Southern Hospitality: Enjoy Holiday Dining & Merriment in Palm Beach County

Rooms at The Breakers may be sold out over the holidays, but it’s still one of the most magical places to experience the season. Thousands of twinkling lights, ornaments, ribbons and bows, along with decorated trees adorn the iconic property. There will also be a holiday tea at the buzzy lobby restaurant, HMF, December 20-23, and 26-30, with tea sandwiches, pastries and warm buttermilk scones with rose petal jam and Devonshire cream.

The resort’s Flagler Steakhouse, with views of the golf course, will offer a three-course prix fixe menu on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, and architecturally magnificent The Circle, will serve up an elaborate brunch those days, while a harpist provides background music. On Christmas Day, a festive meal will also be served in the Ponce de Leon Ballroom.

Searching for a spectacular spot for a New Year’s Eve celebration? The Eau Palm Beach has several options, all of them oceanfront. The resort’s ballroom will feature an open bar, Champagne and bar bites, along with a balloon drop, while the restaurants Polpo and Angle will both offer either four- or five-course dinners with an option of wine pairings.

The Hilton West Palm Beach has undergone a $25 million renovation, including an update of their rooms, upgrade of food and beverage, and a reimagining of the vast pool area. Programming has also been enhanced, with new cultural offerings, fitness classes and other activities.

There is a lot going on in Boca Raton, with a new restaurant row and downtown area emerging over the last year, and since the Brightline now stops there, you can jump on board the affordable high-speed train in West Palm Beach, and arrive in Boca in 22 minutes. Gallaghers, the famous New York steakhouse, opened there over the summer and added lunch in September, including a $34 special with appetizer, entrée and dessert.

El Camino, which has become one of the most popular spots in West Palm Beach, has expanded to Boca Raton’s new restaurant row, opening its largest restaurant yet, with exclusive new dishes like red snapper ceviche Veracruz with manzano chilis, and cocktails such as an avocado margarita and mango lassi margarita.

Nearby, restaurateur and hotelier Mitchell Robbins has opened a modern Chinese eatery, Red Pine Restaurant & Bar, that serves lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch, and offers take-out.

French Vietnamese hit Le Colonial, which was packed since the day it opened, brought a new level of chic to Delray, and has just added weekday lunch service. On the daytime menu are bento boxes — one includes shrimp and pork roll, char-grilled lemongrass beef patty with pickled papaya and vermicelli; and a veggie version which includes a meatless roll and eggplant/tofu stir fry with steamed jasmine rice.

Vegans can select com chien chay truffle, with Thai jasmine rice, preserved radish, beansprout, king oyster mushrooms, black truffle oil and vegan fish sauce.

Up north a bit, Gulfstream Hospitality has unveiled a waterfront coastal steakhouse, The Jupiter Grill, located at Harborside Place. Helmed by Paul Niedermann, a winner on Gordon Ramsey’s Hell’s Kitchen show, it focuses on prime steaks as well as seafood, along with an impressive wine list.

Among the menu highlights are wagyu beef carpaccio; angry cashew lobster with spicy Meyer lemon aioli; prime porterhouse for two; roasted diver scallops with butternut squash risotto; and a trio filet flight — chunks of steak topped with applewood smoked bacon, bleu cheese and fig; truffle and red wine shallot butter; and spicy rock shrimp Oscar.

The restaurant is also open for brunch, with options ranging from steak and eggs, to a Jupiter cobb with butter-poached lobster, shrimp and crab; to a churro waffle with cinnamon sugar, Fresno chili chocolate sauce, and sea salt caramel.

Happy holidays! We will be back with more hospitality updates next month.