Palm Beach County said goodbye to a long list of dining spots in 2026, with closures stretching from Tequesta in the north all the way down to Boca Raton in the south. Landlords hiking rents, longtime owners retiring, and shifting foot traffic all played a role, and several beloved neighborhood staples that had been open for decades didn’t survive the year.
North County Losses
In Tequesta, the coastal Mediterranean spot led by nationally recognized chef Niven Patel shut its doors after roughly two years on US 1, despite building a loyal happy-hour following. Over in Jupiter, a seafood-focused restaurant known for its scenic plating and social media presence closed in July after less than two years in business, with an unnamed staff member pointing to climbing rent as a major factor.
Palm Beach Gardens Hit Hard
Palm Beach Gardens saw several long-running names disappear. A popular Pan-Asian restaurant on Donald Ross Road that had built a loyal following over the years closed in late March, drawing crowds of regulars who came by just to say farewell to the staff. An Italian restaurant on PGA Boulevard that had served the community for years shut down at the end of June, with a new Coral Springs-based Italian concept already moving into the space. Nearby, a family-run Italian restaurant that had operated for close to two decades under an owner with roots in the New York restaurant scene also closed for good in July.
West Palm Beach Sees Major Turnover
Downtown West Palm Beach and the surrounding area lost several institutions this year. A specialty Thai grocery that had served the same block for more than 40 years was pushed out in March after its landlord declined to renew the lease, leaving longtime customers scrambling for its house-made kimchi and papaya salad. A barbecue-focused offshoot of a well-known smokehouse brand also closed in March, with ownership explaining that a newer location was outperforming it and pulling resources elsewhere.
A steakhouse chain location that had anchored a downtown high-rise for more than three decades served its final meals at the end of May, though the brand still operates in Boca Raton. One of the original restaurants from CityPlace’s opening lineup closed after 25 years in late May, having built a reputation as a go-to lunch spot for the county’s legal community. A burger spot on Clematis Street known for its oversized, dry-aged patties — once featured on a national food TV program — shut down in mid-July after 17 years. A newer pizzeria with ties to a famous Brooklyn pizza name closed after only about seven months in business, with some pointing to pricing and space size as factors. Meanwhile, a breakfast chain location in Royal Palm Beach closed as its parent company sold off the brand to a new ownership group planning to convert the locations over the next year and a half.
Lake Worth Beach and Lantana
A well-known local brewery and its adjoining kitchen concept closed in March after the founder, in his 60s, decided to relocate closer to family. A soup shop that had operated for nearly two decades closed in April as its owner, approaching 90, chose not to renew the lease despite steady business and a devoted customer base. A Turkish-Mediterranean restaurant on Lake Avenue closed in May after building a following for its rice pudding and tea service. And in Lantana, a restaurant known for its patio and occasional evening entertainment closed in mid-March, with ownership citing the difficulty of surviving Florida’s off-season heat without air conditioning.
South County Farewells
In Delray Beach, a Greek restaurant just off Atlantic Avenue closed in late May after roughly two years, unable to keep pace with the area’s competitive late-night scene. Boca Raton lost its last remaining location of a national wing-and-sports-bar chain in February, ending a run that once included hundreds of locations nationwide at the brand’s peak. Also in Boca Raton, a restaurant led by an award-nominated chef closed in early July after about two and a half years, with plans already underway to reopen the space under a new American-classics concept at a more accessible price point.