Latest news with #LaSirena
Yahoo
18-07-2025
- Yahoo
Best Palm Beach County restaurants: Essential Italian ones serve comfort, crowd-pleasers
Welcome back to our summer series spotlighting essential off-Island restaurants spanning Boca Raton to Tequesta. Essential can mean a lot of things to a lot of people, so to be clear, this is how we're defining essential for this series: It's not necessarily the most popular spot in its category — or even the absolute best. Think of it more as the best right now. As someone new to Palm Beach County, I haven't tried all of our 3,000 restaurants, but I've found reliable crowd-pleasers. These are the spots I'm excited to take visiting friends or turn to when I can't decide where to eat. Last time, we dived into essential Asian restaurants. Over the coming weeks, we'll highlight the area's must-visit newcomers, steakhouses and Michelin picks. This week we tackle Palm Beach County's Italian dining scene. These standout spots blend authenticity, innovation and — judging by the crowds — serious local love. Andiamo! (That's Italian for let's go.) La Sirena in West Palm Beach When chatting with the Palm Beach Gardens DMV staff during a license and registration transfer, its team sang high praises of the seasonally-opened La Sirena (as have hundreds of you, dear readers), our most famous Italian spot owned by Marcello and Diane Fiorentino with name recognition beyond the county. Described as a "Florida institution" by Wine Spectator magazine, it's among the publication's rare global Grand Award winners, a designation given to the 97 restaurants boasting the world's best and most comprehensive wine lists; a feat repeated 10 years running. Details: 6316 S. Dixie Highway, West Palm Beach, 561-585-3128, Lynora's Where did I eat after my interview at The Palm Beach Post? Lynora's in Palm Beach Gardens—a two-minute stroll from my cousin's home. Since moving within walking distance, I too pass it daily and can confirm: this place is always buzzing. No matter the season, there's a line out the door from 4 p.m. on. It's the very definition of a crowd-pleaser. Founded by Ralph and Maria Abbenante and family-owned for nearly 50 years, Lynora's began as a humble by-the-slice pizza joint in Lake Worth. Their son, Angelo, has since grown it into a mini Roman empire with six locations, including four in Palm Beach County, plus a Delray Beach spot opening in 2026. Known for wood-fired pizzas, fresh pasta and signature sauces (now sold at Publix, Whole Foods and at their restaurants), Lynora's is a local staple. Pro tip: Dinner's usually packed, so consider going at lunch to avoid the rush. Four locations: 1548 U.S. Highway 1, Jupiter, 561-203-2702; 5320 Donald Ross Road, Palm Beach Gardens, 561-249-1822; 207 Clematis Street, West Palm Beach, 561-899-3117; 9560 Glades Road, Boca Raton, 561-235-5096; Tavolena This heartfelt Italian restaurant blends tradition, family and culinary passion. Opened in 2023 by Chef Michael Rolchigo, the restaurant takes its name from his grandmother Lena Bello, whose recipes and spirit shape the menu and ambiance. The restaurant features an intimate, elegant space peppered with family photos and Lena's original kitchen table in the private dining room. There's also a chef's table in the kitchen where celebs seeking privacy might be found on any given night. The menu is a refined take on Italian comfort food, with highlights like pork spedinis, handmade meatballs and rich Sunday sauce—all rooted in Lena's legacy. Rolchigo, a Culinary Institute of America graduate, brings both heart and technique to every dish. I'm an even bigger fan of Tavolena Bakery, his much less expensive cafe next door. Open for lunch, it offers rustic sandwiches, fresh-baked breads, Italian quiches, pinsas and a swoonworthy array of pastries and gelato. The bakery's nostalgic treats, including addictive almond cookies which I could fist-pound all afternoon, reflect Rolchigo's childhood memories and culinary roots. : 185 E. Indiantown Road, Jupiter, 561-850-4156, Gabriella's It was a toss up in two categories as this new Italian spot fuses sumptuous flavors in a gorgeous, high-energy setting that's both stylish and welcoming. Opened in March by Brooklyn-born/Staten Island-raised Frankie Brusco, the restaurant is a tribute to his roots; he spent childhood vacations in Delray Beach and calls it 'the sixth borough.' Brusco became an accidental restaurateur in 2015 after purchasing a neighborhood spot in Holmdel, New Jersey. Gabriella's, named for his hardest-working employee turned business partner, features house-made pasta, premium Pat LaFrieda steaks and a stunning circular bar that blooms like a treehouse and anchors the space with elegance and energy at lunch and dinner. Just off Atlantic Avenue, it's already a celebrity magnet: 50 Cent, NFL star Jason Pierre-Paul, Mob Wives' Carla Facciolo, and even Jon Bon Jovi's dad have been spotted. Details: 40 NE Seventh Ave., Delray Beach,: 561-916-3001, More: New upscale Italian restaurant with New Jersey roots opens in Delray Beach: What we know Sicilian Oven Sicilian Oven has become a go-to spot for many on our team, with four locations across Palm Beach County. It's all about bold flavors, wood-fired pizzas (you can watch them being tossed) and a laid-back, welcoming vibe. The menu puts a fresh spin on the classics — everything's made to order and comes out hot. Fan favorites include the Corleone and Captain pizzas, homemade meatballs, eggplant Parmesan and mussels. If you're watching carbs, there's pasta-free lasagna or cervellata with broccoli rabe. Each location has its own charm. One coworker swears by the patio in Wellington, while I was into the open kitchen setup there. And our executive editor? Totally hooked on the sauce. It's a family-friendly go-to for locals craving authentic Italian comfort food with a modern twist. Four locations: 2460 PGA Blvd., Palm Beach Gardens, 561-940-0770; 10610 Forest Hill Blvd., Wellington, 561-770-1966; 8862 W. