The “locavore” movement has gained momentum lately, with discerning diners placing more focus on locally sourced dishes from farm-fresh eateries. With many farm-to-table restaurants in The Palm Beaches from which to choose, you have a plethora of options that offer carefully cultivated mouthwatering options with ingredients straight from the garden.

Whether you’re a visitor or a native Floridian, The Palm Beaches have restaurants that are sure to tempt your taste buds! In Palm Beach Gardens, The Cooper specializes in the finest foods and beverages sourced whenever possible from local farms, food artisans, small-batch distillers and craft brewers. The restaurant bills itself as providing a warm, upscale dining experience, mixing sustainable seasonal dishes with an innovative take on classic American cuisine.

Inside The Cooper

Chef Adam Brown of The Cooper said it was a natural evolution for him to begin cooking with farm-fresh ingredients. “It begins with understanding where the ingredients are coming from,” he explains. “We aim to support community farmers, local fishmongers and innovative vendors who grow indoors with microplots.”

“Our restaurant has been busy since day one,” Brown continues. “That really says something. When you walk into our dining room, you may hear the common question, ‘Where is this tomato coming from?’ A lot of excitement has built behind this movement.”

Another county hotspot can be found on the glamorous island of Palm Beach at Buccan. Renowned Chef Clay Conley opened the restaurant with the intention of creating a space that replicates the warmth of cooking at home with friends. Conley’s approach offers full-flavored small plates designed to share, maximizing on what is possible to grow in South Florida’s year-round sunshine.

Inside Buccan

“I try to use the best ingredients I can find,” Conley said. “Local is always best, as it’s the freshest and at the peak of its season. The heat of South Florida doesn’t allow us to locally source every single ingredient, but what’s available is amazing and lends a dish a special flavor.”

Jodie Swank of Swank Specialty Produce in Loxahatchee echoes Conley’s sentiments. “This is the hardest state to grow produce in,” she said. Her hydroponic farm supplies produce to nearly every farm-to-table restaurant in South Florida, and her produce is grown free of pesticides, fungicides and herbicides. Swank knows first-hand how challenging the heat can prove to farmers, but she still manages to provide bright vegetables, exquisite greens and fragrant herbs to local chefs.

“We have one of the hottest growing climates in the country,” Swank said. “Growing produce here is a tough task, but we manage to do it—and you can taste the difference.” The farm recently expanded by offering “Swank Table,” al fresco dinners that are a culinary experience at the farm itself. Local and nationally known chefs create feasts in front of guests, producing multi-course meals in collaboration with Florida’s best farmers, ranchers, artisanal producers, micro-brewers and organic wine makers. A portion of each event’s proceeds is dedicated to local charities.

In West Palm Beach’s happening and hip downtown, a new restaurant is making big waves in farm-fresh culinary news. Chef Julien Gremaud’s restaurant, Avocado Grill, is located just one block off popular Clematis Street, and Chef Gremaud specializes in serving ultra-seasonal, eco-conscious dishes. “I’m very proud that I have cultivated a network of local farmers, fishermen, and fruit and vegetable growers to supply guests with the freshest sea-, field- and farm-to-table fare possible,” said Gremaud. “Sustainability and carbon reduction are important cultural – and culinary – benchmarks. This is why I source most of my ingredients locally.”

Avocado Grill’s Ginger Guacamole

“Nothing excites me more than working with local artisans and purveyors to create inspired dishes our patrons can savor again and again,” he said. “For example, many of our patrons enjoy our Crispy Fish Tacos, which feature locally caught fish like Mahi Mahi. They’re dressed with scrumptious ginger sauce, fruit salsa and slaw, as well as our famous Ginger Guacamole. We use avocados of the finest organic quality, and we toss them with locally grown ginger, cilantro, lime, onions and tomatoes sourced primarily from our two partner farms: Pontano Farms in nearby Boynton Beach, and Kai Kai Farms in Indiantown.”

Farther south in Boca Raton, Farmer’s Table offers what they call “feel-good food.” The restaurant sources exceptionally clean ingredients from the best local farms and seeks to make dishes that are nutritious and nourishing to the body, while still providing flavor satisfaction.

“What we do is good for the community, because we support local farmers and artisans,” said Chef Joey Giannuzzi, who is also a co-owner of the restaurant. “It’s also good for the planet, because we use eco-conscious purveyors and implement environmentally-friendly practices in our kitchen.” “I’ve gone back to the roots of what food is all about,” he continued. “I am proud of what I am serving, and I can stand behind it. Everything I am making for you is good for you.”

19th Street Fish Tacos at Farmers Table

The chefs at Farmers Table spend up to three hours a day on the phone with different vendors, ensuring that what is served to diners is the highest, freshest quality possible. “We have become a safe haven for people who are looking for what we serve,” Giannuzzi said. “Every day, when I walk through the dining room and it’s full to capacity once again, I’m so grateful that people believe what I believe about food.”