Best Restaurant


Important: This article was last updated on September 21, 2005. Please call ahead to confirm hours, prices, dates and other information.

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Readers' picks

Best Breakfast
 The Original Pancake House, various locations

Best Cheap Eats
 Taco Bell, various locations

Best Chain Restaurant (Tie)
 The Cheesecake Factory and Olive Garden, various locations

Best Barbecue
 Tom Jenkins B-B-Q, Fort Lauderdale

Best Mexican
 La Bamba, various locations

Best Chinese
 Toa Toa, Sunrise

Best Thai
 Siam House, Fort Lauderdale

Best Mall Food Court
 Aventura Mall

Best Pizza
 Downtown Pizza, Fort Lauderdale

Best Hamburger
 Cheeburger Cheeburger, various locations

Best Diner
 Lester's Diner, Fort Lauderdale

Best Romantic Restaurant
 The Melting Pot, various locations

Best Italian
 Il Mulino, Fort Lauderdale
 
Casa D'Angelo Ristorante
1201 N. Federal Highway, Fort Lauderdale, 954/564-1234, www.casa-d-angelo.com

 Choosing the best restaurant in our neck of the woods can get personal, so let's get personal about Casa D'Angelo. We go back to chef Angelo Elia's Tuscan-style ristorante year after year because the food is hearty and sophisticated, the portions generous enough for two meals and the team of servers as amiable and professional as any you could hope to find. Each of those qualities describes the Italian-born Elia, who spares nothing to give his legions of loyal customers a memorable meal, even if they've eaten at Casa D'Angelo many times before. Like a romance that doesn't grow stale, a signature dish such as the jumbo-shrimp appetizer, pappardelle with porcini mushrooms or oversize veal chop never fails to seduce. The wine list is among the best in the country, and the atmosphere is refined but not intimidating. Moreover, from your greeting by the maitre d' to the last bite of dessert you can't bear to leave on the plate, Elia makes dinner at Casa D'Angelo about gratifying his customers rather than drawing attention to himself. Still, you can't help but applaud his gifts.