal Highway, Fort Lauderdale; 954-368-5443; CoasttoCoastPizzaCompany.com

We have an embarrassment of slice-shop riches in SoFlo, so you’d be forgiven for giving this Victoria Park pizzeria a double-take and thinking, “Wait, wasn’t this already here?” Answer: Nope. The space used to be Flagler Pizza & Pasta, and before that Anthony’s Pronto Kitchen, an Italian grab-and-go from Anthony Bruno of Anthony’s Runway 84 fame. Now it’s Coast to Coast, which opened in late April from owners Omar and Nicole Maldonado , and serves N.Y.-style pies from Margherita to the 7.7 Cheese Pie, named after its one-bite review score from Barstool Sports’ Dave Portnoy. The recipes come from Philadelphia-raised manager Anthony Ludovici-DeBrigida, pried away from a career as a dolphin trainer at Dolphin Research Center on Grassy Key to cook pies at Coast to Coast’s Marathon flagship. (Fort Lauderdale is the second location.) There are also Detroit-style pies, salads, garlic knots and steak calzones.

Masala Mantra

11051 Southern Blvd., Royal Palm Beach; 561-328-7497; masalamantraroyalpalmbeach.com

This recently opened Indian restaurant serves entrees such as Jini Dosa (stuffed crepe), Biryani (mixed rice), Chicken Lollipops and Stuffed Mushrooms. There are also dessert options like the Chocolate Samosa and crafted cocktails. Hridaan Patel, son of founders Purnima and Krunalbhai Patel, used the video game Minecraft to help come up with the restaurant’s design, evoking the vibrancy of India’s streets. “This is an immersive journey into the essence of Indian street food, re-envisioned through a contemporary lens,” Krunalbhai Patel said. “Each dish is crafted to narrate a story, blending tradition with innovation in a manner designed to surprise and delight our patrons and their palates.”

The Modern Rose

4300 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood; 954-967-0444; themodernrose.com

Emilio and Jimena Dominguez opened their third location of the boutique brand The Modern Rose in early March with business partners Ida and Ray Passaro and UFC commentator/former fighter Din Thomas . The menu is the same: avocado toast, egg sammies, breakfast dishes, mixed greens salads, a wide selection of coffees, teas and entree options ranging from panini and hummus to shrimp scramble and bruschettas. Commenting on the menu, Emilio Dominguez said, “No notable changes, except here we offer full table service and will have bottomless mimosas on weekends soon.” He described the decor as “Victorian vibes with a vintage aesthetic.”

Bedda Mia Ristorante & Pizzette

427 S. Federal Highway, Pompano Beach; 954-943-5387; beddamiaristorante.com

Serving “Sicilian/Italian dishes with a kick from New Jersey,” this restaurant has everything from pinwheel knots to lasagna to eggplant parmigiana. There are burgers (even a Pizza Burger!), Sicilian-style pizzas (of course!) and Sfincione pizzas that have more than 8 pounds of seafood and feed eight to 10 people. Partners Maria Santini and master chef Ettore Maestoso officially opened the eatery on March 1 after being on the New Jersey restaurant scene for decades. “This is our passion and our dream,” Santini said. “Ettore is beyond talented in the kitchen. There honestly is no other way to describe it. Everything that he prepares is full of flavor and can nevr be duplicated. He is meticulous and the blends of everything is unforgettable.”

Ona Coastal Cuisine

3800 N. Ocean Drive, Singer Island; 561-340-1795; onacoastalcuisine.com

Ona Coastal Cuisine is the new flagship restaurant at the Palm Beach Marriott Singer Island Beach Resort & Spa, replacing the former 3800 Ocean Restaurant & Lounge in early May. The lunch, dinner and all-day lounge menus offer modern coastal cuisine with dishes such as Pistachio Baked Clams, Truffle and Gratitude Mushrooms Flatbread, Tangerine-Glazed Faroe Island Salmon, Potato Gnocchi Sorrentina (house-made), Coconut Panna Cotta, Sticky Toffee Pudding and Lemon Pavlova. Tropical cocktails include the Pistachio Key Lime and the Pineapple and Sweet Corn Margarita.

