South Florida may as well be Long Island’s third county, sharing thousands of snowbirds who travel back and forth as winter sets in. Creatures of habit, many Long Islanders like their familiar food experiences to be available year-round and they are in luck--a number of our local eateries have expanded south in recent years.

According to the 2020 U.S. census report, New York accounts for the biggest snowbird population in Florida, sending about 50,000 folks down each winter, with the larger Florida snowbird population — which is defined as those that spend a month or  more out of their home state — growing to about 1 million in total. 

"Observing a trend of our loyal New York customers migrating southward to Florida earlier each year and returning later, it became apparent that exploring opportunities in this region was a prudent move," said Ronnie Dragoon, CEO of Ben’s Kosher Deli, which expanded to Florida in 2004. Lawrence Lessing, of the Lessing Hospitality Group, which grew its Hatch all-day brunch concept to Fort Lauderdale, agreed. "Florida, being one of the fastest-growing states in the nation, has become very attractive from a business perspective. With more northerners moving to Florida year-round and remote work becoming more common, Florida restaurants are seeing fewer highs and lows from seasonality. The combination of locals and tourists creates vibrant communities for business."

Ben’s and Hatch join a growing list of both corporate restaurant groups and family-owned businesses that have embraced expansion to Florida, including fast casual Long Island franchises like Bagel Boss and swanky, upscale Italian spots like Felice. Some brands have even left the Island entirely — Bruce’s Bakery and Houston’s, for example — for success in the country’s southernmost peninsula. It’s a trend that doesn’t seem to be slowing anytime soon: Hummus Fit just landed in Boca Raton’s ReinventU gym as a launchpad into the Florida market, and according to Reno Christou, one of Kyma’s managing partners in Roslyn, "construction has begun on our West Palm Beach location. We’re hoping for a next September opening."

Whether you’re craving a taste of home, a certified kosher meal, a party scene or a family-style Italian supper on Sunday, we have you covered with these 10 brands that have put down roots in South Florida.

388 Restaurant by Mr. Sal

3360 N. Federal Hwy., Boca Raton, 561-794-3888, 388restaurantbymrsal.com

This large, whited-out restaurant in Roslyn Heights with vaulted ceilings and a cozy fireplace, is a mecca for boisterous family meals and friendly camaraderie on the regular. Serving a vast, familiar selection of Italian American hits — think baked clams, fried calamari, Caesar salad, pasta with white clam sauce or alla vodka, chicken scarpiello, veal Milanese, shrimp marinara, tiramisu — the eatery also has a Boca Raton outpost that’s equally buzzy and bright: 388 Italian Restaurant by Mr. Sal. Inspired by the same white decor as the Roslyn Heights location, this massive dining room gives off a party vibe, hosts regular DJs and events, and boasts an open-air dining room and full bar, as well as air-conditioned indoor seating — a great spot for a casual drink or a meal.

Felice

West Palm Beach: 366 S. Rosemary Ave., 561-421-6036

Miami/Brickell: 1450 Brickell Ave., Suite 110, 305-526 4800, felicerestaurants.com

Lighter and brighter than its Roslyn counterpart, Felice at The Square in West Palm Beach was the upscale brand’s first foray into the Sunshine State in 2023, followed by another outpost in Miami’s Brickell neighborhood earlier this year. While the West Palm Beach location’s menu is nearly identical to the Roslyn location, bursting with pasta like fettuccine  alla Bolognese, and — our favorite — cheesy cacio e Pepe, salads like the mixed chicory, and larger format entrées including chicken Milanese, salmon, branzino, and a New York strip, the Brickell location also boasts crowd pleasers like a chicken parmigiana, fried chicken, and a lemon malfade pasta.

Brunch is served on weekends at both spots, and don’t miss the Manhattan-based restaurant group’s wines, produced in its Tuscan vineyard Fattoria Sardi, which include a house chardonnay, Sangiovese and Rosato.

