Jews from all over the place have been moving to South Florida, and kosher restaurants are following along. There’s been a wave of new openings since we published our last roundup in January. Below you will find some freshly minted and some older establishments that have not made our listings before.
All meet the high standards of a regional certification agency, the Orthodox Rabbinical Board of Broward and Palm Beach Counties. The board has been supervising restaurants for more than 20 years to make sure they follow Jewish dietary laws.
These restaurants close on Jewish holidays and the Jewish Sabbath, usually beginning Friday afternoon and ending Saturday night after dark; some don’t reopen until Sunday. So make sure to check their hours before heading out, and let us know if there are still more that should be included in future articles. Send to AskLois@sunsentinel.com.
BROWARD COUNTY
Barrel Wine & Cheese, 419 N. Federal Highway, Hallandale Beach; 954-417-3249; thebarrelwinebar.com
Adults can hang out here for wine and cheese or get a full meal, with options including linguini with pesto ($28) or pan-seared salmon ($36). For wine drinkers, there are 50 options daily in sample, half-glass and full-glass sizes. Cheese lovers can build their own boards to accompany their vino.
Chayhana Samarkand, 850 W. Hallandale Beach Blvd., Hallandale Beach; 954-589-5540; Instagram.com/chayhanasamarkand
What a treat to find kosher Uzbek food in Hallandale Beach. Dishes include a Tashkent Salad (meat, radish, onions and mayonnaise, $19), Shurpa Soup (vegetables and lamb; $15.50) and Chicken Tabaka (pan-fried with garlic sauce, served with pickles and french fries; $31). Try the Samarkand bread, also known as lepeshka, a light, round loaf baked in a clay oven ($5.50).
Cheese Xpress, 9970 W. Oakland Park Blvd., Sunrise; 954-274-3317; cheesxpress.com
This over-the-counter dairy restaurant has an enormous and varied menu. There are pizzas ($9.59-$11.20), sushi rolls ($8.49-$11.99), falafel ($12.99 for a plate), baguettes, pastas, salads and wraps. Vegans have several options, including the Beyond Burger, Beyond Shawarma and Beyond Schnitzel ($11.99-$13.99).
Dabush Shawarma, 3371 Sheridan St., Hollywood; 954-494-1797; dabushshawarma.com
The restaurant is part of an Israeli chain of shawarma joints that started in Tel Aviv in 2001. Customers choose their type of bread or bowl, along with a protein such as beef, chicken or falafel. They then select a side dish and drink. Prices range from $16 to $29.
Sushi House, 5818 Stirling Road, Hollywood; 305-692-0300; sushihouseflorida.com
Sushi and tempura rolls, poke bowls and party platters are on the menu, along with lunch specials such as two rolls and a soda for $18.50. Fun allusions to the house’s kosher status dot the menu; try the Hava Nagila roll (spicy tuna; $17.99) or the Chaim Roll (salmon, tuna, yellowtail, cucumber and avocado topped with sweet sauce, spicy mayo and crunch; $19.99).
Owners Yuval Sadok, left, J.R. Munoz and Anat Sadok at their kosher restaurant, Avi’s Grill, in Boca Raton on Friday, June 27, 2025. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
PALM BEACH COUNTY
Avi’s Grill, 249 E. Palmetto Park Road, Boca Raton; 561-896-4951; avisgrill.com
This restaurant opened in the spring right in downtown Boca Raton. Mediterranean food lovers will revel in the options here, including shakshuka ($21), chicken shawarma ($32) and sabich ($14). Four soup options include lentil and marak temani (chicken, carrots and potato). Try some chocolate baklava for dessert ($4).
Chill & Grill Pita, 7158 Beracasa Way, Boca Raton; 561-717-6968; chillngrillpita.com
Hummus lovers will feast on this grill’s many combos, such as Hummus Beef Shish Kebab, Hummus Chicken Cutlet and Hummus Shawarma ($20.99 each). There are also lots of sandwiches. A falafel sandwich goes for $14.99 and a steak sandwich is $21.99.The Mediterranean salad mix plate includes chopped vegetables and two pieces of pita ($31.99).
Lox & Bagel, 21065 Powerline Road, Boca Raton; 561- 245-8363; kosherloxnbagel.com
Bagels and lox are on the menu, of course, but there’s also a creative approach to old standards. Try the Leo Burrito, filled with eggs, lox, onions and home fries ($16) or the Muscle Man Omelette (egg whites, peppers, tomatoes and onions; $17). There are nine options “For the Kid In You,” with comfort foods such as Challah French Toast ($14) and Pasta With Butter ($10). According to Lauren Nicole Greenstein, who posted about her to-go order in “Let’s Eat, South Florida,” the Sun Sentinel’s foodie Facebook group: “This little gem I found, Lox & Bagel shop, one of the freshest bagels I’ve found in Boca. … They have the friendliest staff, dining in next time!!”
Max Flatow Photography
Malka’s Roasted Branzino dish. (Max Flatow Photography/Courtesy)
Malka, 209 Sixth St., West Palm Beach; 561-559-0901; malka-usa.com
Israeli chef Eyal Shani and his business partner own several restaurants around the world. The third Malka, which means “queen” in Hebrew, opened in West Palm Beach in December. The menu, inspired by the markets of Jerusalem and Shani’s family’s Moroccan and Iraqi heritage, evokes his memories, with a sense of humor. There’s “A very Israeli hummus so close to perfection. Unlike any other” ($16) and “Branzino grilled on a terrifying fire. Peacefully placed on a pond of tomato blood” ($52).
BOTH COUNTIES
Bagel Boss, multiple locations; bagelboss.com
This Long Island institution now has several South Florida locations; the newest opened in Boca Raton in June. There are also stores in Surfside, Miami Beach and Aventura and at the David Posnack JCC in Davie. Patron Eve Eriss wrote in “Let’s Eat, South Florida”: “I have to say that this is the best bagel that I have had here in South Florida. There is a reason they have so many locations. Has anyone tried it? I would say this bagel is as close to NY as you can get.”
Max Flatow Photography
Chef Eyal Shani has expanded his Malka restaurant brand with a new eatery in West Palm Beach. (Max Flatow Photography/Courtesy)
Originally Published: July 1, 2025 at 7:25 AM EDT