{"id":497734,"date":"2026-01-07T00:54:32","date_gmt":"2026-01-07T00:54:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/497734\/"},"modified":"2026-01-07T00:54:32","modified_gmt":"2026-01-07T00:54:32","slug":"where-are-fort-lauderdales-kosher-israeli-style-restaurants","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/497734\/","title":{"rendered":"Where are Fort Lauderdale’s kosher & Israeli-style restaurants?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Q: Any opinion as to why<\/strong>\u00a0no new kosher restaurants are opening in Fort Lauderdale? Every place that looks hip and good and especially kosher is in Boca Raton or Hallandale Beach. I grew up here as a Jewish gal. Being Jewish, when I lived in Miami Beach and Aventura, there is kosher-Israeli food to eat, like falafel, hummus and shawarma (which I do not eat as a vegan). I\u2019ve noticed a big jump: from Miami and Miami Beach and Hallandale Beach, they always skip Fort Lauderdale. \u2014\u00a0Susan Schaffel, Fort Lauderdale<\/strong><\/p>\n

A:<\/strong> Susan, you are right that there is a kosher void in Broward County\u2019s biggest city. First, let\u2019s define kosher, as opposed to \u201ckosher-style,\u201d a term often used by restaurants and delis that serve non-kosher pastrami or corned beef or other delicacies of Eastern European origin.<\/p>\n

Restaurants that are strictly kosher are certified by the Orthodox Rabbinical Board of Broward and Palm Beach Counties<\/a>. These establishments serve only kosher meat, separate meat and milk products, and make sure a mashgiach, or kosher supervisor, is on-site. I found a few of these not far from the city, but I also wanted to figure out the reason why the options are so limited within Fort Lauderdale\u2019s boundaries.<\/p>\n

A Jewish Federation of Broward County\u00a0report<\/a> from last year shows Broward\u2019s Jews tend to live in just a few cities, and Fort Lauderdale is not among them. Out of 31 cities in Broward, half the Jewish population is concentrated in Hollywood, Hallandale Beach, Davie and Parkland. So the Fort Lauderdale city limits don\u2019t seem to have the Jewish demographic cluster needed to support an abundance of kosher or Israeli restaurants.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s what Joy Prevor, the Jewish federation\u2019s chief impact officer, said when I asked about kosher restaurants in the city:<\/p>\n

\u201cThe availability of kosher restaurants is largely driven by private business decisions and the economics of operating a kosher establishment, which can be complex and costly. Factors like population density, consistent consumer demand, access to kosher supervision, supply chains, and real estate all play a role. While the city of Fort Lauderdale has fewer stand-alone kosher options, Jewish Broward is fortunate to have a wide range of kosher dining available across nearby neighborhoods.<\/p>\n

\u201cJewish life in Broward is diverse and spread across the county, and food offerings tend to follow where communities live, gather, and sustain long-term demand.\u201d<\/p>\n

That said, here are some options not too far from you.<\/p>\n

\"CookCook Tomer Levi plates a customer\u2019s order at The Friendship Grill in Fort Lauderdale on Jan. 5, 2026. (Amy Beth Bennett\/South Florida Sun Sentinel)<\/p>\n

There\u2019s The Friendship Grill (1304 E. Las Olas Blvd.; thefriendshipgrill.com<\/a>), which is in the Las Olas Chabad Jewish Center, an Orthodox synagogue in the heart of downtown Fort Lauderdale\u2019s busy Las Olas pedestrian district. They serve falafel, matbucha (a North African tomato stew), Israeli salad and much more. By eating here, you are doing a good deed: The grill employs adults with developmental disabilities.<\/p>\n

Within the city, there are several restaurants that are not kosher or Israeli but offer the falafel and other Middle Eastern items you crave. Here are three:<\/p>\n