511 Bar & Lounge

511 NE Third Ave, Fort Lauderdale; 954-401-0450; Instagram.com/511bar_/

On April Fools’ Day, this venue took over the space that was Aqui Bar & Kitchens in Fort Lauderdale’s Flagler Village neighborhood. Billed as a cocktail and live music venue (with a rotating list of food trucks), 511 Bar & Lounge is owned by Digby Nothard and Trenton O’Connor. Also, 511 boasts a bunch of rare bourbons. The space can accommodate 78 people inside and about the same number outside, on the shaded outdoor patio.

Fresh Mangos

10300 Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 2000, Wellington; 561-847-4504; myfreshmangos.com

This addition to The Mall at Wellington Green’s food scene offers fresh fruit smoothies, boba drinks and teas, natural juices as well as acai bowls, sandwiches, salads, snacks and the newest menu item, made-to-order Avocado Toast topped with sliced tomatoes and hard-boiled eggs — all with clean-label ingredients and virtually no artificial flavors. In 2018, Carlos and Jessica Tafur opened their first Fresh Mangos at what is now Tanger Outlets Palm Beach in West Palm Beach. Now there are kiosks in Broward Mall, Boynton Beach Mall and Coral Square Mall. This latest one opened on April 1.

Kool Runnings Café

1036 Royal Palm Beach Blvd., Royal Palm Beach; Facebook.com

This ice cream eatery in the Village of Royal Palm Beach’s Veterans Park opened on May 31 and is owned and operated by the Brennan family: Kathy, Sean and their daughter, Autumn. “What makes us unique is our small batch options,” Sean Brennan said. “This keeps the product incredibly fresh and allows us to offer some unusual flavor choices … flavors like soursop, mantecado, mango and coconut. Many people are not familiar with them in ice cream form and have to give them a try.”

Cake Daddy’s

2047 Wilton Drive, Wilton Manors; 954-361-1239; CakeDaddys.com

Cuban-born baker Victor Calderon is the culinary muscle behind this new Wilton Drive bake shop — emphasis on the muscle. Branding on social media depicts the tattooed and shirtless Calderon sporting an apron, triumphantly hoisting a 9-inch cake. The bakery debuted in mid-April. Calderon, who immigrated to the states in 2012, says in a GoFundMe post that he originally baked and sold cakes to support himself and his mother while funding his way out of Cuba.

Just Salad

780 N. Congress Ave., Boynton Beach; 866-673-3757; justsalad.com

This NYC-based, fast-casual restaurant chain opened its sixth Palm Beach County location, and 18th overall in the state, in late April. Menu highlights include wraps, warm bowls, soups, smoothies and — of course — 15 chef-designed salads, including fan faves such as the Crispy Chicken Poblano, Thai Chicken Crunch and Tokyo Supergreens.

Tap 42 Craft Kitchen & Bar

3101 PGA Blvd., Palm Beach Gardens; 561-725-0100; tap42.com

This is the 10th Tap 42 in SoFlo and its largest location in the area at 8,000-square-foot spread out on the second level of The Gardens Mall’s east wing. It can handle 270 guests, and the menu has all of the brand’s fan favorites such as Truffle Street Corn Guacamole, Barbecue Baby Back Ribs and Grilled Salmon Zen Bowl. The location opened May 10. “We’ve always seen northern Palm Beach County as a perfect fit for Tap 42,” said vice president and Tap 42 partner Alex Rudolph. “The Gardens Mall is an iconic location to expand our elevated cuisine and hospitality.”

Tin Fish Boca

9101 Lake Ridge Blvd., Boca Raton; 561-987-0088; tinfishboca.com

Tin Fish Boca is more upscale than the fast-casual Tin Fish Sunrise, both helmed by chef Joseph Melluso . The Palm Beach County iteration’s menu features a full raw bar with a wide variety of oysters and clams as well as sushi hand-rolled by their classically trained sushi chef. Since opening in March, popular dishes include the namesake Tin Fish Roll (scallop dynamite topped with shrimp, salmon, avocado and tempura flakes in a house-made Fuji sauce) and the Sloppy Fish (lightly-breaded cod on house-made slaw topped with signature tartar, hot and kaboom sauces). Co-owners Alan Annichiarico and Tracy Newmark have restaurant/hospitality business experience across seven states. Tin Fish Boca can seat 60 guests in the dining room, 45 people at the bar and 28 on the patio.

