Southern Hospitality: Gorgeous Getaways & Great Dining in Palm Beach County

Eau Palm Beach is the perfect escape, close enough to the center of town to go for dinner or a shopping excursion, but far enough away to feel private. The incredibly welcoming oceanfront resort has everything for the wellness-minded — including yoga, spin and barre classes, an adult pool for laps, and one of the most magical spas in the area (you even get to select the light, scented oil and music to accompany a treatment). Don’t miss lunch at Breeze Ocean Kitchen, where you can enjoy an ahi tuna citrus salad, wagyu hotdog or grilled sweet potato taco while watching the waves and taking in the sea air.

Polpo, an outpost of the Greenwich, CT favorite, is a good choice for dinner. Start with super fresh shrimp or oysters from the raw bar, or the signature grilled octopus, and move on to pork chop with rosemary, garlic and peppers or swordfish oreganata. The homemade pasta pomodoro is not to be missed, and luckily, the dish can be ordered as a side. If you are lucky enough to stay on the concierge floor, run by the legendary Eau Club Lounge curated by Philip Brice. It’s one of the best around, and food is also served there.

If you are visiting for a longer stay, AKA West Palm is a great choice, because stylish rooms come with both a kitchen and washer/dryer — additions that make travel much more convenient. Apart from being able to whip up your own breakfast, the hotel, which is just a block from Flagler Drive, provides a complementary spread each morning, featuring eggs, smoked salmon, yogurt and other goodies.

Further south in Aventura, the JW Marriott Turnberry has something for everyone, from golfers to wellness trekkers. There are two championship courses and two restaurants — the Mediterranean Corsair Kitchen & Bar and Bourbon Steak by Michael Mina, the James Beard Award-winning chef. Kids have their own water park on property called Tidal Cove, and adults can be equally enthralled at the fitness center with classes and private trainers, as well as the Âme Spa. Don’t expect run-of -the-mill massage beds — the Gharieni tables used here cost as much as a starter home in some states, and services run the gamut from teeth whitening to cryo facelifts to electro sound lymphatic drainage.

Dining in Florida simply calls out for fresh seafood, and it’s baffling to look at a menu here and see only salmon and Chilean sea bass, with nothing local. Fortunately, there are places that offer fish just out of the water. City Fish Market not only serves a daily selection including pompano, grouper and snapper prepared to perfection, it also sells the catch for you to cook at home.

New York restaurateur Curt Huegel, whose Campagnola is a long-time Upper East Side favorite, has become a real presence in Delray, with three hit spots, the most recent of which, Campi Italian, opened this season at The Ray Hotel. And Lulu’s, his vibey bar in the Pineapple Grove design district, offers cozy banquettes with an island feel. It’s packed in the morning with people munching on maple butter pancakes, and in the afternoon and evening with those enjoying Buddha bowls and cocktails.

One of the most beautiful restaurants in south Florida, Renato’s, along with its little sibling Pizza al Fresco, recently cosponsored the centennial celebration of Via Mizner, the magical little street off Worth Avenue that houses them. In collaboration with the Palm Beach Historical Society, the event was held on March 12, with entertainment, presentations and, of course, food and drink. The first night was by invitation only, but it was followed by continuing festivities.

Star chef Fabio Trabocchi, whose Washington, D.C., restaurant Fiola earned a Michelin Star, has opened Fiolina Pasta in Boca’s new midtown. Start with the bread, warm rosemary loaf with whipped ricotta or grilled piadina with pesto, or visit the mozzarella bar; then move on to homemade pasta like pappardelle with ragu bolognese; spicy radiatore all’ arrabbiata or linguine with littleneck and middleneck clams. Entrees range from grilled spiced octopus to veal chop parm. Don’t miss the cannoli cake made with vanilla and buttermilk.

In an area full of Italian food and steakhouses, Red Pine, the stylish new high-end Chinese restaurant stands out. Handmade chicken dumplings rival any al dente pasta for comfort, and there are standout classics like kung pao chicken, roast Peking duck and lobster fried rice. This is another spot from Mitchell Robbins, the man behind Farmer’s Table, so you can get a healthy option like wok sautéed vegetables with steamed fish or sliced chicken — the kitchen even has brown rice. If you want to throw caution to the wind, order the luscious brownie, which has a chili kick.

Another Asian spot worth checking out is SaiKo-i, that focuses on sushi and hibachi and happens to be a bargain. Hibachi dinners come with mushroom broth, salad, a shrimp appetizer, vegetables and rice, and include filet mignon for $37, salmon for $29, duck for $30 or chicken for $24.