Mauro Colagreco, Chef Behind No. 3 ‘Best’ Restaurant in the World, Debuts a New Palm Beach Eatery

Palm Beach’s dining scene can now tout a world-caliber chef as one of its own with the debut of Florie by Mauro Colagreco. This marks the first U.S. restaurant for the Argentine-Italian chef behind the two-Michelin starred — and currently ranked number 3 on the controversial yet wildly influential World’s 50 Best Restaurants list — Mizaur in Menton, France.

Housed inside the Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach (2800 S Ocean Blvd), which just underwent a multi-million dollar renovation, Florie debuted earlier this week boasting a sophisticated pale peach and sea green interior serving as tribute to Palm Beach complete with cozy banquettes, an open kitchen, all set against an ocean backdrop. With the help of chef de cuisine, Florenzo Barbieri, who also worked at Michelin-caliber restaurants like Borgo San Jacopo in Florence and Gambero Rosso in Sicily, they’ve created an intricate Mediterranean-influenced menu.

Florie’s menu begins with small plates like hamachi with citrus, macadamia milk and chia seeds and Iberian ham sliced table-side. The entrée section is divided into cooking methods including yakitori, tandoor, spit-roasting a la broche, and stone hearth oven. Highlights include calamari with bagna cauda sauce, green peas, fava beans and sorrel; pork ribs with mashed potato and pork jus; lamb shoulder with sweet potato, dates, walnuts and black sesame sauce; truffled chicken with Albufera sauce, crushed potatoes, chives and shallots; and shellfish cioppino.

Even the basics are done with flair like the bread inspired by Colagreco’s grandmother’s recipe is served with lemon-ginger olive oil and presented with the Pablo Neruda poem “Ode to Bread.’’ On staff is also a “water sommelier” offering flights for $25 from her list of international bottles. Cocktails are seasonally driven and created with herbs from the resort’s own garden while all the wine by the glass is all 100 percent sustainable.

The restaurant is now open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner from 7:30 a.m. until 10:30 p.m. Call 561-533-3750 for more information and reservations.