Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, Florida
End of the Line
By Polly Dean
Featured photo courtesy of Aruba Beach Cafe.
When a tropical beach cafe is the preferred place for the locals as well as visitors, you know it’s a good spot for relaxation and dining! This is the case with the Aruba Beach Cafe in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, Florida. It came highly recommended as a go-to destination for a friend that lived in the area. The On The Fly South crew was laying over awaiting a flight to the Bahamas, so we had to drop by to test the vibes and the food.
Open seven days a week, you can feel you’re in the “islands” at a moment’s notice. Tropical drinks await at three different bars. Caribbean food such as grilled jerk chicken, coconut shrimp, conch fritters and much more, is on their menu.
Celebrated Chef Christopher Nealon has been with the Aruba Beach Cafe for 30 years. He has been awarded the Golden Spoon and the Florida Magazine Readers Choice for four consecutive years. He is also a four-time first-place winner at the Lauderdale Seafood Festival. With well-honed skill he prepares dishes such as sesame crusted salmon, seafood stir fry and lobster salad sandwich. His conch fritters have been voted the best in Fort Lauderdale.
Tropical drinks and Happy Hour specials are offered almost daily. Happy hour is 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. each weekday. Select drinks and appetizers are sold for half price at the bars. Specials include Martini Mondays, Tequila Tuesdays, Wacky Wednesdays, and Mojito Thursdays. Nightly live music and dancing by the sea are always on the agenda as well. There is something to celebrate every day and this definitely will be your happy place!
Whether fishing for peacock bass in southeast Florida canals, heading off to the Bahamas or you just want to feel that you are in the Tropics, the Aruba Beach Cafe is the place to go. You’ll find it nestled in the palms on the beach at Lauderdale-by-the-Sea.
Aruba Beach Cafe offers gift certificates and will host private events and celebrations. Check out their website for more details.
