One of this ever-evolving region’s new cosmopolitan offerings is the new Four Seasons Hotel and Residences Fort Lauderdale and its Evelyn’s Fort Lauderdale, where you can dine with an Atlantic Ocean view and fresh breeze. Chef Brandon Salomon explains that dining at Evelyn’s is about discovery: “The diverse and complex flavor compositions of the eastern Mediterranean region elevate curiosity and intrigue.” Specialties like olive wood-smoked octopus and classic hummus with sumac and pine nuts and their freshly leavened, stone-fired pita are just a few of the delights in store. Cocktails like “Two Left Feet” and “Dancing Monkey” are a nod to an atmosphere of sophisticated fun. Is your curiosity piqued yet?
Adventure-seekers will appreciate Gulfstream Park’s newest offering: Carousel Club, which fuses open-air entertainment and the thrill of world-class thoroughbred horse racing. This first-of-its-kind trackside venue features memorable moments for 1,500 guests with lawn games, elevated mixology, top DJs, live entertainment, culinary pop-ups, Instagram-worthy elements and much more. Its Carousel Bar features an actual antique carousel. How’s that for atmosphere?
And then there’s DUNE. No, not the movie starring Timothy Chalamet and Oscar Isaac; DUNE By Laurent Tourondel, the new restaurant located inside the Auberge Beach Residences and Spa. The star in this oceanfront dining experience is Michelin-starred Chef Laurent Tourondel, whose passion has ushered in a new era of contemporary American cuisine characterized by an emphasis on creativity and innovation. A peek at the menu is sure to make your mouth water.
Fort Lauderdale hotspot YOLO has reopened after a multimillion-dollar renovation to the restaurant and O Lounge next door. A delicious new menu accompanies the stylish new décor, and the terrace now sports a 15-foot sculpture of a burning tree, a symbol of all that newness. “It is said that a Burning Tree in a dream symbolizes one’s transformation and evolution. An individual or institution may only live once, but change should be embraced during that lifetime,” their website explains. If you’re in the YOLO state of mind, you can live it up here in the heart of downtown Fort Lauderdale on Las Olas Boulevard. The O Lounge now has a proper DJ booth and Wednesday through Saturday nights it’s a bona fide nightclub. So wear your dancing shoes.
Another transformation to check out in downtown Fort Lauderdale is its newest nightclub: The Angeles, a historic church transformed into a two-story nightclub. The second floor VIP lounge, The Confessional, overlooks the dance floor where you and your friends can indulge in bottle service. Shot of Patron Silver anyone? Bottoms up!
The Parker in Downtown Fort Lauderdale
The Parker is another reimagined venue that’s welcoming audiences after a $30 million renovation. Visit to enjoy a show (comedy, music, dance and more) in an intimate setting with pristine acoustics and marvel at the restored art-deco windows that grace its soaring 32-foot lobby. The new VIP lounge is an elegant addition for your pre-show cocktail.
Greater Fort Lauderdale is known for its diversity, and the new restaurant from James Beard-nominated chef Timon Balloo, The Katherine, certainly offers a taste of that. The seafood- and vegetable-focused restaurant showcases his quintessential home-style dinners infused with the cuisine of his Chinese, Indian and Trinidadian roots.
Greater Fort Lauderdale’s rooftop bar scene has also expanded with the addition of the Sunset Club Rooftop Bar & Lounge at the Costa Hollywood Beach Resort. Spectacular, panoramic views of the Intracoastal Waterway, tropical craft cocktails, light bites and, of course, a DJ spinning the tunes create the perfect party atmosphere as only South Florida can.
These are just a few of the exciting new temptations in Florida’s LGBT+ Capital. Peruse more here.