As more businesses and wealthy individuals move to Florida, West Palm Beach is becoming a culinary hub, catering to upscale tastes, earning it the title of “Wall Street South.”
London-based Los Mochis, a popular Mexican-Japanese fusion restaurant frequented by celebrities like Stella McCartney and Drew Barrymore, will set up shop at Phillips Point, a new office complex, next fall.
This restaurant will also feature in West Palm Beach’s inaugural food festival, Taste of West Palm Beach, scheduled for October 16 at CityPlace.
Apart from Los Mochis, the city is welcoming high-profile restaurants like Pastis, the beloved venue from restaurateur Keith McNally, and Tutto Caffe, a new venture from Gianpaolo de Felice and Gabby Karan de Felice, who are known for their successful Hamptons eateries, Tutto il Giorno and Tutto Mare.
Chef Harold Moore, renowned for Café Commerce on the Upper East Side, is launching a winter pop-up in West Palm Beach, and there’s buzz about other acclaimed chefs like Michael White and Mario Carbone possibly establishing locations there as well.
BuddhaBerry, a well-liked froyo spot from the Hamptons, just opened its first outlet outside that area in West Palm Beach at the end of September.
Additionally, a modern Indian restaurant named Ela Curry & Cocktails plans to open in CityPlace this fall. Little Ruby’s Café, which has branches in Soho and the West Village, is set to debut in CityPlace in 2027.
The food festival will showcase over 30 local restaurants, including Estiatorio Milos, Harry’s, and Eataly.
Los Mochis will occupy an expansive 11,500-square-foot area, accommodating 280 people along with a 2,000-square-foot terrace.
“West Palm Beach is becoming a leading culinary destination, supported by unprecedented Michelin recognition and the expansion of major brands,” stated Kenneth Himmel, president of Related Ross, who has helped bring renowned chefs to various prestigious locations.
The aim, he added, is to attract visitors to the region, emphasizing that nothing draws people quite like exceptional dining experiences.
Stephen Ross, an 86-year-old billionaire developer and Miami Dolphins owner, founded the Related Companies back in 1972. His projects, which include groundbreaking developments like Hudson Yards, have significantly transformed the New York landscape. Recently, he shifted his focus to Related Ross after stepping down from his initial company.
Ross originally launched CityPlace—a 72-acre open-air shopping center—in 1999, which was viewed as innovative for its time. Since then, he has developed office buildings to create a new hub for finance and tech, with luxury residences and the necessary infrastructure for incoming residents, including healthcare, schools, and, of course, restaurants.
West Palm Beach is now home to offices for major financial institutions like Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan, and reports indicate that Vanderbilt University is expected to establish a graduate campus downtown by 2029.
“West Palm Beach is experiencing remarkable transformation, and Phillips Point provides an outstanding waterfront venue,” remarked Markus Thesleff, CEO of the Thesleff Group from London, which is bringing Los Mochis to the area.
The restaurant is also planning to open a location in Los Angeles at the upscale One Beverly Hills tower after its West Palm Beach debut.
The selection of West Palm Beach for their U.S. launch highlights the growing recognition of global hospitality in the region, according to Himmel.
Tutto Caffe will debut in the South Flagler House, a luxury tower where former Apple CEO John Sculley is reportedly in the process of acquiring a $40 million penthouse.
The 3,500-square-foot café will be designed by Gabby Karan de Felice in partnership with Bonetti/Kozerski Architecture from New York City.
“We’re spending more time in Florida, and we’ve seen many friends from the Hamptons doing the same,” shared Gianpaolo de Felice. “We aimed to establish a café that reflects the kind of place we’d enjoy ourselves, and South Flagler House seemed like a perfect match with its beautiful setting and community spirit.”
