Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Where are inexpensive restaurants in Weston, Plantation, Davie and Pembroke Pines?
Q: Good article about the rapidly diminishing affordable restaurants in north-central Broward. Unfortunately, I live in southwestern Broward and cannot go that far just to eat a meal.
Can you publish a similar article for what is left of affordable restaurants in Pembroke Pines, Weston, Davie and Plantation?” — Earl Rodney, Pembroke Pines
A: This was a very difficult assignment! There are so few restaurants where the majority of entrees are under $20, my benchmark for “affordable.” The prices of food and staffing have gone up so much since the COVID-19 pandemic came into our lives three years ago, and this became really clear to me as I researched moderately priced eateries for you.
I eliminated chain restaurants from the mix and tried to find locally owned sites that get consistently good reviews in Let’s Eat, South Florida, the Sun Sentinel’s foodie Facebook group. I recommend making breakfast or lunch your meal out instead of dinner and being openminded to new types of food that you may not have tried before. Here are 10 possibilities for you; let me know if you try any of them and if you found their food good and prices reasonable.
Billy’s Tavern, 8580 W. S.R. 84, Davie; 954-4759464; BillysTavernDavie. com.
Billy’s is a neighborhood bar where locals assemble to cheer on sports teams and relax with post-workday beers. A small homemade pizza is $18; eight chicken wings go for $12. Burgers are $12 to $15. Said one Let’s Eat reviewer: “Picked up some wings, Buffalo shrimp and pierogies. All delicious. Support your local small business.”
Cilantro Asian Bistro, 11590 W. S.R. 84, Davie; 954-368-7772; CilantroAsianBistroDavie.com.
Cilantro serves Japanese, Thai and Chinese fare.
The Classic Sushi Platter with miso soup is priced at $16, while Pad Woon Sen, a noodle, egg and vegetable dish, costs $15. Several dishes are more than $20, but lunch specials are $11 to $15. A Let’s Eat reviewer said: “Awesome staff, plenty of space and nicely decorated. Huge Sushi Bar!! Outdoor seating as well.”
Davie Taco Bar, 13040 W. S.R. 84, Davie. 954-5304321. TacoBar-fl.com.
The owners hail from Monterrey, Mexico, and they encourage building your own tacos ($10.99 for three), burritos ($9.66) and quesadillas ($10.99). There’s also a Monterrey-style Burrito Regio ($10.99), with beans, steak, peppers, guacamole and salsa, and Sopes del Jefe ($9.99), fried corn cakes with beans and pork belly topped with cilantro, onions, queso and sour cream. The menu includes trendy Birria Tacos ($10.99), which have melted cheese and short rib inside, which you can dip in birria consomme, a meaty dipping sauce.
Hong’s BBQ, 6831 Stirling Road, Davie; 954-314-7131; HongsBBQDavie.com.
Almost every entree is under $20, including Fresh Squid with Preserved Vegetables on rice ($14.95) and a Roasted Pork and Marinated Duck combo ($19.95). The restaurant has more than 10 noodle soups and a long list of daily specials. Here’s an endorsement from Michael Mayo, moderator of the Let’s Eat Facebook group: “To the NYers who complain about the lack of good Chinese/ Cantonese restaurants in SoFla or say they don’t exist, this Brooklyn native says you’re not looking hard enough.” He loved the steaming bowl of wonton
soup with roasted pork ($12.95) and hot tea.
Il Baretto Ristorante,
220 S. University Dr., Plantation; 954-473-9400; IlBarettoRistorante.com.
Il Baretto’s Chicago-style thin-crust pizzas go for $22, but they also have spaghetti and homemade meatballs for $18 and lasagna for $19. Although its prices are on the higher side for our criteria, this eatery gets consistently good reports from Let’s Eat reviewers. According to one foodie: “Delicious burrata, pasta in vodka sauce and (we ordered ahead) deep dish pizza. The restaurant was very quiet (there was only one other couple there). The food was terrific. Our waiter was attentive and very nice.”
Izgara Middle Eastern Cuisine, 1251 S. Pine Island Rd., Plantation; 954-4758990; IzgaraFL.com.
Izgara, which means “grill” in Turkish, offers Mediterranean dishes you don’t see often in
South Florida, including Hummus Shishlick Chicken (chicken thighs skewered with sweet onions and peppers, served with warm grilled pita, $12.95) and Schnitzel (“Where Tel Aviv meets Europe,” $14.95). Sandwich platters are all under $20, and there’s an extensive list of hummus entree plates, with steak, lamb, beef, chicken or vegetables, that include warm pita ($11.95 to $13.95). One Let’s Eat reviewer reported: “The hummus is the best I have ever had! It’s creamy, buttery with a little tangy kick!”
Kristof’s Kafe, 8912 W. S.R. 84, Davie; 954-4758977; KristofsKafe.com.
If you like a heavy, stick-to-your-ribs style of breakfast or lunch, this is the place for you. The Meatlovers Biscuit and Gravy ($14.99) includes a biscuit with scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage and cheddar cheese. There’s also Avocado Toast &
Eggs ($13.99) for those who prefer to go meatless. Omelets, waffles, pancakes and French toast are also on the menu. Chef Kris Kristof grew up in Cooper City and got the restaurant
bug from his parents, who once ran a sports bar. Expect a line out the door on most days.
Lucille’s American Cafe, 2250 Weston Road, Weston; 954-3849007; LucillesCafe.com/weston.
Lucille’s cooks comfort foods rarely seen much anymore on American menus. Meatloaf ($19.39), Chicken Pot Pie ($16.39) and Grilled Twin Pork Chops ($20.39) are among the offerings, and there’s a Blue
Plate Special every night, including $6 burgers on Mondays and Lucille’s Own Shepherd’s Pie ($15.99) on Tuesdays. There are also homemade soups, salads and sandwiches, and old-fashioned milkshakes and ice cream sodas for dessert.
North South Grill, 154 S. Flamingo Rd., Pembroke Pines; 954-404-8308; NorthSouthGrill. com.
North South touts its 100% American Wagyu beef and chicken raised without antibiotics and hormones. A large steak sub goes for $16.49, a large chicken souvlaki sub, $15.99. There are also veggie subs, salads, burgers, and chicken and fish sandwiches. Order at the counter and they bring the food to you. A Let’s Eat reviewer wrote: “For those of you who like ‘smash’ type burgers, North South Grill in Pembroke Pines has one of the best! Their hand cut fries are delicious also!”
Plantation Diner, 6903 W. Broward Blvd., Plantation; 954-791-2985; PlantationDiner. com.
Make breakfast or lunch your big meal out and stay way under 20 bucks. A hot, openfaced Roast Beef Sandwich is $12.49, while a Chef Salad, which includes deli meats and cheese, goes for $12.99. Reviewers consistently cite the diner’s generous portions. One satisfied eater said on Let’s Eat: “The Chef ’s salad was huge with lots of roast beef, turkey and ham. (My husband) can eat and he couldn’t finish it. My French dip was excellent and the beef was extremely tender.”
Are you looking for inexpensive restaurant recommendations in Broward or Palm Beach County? Send your questions about restaurants or anything else South Florida-related to AskLois@sunsentinel.com.