Guaca Go

5064 W. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach; 561-501-5861, GuacaGo.com

This guacamole-obsessed kitchen leans fast-casual in the same way, say, that SoFresh serves chicken or Rice Mediterranean Kitchen does grains: with build-your-own bowls cobbled with lean protein and leafy greens. What is now a tried-and-familiar business template started as a catering company in 2016 by cofounders Carson Bennett and Amber Benjamin, who planted their first storefront on Boynton Beach’s Ocean Avenue in the summer of 2020. Their third location, which opened June 5 in Delray Commons , sits beside a Sprouts Farmers Market in a tasteful bright space the color of ripe avocados. There are five savory bowls swimming in your choice of chicken, steak, sweet chili shrimp, roasted pork or falafel, then topped with an acidic punch of dressings from pineapple jalapeño to creamy cilantro lime. The same proteins are offered in salad and wrap forms.

Mango Mercado
4650 Donald Ross Road, Suite 110, Palm Beach Gardens; MangoMercado.com

Chef Pushkar Marathe is not above pushing boundaries with Indian cuisine in incongruous neighborhoods. Take Stage Kitchen & Bar in the golfing mecca of Palm Beach Gardens, a global kitchen that dared to mash up Spanish octopus with chutneys and naan — and earned Marathe, for his boldness, a 2023 James Beard semifinalist nod . Or take Ela Curry & Cocktail , his take on street food like vada pav (deep-fried potato fritters in bread buns) alongside thali-style platters of chutneys, pickles, rice, seafood and meats. Mango Mercado, by contrast, fits deceptively on Donald Ross Road like a golf ball on the back nine, his breakfast-lunch counter blending in with the city’s many cafes. The restaurant, which Marathe opened May 28 with partner Andy Dugard, shares its storefront with Ela. At first blush, it’s a slim, subway-tiled space with cosmopolitan flourishes and grab-and-go breakfast, lunch and dinner items. But look closer, and … are those jars of butter-chicken sauce and pickled vegetables over the counter? And there, next to ham-and-cheese croissants and buckwheat pancakes, is breakfast congee, a Chinese rice porridge of egg, bacon, kimchi, mushrooms and chili crunch. Sandwich-focused lunches are served on Italian hoagies or piadinas, flatbreads (baked by West Palm Beach’s Aioli bakery) that here are stuffed with Marathe’s take on curried chicken salad and beef carpaccio (with fried capers and sherry shallot vinaigrette). There are even Cuban handhelds, always welcome anywhere in Palm Beach County.

Clean Eatz
4800 W. Hillsboro Blvd., Suite A10, Coconut Creek; 954-420-9559; CleanEatz.com

You’ll find no vegan options at this healthy-eats franchise, which instead leans into keto-friendly, high-protein wraps, bowls, burgers, smoothies and flatbreads under 500 calories. The Coconut Creek cafe, owned by franchisee Robert Dolce , debuted in May in the Westcreek Plaza, joining locations in 23 states. (Storefronts in Boynton Beach and West Palm Beach have also recently opened.) Customers can select prepackaged meals from grab-and-go cases or order at the counter. There’s barbecue brisket pizza, bourbon chicken mac ‘n’ cheese, pumpkin ravioli and whole-grain wheat pasta with boneless chicken-wing bites dressed in one of six house-made sauces, from sweet-spicy Thai chili to Green Goddess with shredded kale and lemon.

