Mediterranean restaurants are more than just places to grab a quick bite. They’re where food lovers discover the magic of sun-kissed ingredients, where friends gather over shared mezze platters, and where you can escape the monotony of chain restaurant fare. If you’re craving authentic flavors or simply a vibrant atmosphere, these Fort Lauderdale spots deliver. Especially if your usual dinner routine has become as predictable as reheated leftovers.
Café Del Mar
$$ | (954) 414-1024 | WEBSITE
This Fort Lauderdale waterfront spot is one of the few places where you can get 2 for 1 drink specials. Sit at the outdoor tables, surrounded by ocean views and the sound of live music, and your waiter will serve your order as attentively as any fine dining server. Each meal is prepared with care, whether you choose from their delicious pastas, pizzas, or salads like the Caesar and Tuna Quinoa, and they have an exciting breakfast selection featuring large portions.
You can also get proper take-out from their attached bakery offering coffee and desserts. Just get there early to enjoy the beautiful beach scenery before the vacation crowds arrive.
Evelyn’s
$$$$ | (754) 336-3100 | WEBSITE
This Mediterranean gem in Fort Lauderdale is open for both lunch and dinner, but it’s a destination at all hours, especially in the evenings. There’s a quiet moment in the late afternoon when you can actually enjoy the ocean views in peace, but by 6pm, it fills up with couples and groups sharing fresh plates of saffron lobster rolls and sumac fries. A prime table by the third-floor pool can be hard to secure, as people tend to linger over the memorable crème brûlée, drizzled with caramel.
But who can blame them—we’re just as reluctant to leave once we get comfortable and satisfied. Evelyn’s also has that upscale ambiance that makes every visit feel special.
Boathouse At The Riverside
$$ | (954) 377-5494 | WEBSITE
A beloved waterfront retreat along the Intracoastal Waterway, Boathouse At The Riverside has been serving up stunning views and relaxed meals since it opened, with their smoky, salty smoked fish dip and perfectly cooked Yucatan Mahi Mahi. That mahi mahi is so tender, it could almost be a buttery filet in disguise. The main menu here offers delicious options like garlic shrimp and panini sandwiches, but you can always find this standout dish served on a plank of fried yuca with creamed avocado.
The breezy outdoor seating and upscale vibe might remind you of a yacht club, and you can in fact get drinks here with family and friends. One thing to know—they decidedly don’t offer particularly large portions on some items like the fish tacos.
Spazio
$$ | (954) 559-0222 | WEBSITE
Spazio is about as vibrant as it gets, with a full-wall TV inside a welcoming Fort Lauderdale dining room. Most people come for the live music, but if you do get a table, it’s an electric place to watch the game with a jumbo cocktail. The bruschetta is top-notch, but Spazio’s lobster Mac and cheese is near perfect, and not heavy at all. Don’t leave without a Stromboli—their tropical salad with grilled chicken is one of the best salads in the city—or don’t leave at all.
You can sit at the bar to take in the recommendations from Rosi and Jaque.
Gyroville Fort Lauderdale ( Cypress Creek)
$ | (954) 982-2526 | WEBSITE
At Gyroville Fort Lauderdale, the team behind the Cypress Creek location has swapped traditional Mediterranean fare for fresh, made-in-house creations that keep customers coming back. Their signature dishes have some thoughtful touches—a soft, loaded pita here, a generous portion there—that tend to attract people who appreciate quality ingredients and are willing to wait for a table during peak hours. But nothing on their menu is overly heavy or complicated.
Try the traditional gyro or the gyro rice bowl, both featuring house-made sauces that blend perfectly with each bite. There’s a welcoming atmosphere with low background music, but if you’ve got time, take your meal to go and enjoy it nearby.
GYROVILLE FORT LAUDERDALE
$ | (954) 640-5488 | WEBSITE
This compact Fort Lauderdale Mediterranean spot from the team behind the popular local chain is quite the find for weekday lunches. People in business casual and beachwear crowd the counter, swapping bites of gyro bowls and build-your-own pitas. The straightforward, no-frills space has a killer tzatziki sauce and great deals, like their buy one get one lunch special. The well-seasoned, juicy gyro meat pairs perfectly with crisp, plentiful toppings.