Matteo’s

Hallandale: 1825 E. Hallandale Beach Blvd., Hallandale Beach, 954-455-4050

Boca Raton: 233 S. Federal Hwy., Boca Raton, 561-392-0773, matteosristorante.com

Both the Huntington and Roslyn locations of Matteo’s have been celebration factories for more than three decades, with any given day seeing tables honoring birthdays, anniversaries, baptisms and the like. A member of Rothmann’s Restaurant Group, these Italian mainstays overflow with classics from all regions of the country and whether you’re hankering for baked clams, fried calamari, veal parmigiana, cheese raviolis, or chicken Ultimo — Francese style with mozzarella and hot cherry peppers — Matteo’s delivers.

In Florida, you can get your Matteo’s fix in either Boca Raton or Hallandale — with another outpost coming soon to Palm Beach. Though all menus are a variation of each other highlighting the basics, two boast a mozzarella bar (Hallandale, Roslyn), another offers a freshly made ravioli bar (Boca), and all offer charcuterie boards; the only thing you won’t find in Florida is the pizza coming from the Huntington location’s brick oven.

Hatch

715 N. Federal Hwy., Fort Lauderdale, 754-200-8747, hatchbrunch.com

All-day brunch is a "thing" on Long Island with more and more operators shifting to the daytime meal model. Few, however, are as sunny and bright as Hatch, launched in Huntington by the Lessings Hospitality Group that also runs Long Island spots including Bayberry in Islip, Sandbar in Cold Spring Harbor and Mirabelle in Stony Brook. "We always felt the vibe at Hatch would fit well in Florida. The energy Hatch brings aligns perfectly with the eclectic, artistic vibe of Fort Lauderdale’s Flagler Village," said Lessing. Guarded by sky-reaching palm trees, the Florida spot feels like a warm weather replica of its LI counterpart with banana-yellow booths, an expansive back bar with counter seating, and high ceilings.

"Peace, love, and bacon" is the brunchery’s slogan, and this mod spot delivers just that, plus a lineup of pancakes — blueberry Danish, pineapple upside down, cinnamon roll — that you can sample in a pancake flight. French toast and massive omelets, power bowls and overnight oats round out the offerings, but don’t miss "The Good Stuff" or spiked breakfast drinks including the salted caramel espresso martini, the apple cider mimosa, and the boozy blueberry crumble latte.

Bagel Boss

Davie: 5850 S. Pine Island Rd., 754-264-8120

Aventura: 18549 W. Dixie Hwy., 954-302-4687

Aventura Mall: 19501 Biscayne Blvd., 305-504-7443‬

Miami Beach: 740 Arthur Godfrey Rd., 305-563-9813‬, bagelboss.com

Hicksville’s Bagel Boss is a Long Island legend, fulfilling the bagel fantasies of Long Islanders for decades with freshly made bagels, lox and premium schmears of all kinds. Franchising since 2020, there are four — soon-to-be-seven — locations around South Florida serving fresh- made bagels in New York style.

The brand, established in 1975, plans to continue its Florida expansion as it turns 50, with the most recent opening of Miami Beach joining two outposts in Aventura — one at the mall — and an express location at the David Posner JCC in Davie. "We had franchise partners that were familiar with the brand from New York," said CEO Andrew Hazen. Imminent upcoming openings include Boca Raton (22107 Powerline Rd.) and Surfside (225 95th St.), with Hollywood and Delray Beach stores to follow by the end of 2025. All Florida locations are kosher.

Ben’s Deli

9942 Clint Moore Rd., Boca Raton, 561-470-9963, bensdeli.net

When you’re hankering for a matzo ball soup and pastrami on rye, Ben’s kosher Deli has been serving up massive portions of New York-style deli sandwiches and Eastern European delicacies from knishes to fried kreplach, Polish beef tongue to chopped liver to brisket, and Hungarian goulash  to stuffed cabbage since 1972. With Long Island locations in Greenvale, Woodbury, and Carle Place, Boca Raton opened in 2004 and since has been a mainstay for the kosher community. "South Florida's dining landscape, dominated by nonkosher establishments, presented a unique opportunity for Ben's to fill a niche, catering to those who sought the kosher comforts familiar back in New York," Dragoon said.