Ah-Beetz New Haven Pizza
Multiple locations; Ah-Beetz.com

Ah-beetz, for the uninformed, is the only proper way to pronounce “apizza” in New Haven, Connecticut — locals say it loudly and emphatically, like “achoo!” — which should tell you something about the authenticity of the pies served there. After debuting in Delray Beach in 2022, the pizzeria is adding three more franchises, the first of which bowed June 4 ( per social media ) in West Palm Beach (2600 Broadway Ave.), in funky-chic restaurant row Northwood Village, 2 miles north of downtown. The other two are expected to open this year in Royal Palm Beach (11051 Southern Blvd.) and Lake Park (9475 A1A Alternate). Founded by Kassondra Frantz and Nick Laudano Jr., the restaurant touts Connecticut favorites such as white clam ah-beetz, “mootz” (or mozzarella) pies with toppings, plus calzones, wings, salads and grinders.

Block 40 Food Hall
1818 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood; Block40FoodHall.com

On land that once included the Great Southern Hotel sits South Florida’s newest food hall , a 10-kiosk dining hub and central bar that opened to the public on June 7 on the ground floor of the 1818 Park residential tower. Block 40, whose sidewalk patio will overlook Hollywood’s tony ArtsPark at Young Circle, comes from Society 8 Hospitality, which knows a few things about running food halls . Vendors include: Donut Cream; DalMoros Fresh Pasta to Go (offers pasta in a box); Von Asia Kitchen (Jamaican-Asian mashup with robata-grilled jerk chicken); Catch Seafood Market (kosher whole fish, filets and whole-catch dishes); Hangry Joe’s (a hot chicken sandwich franchise), Cho:Tu (Indian street food), PhastBreak Cheesesteaks; Ocho Loco (street tacos and other Mexican dishes); C.L.A.S.S. Lux Burger (a burger joint from the same owners behind C.L.A.S.S. Soiree Steakhouse in downtown Hollywood); and Hollywood Creamery (housemade ice cream and ice-cream sandwiches).

Volare Italian Cuisine, Pizza & Wine Bar
1823 E. Commercial Blvd., Fort Lauderdale; 954-900-3621; VolareFL.com

Maybe it seemed inevitable that the owners behind Italian fast-food joint Pick-ITA-Up would crave a different name, if not price point. Owners Kremena and Filomeno Giannino (Dal Contadino Trattoria) have revamped their year-old space on East Commercial Boulevard into a higher-end restaurant and pizzeria, which formally debuted as Volare with a grand opening on June 11,. No longer will every Italian entree be $12, as it was under the Pick-ITA-Up moniker. Instead, the expanded menu of dishes (now $7-$32) includes starters such as seafood croquettes and baby back ribs; lunch-only handhelds like La Bomba (salami, mortadella, provolone on ciabatta); and, for entrees, spaghetti and meatballs and linguine alle vongole. There are also 21 signature red-sauce and white pies from Nuccio’s Pizza (confit cherry tomatoes, baked onions, guanciale, ricotta, crumbled Taralli crackers) to Volare (a star-shaped pizza with mozzarella, speck, pesto burrata, shaved Parmesan). Expect a variety of beers, proseccos, white and red wines.

Piu Argentinian Ice Cream 6310 Griffin Road, Unit B-101, Davie

This frozen treat shop registered to owner Mauricio Bastidas Castillo debuted at the end of May at the University Pointe apartment complex, next to Pho Bar Vietnamese Kitchen and Taco Love. The shop specializes in Argentinian “helado,” a delicious middle ground that marries the density of Italian gelato with the soft, creamy texture of traditional ice cream, without quite tasting like either.

Wiseguy Pizza
401 E. Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale; 954-284-0630; wiseguypizza.com

Wiseguy Pizza joined the booming dining scene in downtown Fort Lauderdale’s business district at the Bank of America Financial Center in early May. The fast-casual eatery bills itself as “old-school,” cooking pizza on a stone deck oven (no pizza screens; your pizza bakes directly on the stones). “We are ecstatic to introduce our award-winning pizza slices and pies to the vibrant neighborhood of Las Olas,” said Alex Berentzen, COO of Thompson Hospitality. “We are very much looking forward to this community experiencing Wiseguy’s iconic New York style pizza and unparalleled quality as we make our grand entrance into the region.” The cheese comes from Wisconsin. The tomato sauce comes from California. The extra virgin olive oil and parmigiano-reggiano are from Italy. The sauces and dressings are made in-house. Along with the classics, Wiseguy Pizza has a rotating menu of specials including vegan and vegetarian pies, as well as Korean Chicken, Paneer Tikka and Mushroom Truffle. There’s also a cauliflower gluten-free pie. This concept is part of the stable of brands under the Thompson Restaurants group. The company’s president, Warren Thompson, is a part-time Fort Lauderdale resident with a home in Harbor Beach.