In the afternoon, it turns into a quick-service haven for those on-the-go.
Olive & Sea
$$ | (954) 527-6716 | WEBSITE
Olive & Sea is a Mediterranean spot, but it’s a special one. There are many restaurants with views in Fort Lauderdale, and we’re partial to their intracoastal location. We don’t know why the food tastes better there, but it does. The restaurant is super chill and relaxing, with an attractive bar and great tunes, and it’s also right on the water, so you can watch the boats if you need to clear your head in the middle of enjoying a meal.
Thasos
$$$ | (954) 200-6006 | WEBSITE
Thasos isn’t the only Greek restaurant in Fort Lauderdale, but it is the only one where you can enjoy live music while sipping bottomless mimosas. Naturally, the best dishes at this gourmet eatery are Mediterranean classics like squash spaghetti and branzino, which highlight fresh ingredients rather than make them taste overly heavy. It’s more elevated than you’d expect for somewhere so stunning, so feel free to dress up a bit.
If you can’t do the fine dining thing, this is the next best place to celebrate a special occasion (and make your friends envious). They have some of the best Greek food around.
Izgara Middle Eastern Cuisine
$ | (954) 475-8990 | WEBSITE
Since arriving in Fort Lauderdale, Izgara Middle Eastern Cuisine has developed a loyal following of people who couldn’t possibly imagine a date night without their lamb kebab sandwich. The lamb is flavorful and well-seasoned, and just as big a hit as their perfectly cooked falafel.
Like at their intimate setting, the dinner specials are the whole point here, such as the lentil soup with baba Ganough—that’s a warm, comforting dish with excellent presentation, which blends slowly until it’s all one delicious, highly satisfying combination. But there is a cozy menu, with things like Greek salad and steak sandwich, and tasty falafel wrapped up like little presents.
Rice Mediterranean Kitchen
$ | (954) 928-9620 | WEBSITE
This Mediterranean spot in Fort Lauderdale is great for a quick lunch break, a family dinner where everyone can share, or an interaction with a server like Gustavo who’ll treat you like an instant regular. All of the excellent food here comes from fresh ingredients prepared to perfection, where the generous portions and spotless kitchen first impress.
The meals are then packed perfectly for takeout with no spills or sold for a decent price for use in the restaurant’s sirloin platters, protein bowls, and falafel platters. They have chicken and beef kabobs and more substantial food, like vegetarian platters filled with flavorful falafel. Rice also has convenient parking, like a paid garage right in front, and many of the tables here are wheelchair accessible.
Sheker Agha
$ | (786) 602-9565 | WEBSITE
Sheker Agha is something of a hidden gem in the Balkan food scene. At least according to three separate people who stopped to tell us this during our last visit. Serbian cuisine enthusiasts go out of their way to try this Fort Lauderdale restaurant’s dishes, available at their lively spot with a food truck lot nearby. Sheker Agha serves up their cevapi, karadjordjeva snicla, and pljeskavica made from scratch every day, and specializes in generous portions with super fresh ingredients.
It’s a wonderful, authentic grill with more communal energy than quiet intimacy, so don’t count on a hushed dining experience. Come here when you’re ready to learn what a true Balkan food experience is.
Pita Plus (ORB)
$ | (954) 241-2011 | WEBSITE
Pita Plus is so tucked away behind a strip mall that you could drive right by and never notice it—if it weren’t for the cheerful blue awning out front. Run by a tight-knit crew where Ronen keeps things humming, this unassuming Fort Lauderdale spot is relentlessly satisfying inside. The menu has all the staples, like shawarma and falafel, but if you come here and don’t try one of their signature wraps, you’re doing it wrong.
For something hearty and classic, go for the shawarma plate, or for something a little brighter, try the falafel wrap with those addictive pickled carrots, which is proof that crispy and soft can be best friends.
Cafe Ibiza
$$ | (954) 800-6656 | WEBSITE
We once spent around $28 on a slice of homemade pistachio cheesecake at this vibrant Mediterranean spot across from the beach, and it was one of the best desserts we’ve ever had—like tasting the essence of a dozen different nuts, all lightly sweetened with honey. Surrounded by the glow of sunset over the ocean and the pulsing beats from the DJ, the attentive servers who deliver these incredible dishes create a warm, welcoming atmosphere that always feels like home.
