Temporarily Closed

When people ask how life is going down here in Florida, I usually say: “Mostly the same as yours, except COVID doesn’t exist here.”

This is mostly facetious, but one of the ways it’s true: many of the restaurants near us in Palm Beach never closed their doors.

I’ve heard the hospitality industry was hard hit, but when I began to see the news trickle in that some of my favorite spots (many featured on this website) had closed, it became all too real.

I began looking deeper to update the site sometime last month and discovered some spots were temporarily closed, others more permanently shuttered. My heart sank. Del Posto! Jewel Bako! Nightshade! Broken Spanish!

Pour one out for the fallen.

That said, not all hope is lost!

I’m looking forward to seeing those that have temporarily closed come back.

Some have already re-opened with the beguiled outdoor or to-go dining options while others have transformed entirely.

As an example, one of the places on our Asian list that had shut down (an amazing Filipino spot in LA, Lasa) has come back in a new form altogether that serves up to-go rotisserie chicken and organic wines: Lasita. Now that is pretty cool.

The resiliency and ability to quickly pivot is something that has always been a cornerstone of the hospitality industry — and is something I’ve admired from table twenty-three.

Here’s hoping we’re able to continue enjoying the great work of great chefs — whether from the comfort of outdoor setups, our home dining rooms, or one day when COVID really doesn’t exist here, there, or anywhere, indoor dining rooms once more.