Toku Modern Asian

19575 Biscayne Blvd., Aventura, 305-465-8658, tokumodernasian.com

Poll Restaurants have a premium on the palates of the dining-out set on the Island with restaurants like Bryant and Cooper, Hendricks, Majors Steakhouse, The Bryant, Bar Frites, Cipollini  and Toku, which serves up share-size portions of Asian-influenced plates in Manhasset’s Americana mall. Florida foodies will finally get a taste of what the restaurant group does so well at Aventura’s opulent outpost of Toku.

Indulge in extravagant sushi rolls, an assortment of Wagyu steaks, lobster tacos, various noodles and rice dishes, crispy whole fish, miso-blackened cod, Peking duck and Szechuan blackened prawns. Adorned with a massive stone Buddha head, Japanese paper lanterns, and a dim, moody dining room that pops off after dark (just like Manhasset), Toku in Aventura has the added bonus of outdoor patio seating and a bottomless brunch option on weekends.

Patrizia’s

Deerfield Beach: 1544 SE 3rd Ct., 954-751-9797

Fort Lauderdale: 3300 NE 32nd St., 954-777-6880, patrizias.com

Patrizia’s, which was founded by chefs and brothers Giacomo and Gennaro Alaio, who came to the United States from Naples, Italy, as young boys, turned their family’s restaurant business into New York gold when it opened in the Bronx in 1991. They’re approaching 25 years as an institution for penne alla vodka, chicken parmigiana, eggplant rollatini, veal Marsala, and sole oreganata. Now a franchise that boasts four Long Island locations — Commack, Massapequa Park, Hicksville and Hauppauge — where enthusiastic napkin waving and the belting out of Italian classics often overtakes the dining room, Patrizia’s has figured out that South Florida loves an Italian restaurant transplant. All of the classics that make Patrizia’s a tristate-area hit are on display in both Florida locations, with the added bonus of outdoor seating.

Family Bagels of Plainview

5906 Coral Ridge Dr., Coral Springs, 954-755-4600, familybagelsli.com

As the name implies, this family-owned and operated bagel shop has been making fresh bagels daily since 2005 in Plainview. Whether you’re looking for breakfast — which is served all day — sandwiches, salads, soups, or wraps, as well as hot griddled paninis, this casual spot can fill you up. Owners Neal and Rosemarie Schatt, more familiarly known as "Neal and Ro," enlisted their friend Steve Corn to run Family Bagels in Coral Springs, just south of Parkland; the shop was formerly Westside Bagels, which closed in 2019. Corn replicates the friendly hospitality of the New York store, protecting the namesake of the business, which focuses on nourishing local families with — what else — bagels.

Umberto’s

Fort Lauderdale: 3051 E. Commercial  Blvd., 954-776-0258, umbertosfl.com

Umberto’s of New Hyde Park, and the many subsidiaries it has spawned, is the stuff of Long Island legend. Home of the grandma pie, now encompassing a whole block, this rock-star pizza joint set the bar for great Italian American food when Umberto Corteo opened a simple 60-seat pizza place in 1965. Since then, it's become a restaurant and prolific caterer, with secondary locations in Bellmore, Lake Grove, Manhasset and Massapequa Park. Joe Corteo, Umberto’s younger brother, brought the brand to Florida, setting up in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea nearly 20 years ago.  In an equally large location, just a few blocks off the beach, an assortment of pies, pastas, subs, calzones, and other red sauce faves replicate the New York experience. Mangia!

By Marie Elena Martinez

marieelena.martinez@newsday.com@mariesworlds

A global freelancer who has checked her suitcase to raise her young daughter on her native Long Island, Marie Elena will always make time for good mezcal, even better tacos and killer conversation. Preferably, in a corner bar seat. She can be found on Instagram at @mariesworldeats.