Miami New Times | June 24, 2025
From riverfront spots like Casa Sensei to newcomers like Catch & Cut, here are the best downtown Fort Lauderdale restaurants.
Downtown Fort Lauderdale may not boast the beachfront allure of A1A or the artistic edge of Flagler Village, but its dining scene is not to be overlooked. Centered around the vibrant Las Olas Boulevard and bordered by the meandering New River, downtown has transformed into a thriving culinary destination, complementing the already impressive food culture of Fort Lauderdale as a whole. Here, the energetic atmosphere of the city blends with diverse global cuisines in stylish ways.
Whether you’re disembarking from a yacht for the day, catching a matinee at the Broward Center, or simply feeling hungry after running errands, here are ten spots—listed in alphabetical order—that showcase how downtown Fort Lauderdale’s food scene is thriving like never before.
A comparative OG of the Las Olas scene, Yolo has reinvented itself more than once since first opening in 2008. The latest chapter is perhaps its most polished yet: a refined menu featuring everything from cherry-smoked Duroc pork chops to wood-fired branzino, paired with a sleek remodel that feels right at home among the area’s influx of soaring luxury condos. Stick around after dinner for drinks at O Lounge next door, because, ya know, “YOLO!”
