Mary Lou's

A sun-drenched Palm Beach institution where linen napkins meet flip-flops, and the crab Benedict has been the neighborhood's worst-kept secret for years.

Mary Lou's runs on the particular energy of old Florida money doing casual right—striped awnings, ceiling fans, and a patio that fills by 9:30 on Saturdays. The kitchen doesn't overthink things: excellent citrus-cured seafood, a Bloody Mary bar that rewards regulars, and service that remembers how you take your coffee. It's the kind of place where a two-hour lunch feels like the whole point of living here.

Best for: Leisurely weekend brunch with the ladies-who-lunch crowd