 Whether it is organized before your meeting, convention or trade show or organized as part of your agenda or a more off-the-cuff breaking of bread—excellent food & an inviting atmosphere makes for a satisfying dining experience. This F&B Spotlight shines on Fort Lauderdale, Florida, long a favorite destination among meeting planners and attendees, this Oceanside city has recently opened—or will soon open—an array of exciting new dining establishments, representing local independents, high-quality brands and celebrity chefs.
 Attendees traveling to Fort Lauderdale for meetings, conventions and trade shows are likely well acquainted with fine and fun dining. The destination’s main meeting facility, the Broward County Convention Center, which spans three floors and features 600,000 square feet of Flexible function space, is renowned for its onsite catering—first class  service by the staff, dazzling presentation and quality food & beverage. High marks are given to everything from coffee breaks to elegant sit-down meals—all reasons why Fort Lauderdale’s main meeting venue was the first convention center to be awarded the prestigious Confrerie de la Chaine des Rotisseurs award.
 In addition to more than 33,000 hotel rooms city-wide, Fort Lauderdale boats more than 4,000 restaurants. Downtown Fort Lauderdale has a well established reputation for dining and nightlife, especially on the trendy Las Olas Boulevard and the Riverwalk Arts & Entertainment District. The term bandied about to describe the Fort Lauderdale scene is Beach Chic. Probably a more accurate way to describe the unique night life and the opportunity to discover exciting new restaurants is fun.
As meeting planners know, there are never too many options for off-site dining when it comes to attendees of an event. Here are some of the new and exciting restaurants in Fort Lauderdale—most of which are available for private parties, receptions, meetings and other events— that  continue to make Fort Lauderdale so appetizing!
Jackson's Bar and Grille, which is adjacent to the convention center, is a casual,  contemporary restaurant, with a warm interior design and a dynamic bar features a water wall and wine room. The menu is a combination of eclectic comfort, examples of which include: a Lobster Reuben sandwich, Cape Cod Lobster Rol; Fried Oyster with Applewood Smoked Bacon, Fried Green Tomatoes & Cajun Remoulade on Ciabatta; Chicken Milanese with Chilled Arugula and Tomato Salad; Horseradish Crusted Grilled Lamb Chops; Peppercorn  Crusted Tuna; Guava Barbeque Baby Back Ribs and Cedar Plank Smoked Salmon with Mustard Glaze. The restaurant is the latest venture from Fort Lauderdale Restaurateur Jack Jackson,  proprietor of Jackson's Steakhouse.
Bova Prime, located on East Las Olas Boulevard, is Florida’s latest Italian Steakhouse. White flowing white drapery enhances the warm family atmosphere and the menu offers everything from meats to pastas. Signature plates include grilled langostinos (Sicilian style 'charcoal grilled' prawns, baby mache salad and fries) or the steak & lobster (filet mignon and Maine lobster tail Oreganata  served with asparagus risotto).
 China Grill Fort Lauderdale—the latest China Grill location—is at the Hilton Fort Lauderdale Marina (formerly Fort Lauderdale Grande) and combines Asian-inspired world cuisine and unmatched views of the beautiful Intracoastal Waterway. With the talents of Chef Keyvan Behnam, diners can delight in Pan-Asian dishes including lobster pancakes, stir-fried with red chili coconut milk and scallions; lamb spareribs, with a plum sesame glaze; and grilled Szechuan beef, infused with sake, soy, shallots, and cilantro.
The newest restaurant by celebrity chef, Todd English, da Campo Osteria, located in the il Lugano Suite Hotel—renowned as one the trendiest of Fort Lauderdale’s impressive  portfolio of boutique hotels. English, an acclaimed chef, well known for his interpretations of Mediterranean cuisine, tries something different for his newest branch, where he pays homage to his Tuscany roots. Osteria, designed by famed restaurant architect, Bob Puccini, specializes in  Northern Italian fare, with an emphasis on seasonality and fresh ingredients, and includes handcrafted pastas, wood-grilled pizza, succulent entrées from land and sea, and a signature fresh-pulled mozzarella prepared tableside.
