Ten Best Outdoor Malls for Dining and Drinking in Broward and Palm Beach

South Florida is famous for its surf, sand, and sun. And, so it seems, shopping too. 

Lucky for us, much of Florida is blessed with year-round sunny weather, making it the ideal spot for outdoor shopping malls. In the past 20 years, they've slowly replaced windowless indoor malls designed to shut out the exterior environment.

These roaming retail playgrounds allow guests to enjoy the weather, bargain hunting, and — oftentimes — a great meal while basking in the Florida sun and Atlantic breezes.

There's entertainment destination CityPlace in West Palm Beach with its eclectic array of bars and restaurants, and pedestrian-friendly Weston Town Center where mom-and-pop restaurants dominate. The chain-happy Shops at Pembroke Gardens feature a range of restaurants, while food-centric Downtown Abacoa has a number of specialty shops including a brewery and coffee roaster.

No matter where you are in Broward or Palm Beach counties, you can find an outdoor mall to fit your needs, budget — and appetite. But us, we're in it for the food. Here's our list of the top outdoor shopping spots where the dining can’t be beat. 

10. Downtown Abacoa 
1200 Town Center Drive, Jupiter. Call 561-575-6455, or visit downtownabacoa.com.
The town center at Abacoa in Jupiter is less about shopping and more about food. There are over a dozen restaurants and specialty shops to be found here, everything from locally roasted coffee at Crux Coffee Roasters to Palm Beach County's newest craft brewery, Civil Society Brewing Company. The newest addition: Aaron's Table & Wine Bar, a small plates farm-to-table concept featuring housemade pastas, fresh seafood, and prime meats. There's also Copacabana, a family-owned and -operated restaurant that offers an authentic taste of Cuba and the Caribbean. Das Biergarten serves up craft beers, hot dogs, sausages, and German-style small plates. Hankering for sushi or a meal cooked right before your eyes? Hokkaido Hibachi & Sushi has both. And if you're in the mood for a lazy afternoon ballgame, head to J Muggs Stadium Grill where you can get everything from creative appetizers and wings to pizza, soups, salads, hot dogs, and burgers. 

9. Palm Beach Outlets in West Palm Beach
1751 Palm Beach Lakes Blvd., West Palm Beach. Call 561-515-4405, or visit palmbeachfl.com.
In 2013, the Palm Beach Outlets became the newest open-air mall in West Palm Beach when they replaced the demolished indoor Palm Beach Mall, originally built in 1967. As the county’s first outlet center, the area features over 100 stores including brand favorites Saks Fifth Avenue Off 5th, J. Crew|Crewcuts, Ann Taylor Factory Store, Banana Republic Factory Store, and White House Black Market. Additionally, Marketplace at the Outlets is an adjacent shopping center that features a dynamic mix of restaurants from fast-casual pizza with Cucina Pizza by Design to the craft beer bar BJ's, and fast food with Chichenow, Sbarro, Red Robin, and Subway. Need to do some grocery shopping? There's even a Whole Foods Market.

8. Downtown at the Gardens in Palm Beach Gardens
3101 PGA Blvd., Palm Beach Gardens. Call 561-626-0796, or visit downtownatthegardens.com.
Located just steps from the Gardens Mall you can find another type of mall: an outdoor one with plenty of meandering walkways that offer an upscale mix of retail shopping and dining. Here, you can shop till you crave a cold beer, ice cream, or slice of pizza. Aside from a Whole Foods Market, the shopping center boasts the Blend Bistro, the Cheesecake Factory, and Yardhouse. You can also grab a great steak at Texas de Brazil, pizza at Grimaldi's Coal Brick-Oven Pizzeria, or a sandwich at TooJay's Original Gourmet Deli. If you need an after-shopping drink, look no further than Dirty Martini. And for a sweet treat, there's a Sloan's ice cream shop, Fro-Yotopia, and It'Sugar.

7. Delray Marketplace in Delray Beach
14851 Lyons Road, Delray Beach. Call 561-865-4613, or visit delraymarket.com.
No one should ever shop on an empty stomach. That's not only true of grocery shopping but also shoe and clothing shopping. All that walking around will get you tired, and refusing is necessary. Luckily, you can do both while hitting up the shops at Delray Marketplace. From upscale stores like Chico and White House Black Market to fun specialty shops like It’Sugar and Charming Charlie, the Delray Marketplace offers all sorts of shopping options. There's even a bowling alley and movie theater, after which you can recharge your batteries at places like Apeiro, Burt & Max's, Cabo Flats, or Shula Burger.

6. Weston Town Center in Weston
1675 Market St., Weston. Call 954-349-5900, or visit westontowncenter.net.
This one-of-a-kind shopping center is located just minutes from I-75 on the corner of Royal Palm Boulevard. The Weston Town Center features a diverse selection of upscale salons, boutiques, offices, and — of course — a solid array of casual and fine dining options. There's a Duffy's Sports Bar and Smoke on the Water Cigar Bar for the guys, or the Cheese Course and Yogurtland for the ladies. Larger establishments like Tarantella, Graziano's, Japan Inn, and Primetime Restaurant and Bar offer more traditional options. The center also hosts a number of signature events throughout the year, from live music to food and wine festivals. 


