Southern Hospitality: Fine Food, Fitness, Shopping & More in Palm Beach County

Discover fine food, fitness, shopping and more luxe living at Palm Beach County area hotels and restaurants this winter season.

Heading to IPIC Theaters to see a film is the equivalent of flying first class — cushy seats, cozy blankets and attendants serving drinks and food. While the Delray theater is certainly luxurious, the Boca location goes a step beyond, with a new Northern Italian restaurant, Serena Pastificio. The food is fresh, with herbs and some vegetables grown in the garden, and pasta made in house. Among the standout starters are roast vegetables including butternut squash, celery root and sunchoke with parmesan; calamari with artichoke, Meyer lemon and sage; perfectly al dente spaghetti pomodoro; black pepper gnocchi with grilled wild mushrooms and arugula; and salmon with beluga lentils. It’s worth visiting even if you don’t have time for a film.

If you haven’t made it to Italy this year, you can get your fix of the peninsula at authentic Villa Rosano, helmed by Frank Rosano, who grew up in Abruzzo, where his family grows their own grapes to make wine. The welcoming room has the feel of a European ristorante, and sauces are made daily. Start with an appetizer like clams Guazzetto, made with cannellini beans and artichoke hearts; rapini and sweet Italian sausage sautéed with garlic and extra virgin olive oil; or one of 14 salads, like pecan-crusted chicken salad with cranberries and gorgonzola. There are a variety of pizzas, including one with eggplant parmigiana; and a long list of toppings, including bacon and portobellos. The pastas range from whole wheat with chicken and broccoli, to lobster ravioli, and entrees include center cut veal chop and seafood Rosano with shrimp, clams and mussels.

For those who crave French cuisine, there are two must-visit bistros that sit across the bridge from each other. On the island, La Goulue, legendary in New York, opened an outpost a couple of years ago that feels like it has been there forever. Long time residents flock there as if it’s their canteen to dine on cheese soufflé, onion soup dripping with cheese, chicken roasted to perfection and prime rib sliced tableside. Don’t skip the floating island dessert.

Over on the other side, chef Mike Burgio at Pistache is whipping up creative and flavorful takes on classics. His tuna tartare is enhanced with charred pineapple, avocado, jalapeño and key lime aioli. Cavatelli is heady with black truffle; while vanilla honey-glazed turnips and chestnut puree make sea scallops utterly crave worthy. And vegetarians will be in heaven tasting the cauliflower tagine, cooked with lentils, chickpeas, dates, coconut, spiced cashews and minted yogurt.

There are a couple of restaurants worth the drive to the next county heading south, and both are on the water. Thasos, named after the Greek isle, rivals any of the country’s top Hellenic dining palaces — even the stuffed grape leaves are made from scratch. Other starters include spicy whipped feta, octopus and fennel salad, and wild tiger prawns; while the raw bar includes a mouth-watering selection of sweet and briny oysters, as well as hamachi crudo with yuzu, avocado and pomegranate. The fish, including whole branzino, Ōra King salmon and Dover sole are pristine and perfectly prepared. And for those not craving seafood, there is a bone-in black angus with truffle sauce, or lamb chops. Homemade baklava is the stuff dreams are made of.

Laurent Tourondel, who owns eLTacobar and Sag Pizza in Sag Harbor, is also chef at Dune, a wonderful, higher-end waterfront place in Ft. Lauderdale. The chopped salad here is one of the best around — finely minced veggies, along with artichoke, avocado, pomegranate and sunflower seeds, are drizzled with oregano vinaigrette, and the artistic presentation of vibrant colors is almost too beautiful to eat.A crispy Parmesan soufflé with mustard greens, prosciutto and truffle vinaigrette; and mushroom truffle flatbread are other memorable starters, while entree selections range from grilled swordfish to rigatoni with lamb Bolognese. Even if you aren’t someone who photographs your food, you might want to make an exception for the huge baked Alaska topped with toasted meringue, marshmallows and gold leaf.

Casa by Brazilian Court, an ongoing collaboration with exciting designers who will showcase their curated collections at the chic hotel, launched this month. The opening experience will feature Fivestory, a luxury women’s boutique, and will display a wide selection, from dresses to shoes.

Life Time, which has a new location in West Palm, and a beautiful club in Boca Raton, is like a resort for the fitness minded. Apart from a wealth of classes, including spin, yoga, Pilates and kickboxing, there is a full spa with anti-aging facials and therapeutic massage (book with Amanda if you can), and both indoor and outdoor swimming pools. They also have a dynamic stretch program with coaches like Jon Fiorentino, who does a combo of stretch and pressure point, and is one of the few coaches as impressive as New York stretch guru John McQueen (johnmcqueenstretch@gmail.com).

Three of New York’s top cosmetic dermatologists are holding pop-ups in Palm Beach. Dr. Anetta Reszko, Dr. Howard Sobel and Dr. Paul Jarrod Frank are all flying in monthly and even providing services like microneedling and injectables to their following, so no need to travel north to visit your favorite docs.

Privaira, the private jet charter service with a hub at Boca Raton Airport, will be even more luxurious thanks to a $40 million upgrade in honor of its 10th anniversary. Look for an expanded hangar, enhanced lounges and a VIP concierge that will handle everything from limo transportation to hotel and dining reservations.