CLOSED

Carlos & Pepe’s

1302 SE 17th St, Fort Lauderdale

After 45 years, the revered Mexican cantina on Fort Lauderdale’s 17th Street Causeway suddenly closed in mid July . Paula and Richard Ehmke, who bought the restaurant in June 2023, said a combination of high rents and food costs, sluggish foot traffic last spring, and about $72,000 in outstanding property taxes and repairs forced them to close. Over the years, the restaurant acquired a rabid following for menu items such as its Super Nachos, tuna dip and deep-fried ice cream.

Top Round

35 N. Federal Highway, Fort Lauderdale; ftlauderdale@eattopround.com ; eattopround.com/fortlauderdalefl .

This California-based restaurant chain specializing in deli sandwiches opened here in SoFlo back in January 2020, the first on the East Coast. That location — in Palm Court Pavilion on the edge of Fort Lauderdale’s Flagler Village at the corner of Broward Boulevard and Federal Highway — suddenly closed with no notice sometime in late May/early June. Husband-and-wife David and Stacey Chesal own the SoFlo franchise and David told the South Florida Sun Sentinel via an email that they are “…looking for a new location.”

Duck Donuts

5030 Champion Blvd., Boca Raton; 561-277-0687; DuckDonuts.com

One door closes and another opens: Two months after a new Duck Donut franchise bowed in Miramar , its 6-year-old counterpart in Boca Raton’s Polo Club Shops plaza has closed. No explanation was given by franchisees Majid and Sara Khan and Andrea Streeter, who’ve operated their fried-to-order shop since 2018. A since-deleted Facebook account included this post: “Thank you to all of our guests who have supported the shop over the years and the sweet memories.” Their pastry shop, at one point the only South Florida location of the North Carolina-born franchise, served vanilla cake rings deep-fried in soybean oil in front of customers, before being glazed *blueberry, lemon, maple), topped (chopped bacon, Oreo cookies) and drizzled (hot fudge, raspberry). There were also breakfast sandwiches built with halved doughnuts, along with milkshakes and sundaes.

Dino’s Subs & More

6057 NW 31st Ave., Fort Lauderdale

The worst-kept secret of this strip-mall sandwicherie was that owner Scott “Dino” Cohen is actually the grandson of Wolfie Cohen , whose pastrami-scented empire of Rascal House delis (seen on “Miami Vice” and “Golden Girls”) reigned across South Florida for decades. Savvy customers who caught on early flooded the sub shop shortly after it debuted in November, eager for the same over-seasoned corned beef and pastrami that lingered in their memories — until foot traffic waned in springtime. After seven months in business, Dino’s closed June 4, writing on the Sun Sentinel’s “ Let’s Eat, South Florida” Facebook group, “Despite our best efforts, we have reached a point where continuing our operations is no longer sustainable. We will cherish the memories and the friendships that have formed within these walls.”

Prison Pals

3553-3555 N. Dixie Highway, Oakland Park; PrisionPals.com

At first, it seemed this Oakland Park taproom had nailed the beer recipe for long-term survival at its two-warehouse taproom on North Dixie Highway: smoothie sours cold and thick enough to subdue any Florida swelter, hazy IPAs and refreshing light lagers in frequent rotation, and a 2,000-square-foot taproom strung out with festive market lights, bands and food trucks. But after two years, Prison Pals — named for three Argentinian friends and beermakers who said they escaped political corruption in their home country — closed on June 8, owners confirmed on Instagram . “We want to thank you for all your support through (these) last 2 years,” the taproom posted last week. “We had a wonderful time hosting you.” The closing of the 20-tap drinking den marks the second time in three years that a beer bar has shuttered in this space. Prison Pals’ flagship brewery and taproom in Doral remains open.