You’re driving down A1A, the Atlantic crashing on your left and the Intracoastal Waterway shimmering on your right. Most people are speeding toward the high-gloss glitz of Worth Avenue or the historic pillars of The Breakers. They’re missing it. Tucked away on a narrow slice of land where the ocean breeze literally whistles through the palms is a spot that locals kind of want to keep to themselves. It’s called al Fresco, the Palm Beach Par 3 restaurant, and honestly, it’s arguably the most relaxed high-end dining experience in South Florida.
It’s a golf course eatery. Usually, that means mediocre club sandwiches and lukewarm light beer. Not here.
The View from the Palm Beach Par 3 Restaurant
The first thing you notice isn't the menu. It's the blue. It’s an aggressive, beautiful turquoise that hits you the second you walk through the doors of the clubhouse. Because the Palm Beach Par 3 golf course sits on an elevated ridge, the restaurant is perched perfectly to catch the salt spray from the ocean while looking out over the manicured greens. It’s 180 degrees of "I can’t believe this is a public course."
The building itself is the Kimley-Horn designed clubhouse. It’s modern but doesn't feel cold. You’ve got this massive wrap-around porch that is the heartbeat of the place. If you don't sit outside, you’re doing it wrong. Even when it’s 90 degrees out, the cross-breeze between the ocean and the lagoon makes it feel like a different climate.
What’s Actually on the Plate?
Let’s talk food. The Palm Beach Par 3 restaurant is operated by the same team behind Renato’s on Worth Avenue. If you know Palm Beach, you know Renato’s is the pinnacle of white-tablecloth Italian elegance. al Fresco is its chill, beach-bum cousin who happens to have a culinary degree.
The menu is a weird, wonderful hybrid. You can get a wood-fired pizza that rivals anything in Naples (the Italy version, not the Florida one), or you can dive into a plate of Panzanella salad that tastes like the tomatoes were picked five minutes ago.
✨ Don't miss: Getting to Burning Man: What You Actually Need to Know About the Journey
Most people go for the seafood. It makes sense. You’re looking at the water; you want to eat what’s in it. The Branzino is a standout. It’s flaky, simple, and seasoned with just enough lemon and herbs to let the fish speak for itself. But then, you’ll see a guy at the bar in a sweat-stained golf polo crushing a Wagyu burger. That’s the vibe. It’s high-low. It’s expensive ingredients served in a place where you can hear the surf.
The "Hidden" Public Access
Here is the thing that confuses everyone: it’s a public course. In a town where "private" is the default setting for everything from beach clubs to hedges, the Palm Beach Par 3 restaurant is refreshingly open. You don't need a membership. You don't need to know a guy who knows a guy. You just show up.
Well, "just show up" is a bit of an overstatement during "The Season" (January through April). If you try to walk in at 12:30 PM on a Tuesday in March, you’re going to be staring at the pro shop for an hour waiting for a table.
Why the Golfers and Non-Golfers Coexist
Usually, golfers are a territorial bunch. But at this specific Palm Beach Par 3 restaurant, the diners outnumber the players two-to-one by mid-afternoon. The course itself was redesigned by Raymond Floyd in 2009, and it’s consistently ranked as one of the best short courses in the country. It’s 18 holes of par 3s. No par 4s, no par 5s. Just technical, beautiful, wind-swept golf.
This matters for the restaurant because the pace of play is different. People finish a round in two and a half hours and then spend three hours at the bar. It creates this constant, rotating energy of people who are genuinely happy to be there.
🔗 Read more: Tiempo en East Hampton NY: What the Forecast Won't Tell You About Your Trip
- Breakfast: It starts early. If you’ve never had a breakfast burrito while watching the sun rise over the Atlantic, you haven’t lived.
- Lunch: This is peak chaos. Expect ladies who lunch, guys in tech vests, and sunburnt tourists.
- Sunset: This is the pro move. The sun sets over the Intracoastal side, which you can see from the western edge of the deck. The sky turns a bruised purple and orange.