5. Promenade at Coconut Creek in Coconut Creek
4443 Lyons Road, Coconut Creek. Call 855-999-7212, or visit thepromenadeatcoconutcreek.com.
The Promenade at Coconut Creek is 23 acres of open-air shopping. This LEED pre-certified development opened in November 2008, and what was once proposed as an enclosed mall is now redesigned to look more like a tiny village. The shops offer a range of establishments, including a movie theater with its own restaurant. There are ethnic options like Saito's Japanese Steakhouse and Ethos Greek Bistro. Looking for fast and friendly: Lime Fresh Mexican Grill and Salad Creations will get you in and out. If you want dessert, stop by Cold Stone Creamery or Le Macaron. After dinner drinks? Bar Louie, H6 Bottega Wine Bar, or World of Beer can help with that. 

4. Mizner Park in Boca Raton
327 Plaza Real, Boca Raton. Call 561-362-0606, or visit www.miznerpark.com.
Originally built more than two decades ago, Mizner Park in Boca Raton stands as one of the oldest (and most picturesque) outdoor shopping plazas in South Florida. The open-air mall is pedestrian-friendly, offering guests a premier mixed-use space that's home to numerous apartments, offices, restaurants, and stores. That includes an iPic movie theater, nearly 400,000 square feet of retail space, and dozens of upscale stores like Lord & Taylor and Z Gallerie. Of course, there's also the dining: Mizner Park stands as the perfect one-stop-shop with Yard House, Kapow! Noodle Bar, Racks Downtown Eatery + Tavern, Sloan's, Max's Grille, the Dubliner, and Villagio.

3. CityPlace in West Palm Beach
700 S. Rosemary Ave., West Palm Beach. Call 561-366-1000, or visit cityplace.com.
CityPlace, West Palm Beach's upscale lifestyle center, is all about options. The outdoor shopping center opened in October of 2000, just a few blocks west of the city's downtown area along South Rosemary Avenue. Besides shops and restaurants, the center also includes rental apartments, condos, and offices. CityPlace serves up more than 80 specialty shops, national stores, restaurants, and entertainment venues. Catch a few drinks (and plenty of laughs) at the Improv Comedy Club. Watch a movie at the MuviCo IMAX theater. Or go bowling at Revolution. Then, grab dinner or drinks at one of several restaurants including BurgerFi, Mellow Mushroom, Cabo Flats, Ruth's Chris Steak House, City Cellar Wine Bar & Grill, and Blue Martini. Soon, The Regional Kitchen and Public House will be joining the lineup — a long-awaited project from local celebrity chef Lindsay Autry. After a stroll through the open-air plaza, sit back and relax and enjoy dessert from Il Bellagio with a table by the enormous fountain. 

2. The Shops at Pembroke Gardens in Pembroke Pines
527 SW 145th Terrace, Pembroke Pines. Call 954-450-1580, or visit pembrokegardens.com.
This sprawling open-air mall with its beautiful fountain and stylish layout attracts shoppers with its great selection of well-known retailers. But there's also a great range of restaurants to eat and drink both before or after you're done with all that shopping. That includes the craft beer bar, the Brass Tap; Peruvian restaurant 7 Pecados; big-name chains like Brio Tuscan Grille and the Cheesecake Factory; family fun at Fudrucker's; and fast-casual dining with spots like Lime Fresh Mexican Grill and Jason's Deli. Our favorites: the Village Tavern Scratch Kitchen & Bar or Brimstone Woodfire Grill, both establishments offering a more traditional dining experience.

1. The Village at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach
901 S. Federal Highway, Hallandale Beach. Call 954-454-7000, or visit gulfstreampark.com.
The moment it comes into view, you'll stop and stare: a giant bronze Pegasus battling a snarling dragon, rising 11 stories from the ground at the entrance to the Village at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach. It's impressive — seriously enormous — and might leave you scratching your head. But don't let it frighten you off; it's also part of Gulfstream's new entertainment center. While the horses still race, today the open-air mall at Gulfstream screams indulgence and includes a diverse selection of home stores, art galleries, a bowling alley, outdoor cafés and nightclubs, fashion boutiques, and health and beauty services. It's the food scene, though, that has seen the most significant evolution. What was once nothing more than a handful of chain restaurants and food stands to keep hungry gamblers fed is now an impressive array of dining options. Adults can wet their whistles at more than ten happy hours starting as early as 3 p.m. The late-night crowd can dance the night away at Martini Bar's free bachata class on Wednesday or unwind at Club Fate. Sports fans can watch their favorite teams and enjoy a large selection of draft beers at Yard House or take down a gourmet burger at Rok:Brgr. The most recent additions include Adena Grill & Wine Bar and Frankey's Sports Bar, open alongside longtime establishments at Gulfstream Park proper — Ten Palms and Christine Lee's — which will open to the public during racing season.

Nicole Danna is a food writer covering Broward and Palm Beach counties. To get the latest in food and drink news in South Florida, follow her @SoFloNicole or find her latest food pics on the BPB New Times Food & Drink Instagram.