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach, 561-639-0099; 21170 St. Andrews Blvd., Boca Raton, 561-750-9772; What's your essential Italian restaurant? Did we miss your favorite? Vote here to let us know. Diana Biederman is the Palm Beach Post's new food & restaurant writer. Care to share news tips about the local dining scene? Please send them to dbiederman@ Help support our journalism. Subscribe today. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Palm Beach County's best Italian restaurants for every budget Solve the daily Crossword
Time Out
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
A longtime Mexican folk art store in NYC is in danger of closing—here's how you can help
Within a predominantly Ukrainian neighborhood in the East Village, a corner of Mexico exists. Inside a petite footprint on Third Street, Mexican folk art store La Sirena is packed with hand-crafted treasures ranging from Frida Kahlo pendants to embroidered clothing to Dia de Los Muertos tributes. For 27 years, this transportive spot has welcomed New Yorkers to explore a bevy of goods sourced directly from Mexico by store owner Dina Leor. Now, the store has fallen on hard times and is at risk of closing—but you can help by shopping. Leor is currently liquidating her wares with deep discounts. As she says, "depending how it all goes, [we] will be closing or continuing on." A native Manhattanite, Leor accompanied her mother on a trip to Mexico as a child and was immediately captivated. "There's something about Mexico. I was enamored, and I still am today. It's my passion, everything about it," she told Time Out. Though she doesn't have Mexican heritage, Leor speaks fluent Spanish because her mother is from Argentina. She describes herself as "Argentine American with a Mexican heart." Once Mexico took hold of her, it didn't let go. She returned to the country as an adult, sometimes using it as an escape from her challenging job in art therapy at Bellevue Hospital. On her vacations, Leor would watch artisans in the market with great fascination, buying her favorite pieces to host pop-up art shops at her job. But when she returned to her day job that fall, she got laid off. It turned out to be a blessing in disguise because it gave her some funds to start La Sirena. She began more procurement adventures, traversing the country from Chiapas to Oaxaca and beyond and filling her store wall to wall with trinkets and treasures. Leor says never planned to own a store, but she's driven by a passion to share Mexican folk art with a bigger audience. "The reason [the store is] so full is because I love all of it," she said. "I only buy things that I really like." Though it's hard to choose a favorite, Leor is particularly fond of the clay pieces by Josefina Aguilar. Like many folk artisans, Aguilar creates the pieces with her family. "The thing about Mexican folk art is that you don't go to school for it. You literally learn it in your home. You'll come home from school and just hang out with your parents who are making folk art," she explained. "It's generation to generation, which is really magical to me. I think it's so special and so nice that the families stay together that way." Over the years, Leor has sourced "enough folk art for two stores." She purchases directly from the artisans themselves. "Everything's made by another human being. To me, that's so special," she said. As longtime friend and store assistant Ivan Xochicale puts it, "She loves the tradition and she tries to support all these people to do this kind of work." Everything's made by another human being. To me, that's so special. In addition to curating an impressive array of folk art, Leor has also created a community space. She often hosts cultural events with folkloric dancers, mariachis and tamales. View this post on Instagram A post shared by La Sirena Mexican Folk Art (@lasirena_nyc) Leor remembers a story about a delivery driver from Mexico who was surprised to happen upon a piece of Mexico in the East Village. "All of the sudden, I noticed he had tears coming down his face," she remembers. "He said that the place reminded him so much of his grandmother. ... There's no money that makes up for something like that. I told him, 'you don't have to buy anything, but you could come back anytime and just hang out.' People will come in because they just want to feel like they're in Mexico." People will come in because they just want to feel like they're in Mexico. Despite the cultural impacts, the store has fallen on hard times. La Sirena had to close its doors amid pandemic restrictions, but then benefitted from an initial surge of people shopping local. Now, she says, sales have slowed down, and she's paying out of pocket to keep the store running. She's liquidating the store, selling everything for 20-60 percent off (mention Time Out for discounts) now through May 12. She's also launched a GoFundMe page for those who would like to contribute.