H20 Café lives up to its name—its located on the Fort Lauderdale beachfront, and is known for its Avant-garde metal sculptures of fish as well as an eclectic crowd that  ranges from chic professionals to bathing suit-clad beachgoers. Hip & casual, H20 serves Pizzas, pastas, burgers, salads as well as a full breakfast menu. While rich in Italian flavors, H20 mixes it up with a clever culinary delights like the fish taco appetizer.
Of course, carnivores far and wide associate Morton’s as being a synonym steak. The 30-year old restaurant chain—with more than 80 locations worldwide—is also renowned for its succulent seafood, wine list, desert items and a warm yet sophisticated atmosphere. Morton’s is likewise known   for its top-quality service and private dining rooms for meetings and special events. The Fort Lauderdale edition, the 8,600 square-foot, Morton's The Steakhouse, is conveniently located downtown Fort Lauderdale on the ground level of the Broward Financial Center. The restaurant includes Morton's exclusive private boardrooms and Bar 12-21, the place for specialty cocktails and Morton's appetizing Bar Bites menu. The restaurant features an outdoor patio with seating for approximately 55 guests and serves all the Morton's beef and sea food  classics.
After nearly 18 years of success in Fort Lauderdale with The Sage French-American Restaurant, restaurateur and Chef Laurent Tasic - who has owned restaurants in Paris, Monaco and in the French Antilles – has  opened a second Fort Lauderdale establishment, the 5,000-square-foot Sage Oyster Bar. The cuisine is French-American with an emphasis on fresh fish, the décor is rich and upscale, the wine list is well-priced and also features Chef Tasic’s signature dishes, such as Pistachio Brie Raspberry Sauce, Escargot Garlic Butter, Roast Duck and the Bouillabaisse, and will include American favorites such as Ground Veal and Beef Tenderloin Meatloaf, Steak au Poivre and Steak Maurice, a 10 oz. rib eye served with asparagus, mushrooms, brie cheese and fresh raspberry sauce.
The perfect place for a casual weekend night, Smith & Jones Bar and Grille from Chef Johnny Vinczencz, aka Johnny V. Vinczencz, Fort Lauderdale’s own celebrity chef—he has prepared food with Al Roker on The Today Show—has been a Fort Lauderdale restaurateur since 1995 when he opened his fine dining restaurant, Johnny V Las Olas. His latest venture is the newly opened, Smith & Jones. Think down home. Johnny V features live music and dancing, and affordable comfort food—pulled pork, macaroni and cheese, hot dogs, meatloaf. Smith & Jones combines outstanding service, a cool rock/jazz club vibe with irresistible Americana cuisine.
 "You Only Live Once," maybe we words to live by but at YOLO, they’re also words to eat by. In fact, it is both motto & acronym at YOLO (YOLO: You Only Live Once). YOLO is an experience, with seating for 300, an open kitchen, two bars, and a garden patio with an open fire pit. The separate O Lounge is relaxing and comfortable for drinks. Menu highlights include starters such as chorizo queso fundido and Szechuan calamari, and main plates include cedar-roasted salmon and bourbon mustard glazed pork chop.
 Set to open in late spring in the new W Fort Lauderdale is Steak 954 from renowned restaurateur Stephen Starr, owner of several restaurants in New York and Philadelphia. The new venture, the first in South Florida for Starr, is being touted as a "modern boutique steakhouse."
Also scheduled for a late spring opening is Aquaknox, an onsite eatery at the Hilton Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort. Guests can expect quality sea food and oceanfront views.
Trulucks is a critically acclaimed, regional restaurant chain with locations in Texas, as well as Floridian cities of Naples  and Boca Raton. The emphasis is on fresh, especially the succulent Florida stone Crab. “From our traps to your table in 24 hours,” is the motto of this eatery, which operates its own fisheries & fishing fleets. The Fort Lauderdale Trulucks will be located in the Galleria, a high-end shopping mall that is well known locally as a destination for some of the area’s finest restaurants.
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