They offer bottomless mimosas and dishes like banana Foster, among other Mediterranean delights, and make their own pistachio cheesecake too, but you don’t need to splurge to experience this place—even sitting inside to avoid the noise and street vendors is excellent.
Ferdos Grill
$$ | (954) 492-5552 | WEBSITE
The shish kebab is on par with the warm cheese pistachio dessert at this inviting spot in Fort Lauderdale, and that is very important to us. Aside from super authentic Lebanese cuisine, the speciality here is the cerdos platter, and these tender, flavor-packed combinations of lamb and steak are second to none. Ferdos Grill’s culinary prowess isn’t exactly a secret, though, so expect a dining room that doesn’t let up from open to close.
But the crowd isn’t totally atrocious, and the wait for a table is definitely worth it. There are a few family-style booths in the warm, clean space if you want to make everyone waiting very jealous.
The Hummus House
$ | (954) 314-7686 | WEBSITE
As much as we love our trendy fusion spots, we miss when Mediterranean restaurants were somewhere you went to taste authentic flavors that transport you straight to Tel Aviv. The Hummus House is one place keeping classic Israeli cuisine alive, in a bright waterfront space that feels like the sun-drenched patio of a friend’s home with clean tables, welcoming service, and a view of the water.
On any given afternoon, there’s a steady stream of families, friends sharing big salads, and vegetarians enjoying generous portions, and if you’re looking for fresh, fast food, you’ll get exactly what you crave. You can order creamy hummus, crispy falafel, amazing pita, and house-made spicy shug sauce.
Mini Pita Mediterranean Cafe
$ | (954) 451-5118 | WEBSITE
No fewer than three sauces are used to make your meal at Mini Pita Mediterranean Cafe, a cozy spot in Fort Lauderdale that always displays the homemade quality of every dish. This cafe started as a simple Mediterranean eatery and morphed into the kind of place that serves generous lamb platters and galaktoboureko that’s a big step above your normal gyro spot.
Warmth fills the room, and the smell of roasting meat mixed with fresh herbs fills the air, but happily there’s plenty of seating for groups, so you’ll most likely be staying to enjoy your meal.
Pita Xpress Mediterranean Grill
$$ | (954) 251-1799 | WEBSITE
On a stretch in Fort Lauderdale, Pita Xpress Mediterranean Grill looks like a casual spot, but inside it’s just a simple counter with a welcoming vibe. They’re serving some of the best Mediterranean food around here, whether that’s a perfectly cooked chicken shawarma or a tender kabob in pita. They make some of their own highlights, too, like the standout falafel, fresh crispy fries, and Malabi dessert, and feature a pickle/cabbage salad bar with favorites like the purple cabbage salad.
It’s too straightforward for a fancy dinner, but you can sit at a table inside with highchairs if you’re with family.
PX Grill Mediterranean Cuisine
$$ | (954) 280-0050 | WEBSITE
PX Grill might be the perfect Mediterranean restaurant. The cozy, welcoming spot is a must-visit destination in Fort Lauderdale, and on weeknight dinners it fills up with locals and food enthusiasts. On weekends, the atmosphere buzzes with more social energy, and groups linger for hours in the intimate space, ordering mouthwatering araios pitas with amba sauce and a succession of delicious small plates.
The food comes out in record time and is impeccably prepared, leaving everyone truly satisfied. Owner Edna and her incredibly professional team provide an amazing experience, making it a place to look forward to coming back to. With reasonable prices and attentive service, PX Grill creates a homecoming experience that feels both authentic and delicious.
GYRO AND KEBAB aka chickeatah’
$ | (754) 223-4139 | WEBSITE
This authentic Mediterranean gem is tucked away in Fort Lauderdale, offering a genuine taste of home that’s worth seeking out. That’s reason enough for locals in the know, but they also happen to make the best falafel you’ll ever try. Their standout dish is the juicy GYRO Kebab, perfectly tender and full of flavor, but serious food lovers come here to savor the creamy hummus and perfectly balanced babaganoush.
If you’re craving something sweet after your meal, grab a piece of their flaky baklava to finish, or sample their other amazing desserts any time of day.