May 9, 2023
Watch this episode of The Pulse on DowntownFTL to hear about how our retail and dining scene is leveling up compared to other hot destinations.
Downtown Fort Lauderdale’s restaurant scene is evolving due to world-class chefs like Timon Balloo. Following the success of his restaurants in places like New York City and Miami, Chef Balloo returned home to open The Katherine right here in DowntownFTL. Chef walks DDA President & CEO Jenni Morejon through our local dining scene.
On why so many top restaurateurs are choosing Fort Lauderdale:
"I've had a lot of colleagues (award winning chefs) already reach out asking what's happening in Fort Lauderdale, why are you there? With all of the growth, you are starting to see Miami, New York, and other out-of-town operators coming to the city."
"What we saw was that the beaches are beautiful, we have gorgeous neighborhoods, and we have so many cool people demanding better quality food and more eclectic experiences."
Then Ken Krasnow from Colliers South Florida goes behind the numbers to highlight the future of DowntownFTL’s retail market.
"The numbers tell us that a lot of people are moving into Downtown Fort Lauderdale...in the last 4 years we've had a roughly 60% increase in population and a 30% increase in retailers. Retail follows rooftops so restaurateurs are seeing that the authentic nature and local feel of this city are appealing to a ton of people."
To watch The Pulse on DowntownFTL and review the latest retail market report, visit: https://www.ddaftl.org/retailreport