Managing the Logistics
Parking is the only part of this experience that sucks. The lot is small. It’s shared between the golfers and the restaurant. In the winter, it’s a game of Tetris played with Range Rovers and Teslas. If the lot is full, there isn't really a "Plan B" nearby because you’re on a narrow strip of island.
Pro tip: Take an Uber or Lyft if you’re heading there for dinner. It saves you the headache of circling the lot like a vulture.
The Financial Reality
Is it cheap? No. It’s Palm Beach. You’re going to pay $25 to $40 for an entree. A cocktail is going to run you $18. But compared to the $300-a-head dinners further north on the island, the Palm Beach Par 3 restaurant feels like a bargain. You’re paying for the view, but the kitchen actually delivers on the quality.
Sometimes, places with views this good get lazy. They figure the scenery will distract you from the soggy calamari. al Fresco doesn't do that. The calamari is crisp. The service is fast—sometimes too fast, like they’re trying to turn the table, but if you ask them to slow down, they usually listen.
A Note on the Crowd
It’s an eclectic mix. You’ll see the old guard of Palm Beach—men in salmon-colored pants and gold Rolexes—sitting next to a family of four from Michigan who just discovered the course on Google Maps. It’s one of the few places on the island where the "Palm Beach Uniform" isn't strictly enforced, though "resort casual" is definitely the move. Don't show up in a bikini, but you don't need a blazer either.
💡 You might also like: Finding Your Way: What the Lake Placid Town Map Doesn’t Tell You
Misconceptions About al Fresco
People think it’s just for golfers. Wrong.
People think it’s only open for lunch. Wrong.
People think it’s part of a private club. Also wrong.
The Palm Beach Par 3 restaurant is actually owned by the Town of Palm Beach. It’s a municipal treasure. It’s one of the few places where the tax dollars of the billionaires who live nearby actually fund something that the rest of us can enjoy.
What to Order (The Insider’s Shortlist)
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the choices, stick to the classics. The Calamari Fritti is consistently light. The Margherita Pizza uses high-quality buffalo mozzarella that actually stretches. If you want something heavier, the Rigatoni Bolognese is surprisingly hearty for a beachside spot.
And for the love of everything holy, get the Key Lime Pie. It’s Florida. It’s mandatory.
Making the Most of Your Visit
To truly "win" at the Palm Beach Par 3 restaurant experience, you have to time it right.
- Check the Weather: If it’s a "Small Craft Advisory" day, the wind on that deck will blow your salad into the next county. It’s exposed. Check the gusts.
- Reservations are Key: Use OpenTable. Do not just drive there hoping for the best during peak hours.
- The Intracoastal Side: If the ocean side is too windy, ask for a seat facing the Intracoastal. It’s quieter and better for conversation.
- Walk the Beach: There is a public beach access right next to the course. Eat a big lunch, then go walk it off on one of the quietest stretches of sand in the county.
The real magic of the Palm Beach Par 3 restaurant isn't the food or the golf. It's the fact that for an hour or two, you feel like you've hacked the system. You're sitting on some of the most expensive real estate on the planet, eating world-class Italian food, watching the ocean, and you didn't have to pay a $100,000 initiation fee to do it.
It’s the best version of Florida. It’s breezy, it’s slightly overpriced, it’s beautiful, and it’s open to anyone who knows where to turn off the highway.
Actionable Next Steps
- Book a late lunch (around 2:30 PM): This avoids the primary lunch rush and allows you to linger into the "Golden Hour" when the light hits the water perfectly for photos.
- Check the wind direction: If the wind is coming from the West, the ocean-side deck will be calm. If it's an East wind, prepare for a bit of a breeze.
- Combine with a round: Even if you aren't a "golfer," the Par 3 is manageable for beginners. Book a tee time two hours before your reservation to earn that pasta.
- Dress the part: Aim for "Coastal Chic"—think linen shirts or sundresses—to feel comfortable among the locals while remaining casual enough for the beach.