The Oldest Florida Steakhouse Has Been Making Delicious Food For Over 75 Years

Although Florida is known for constant change and plenty of newcomers, the Sunshine State also has a culinary history worth appreciating. Seafood and Caribbean-inspired dishes no doubt play a big role, but no look at Florida's culinary tradition is complete without some hearty beef. Those looking to sample this part of Florida heritage have an excellent choice waiting in the east coast town of West Palm Beach: Okeechobee Steakhouse.

Originally founded in 1947 as Okeechobee Drive-In, the steakhouse takes its name from the expansive lake located a few dozen miles northwest of it. At the time, the area around the restaurant was undeveloped and remote, but Okeechobee has since found itself located squarely in the heart of the West Palm Beach metro area as growth expanded inland.

The turn toward elevated steakhouse cuisine came in the 1970s, and the still-family-owned establishment hasn't looked back. The menu features more than a half-dozen prime cuts of steak (selected from the top 3% of American beef) for every type of carnivore, including dry-aged options, filets, and even 40-ounce tomahawks. They're available in nearly a dozen different preparations, such as peppery au poivre, with a Gorgonzola crust, topped with crab, asparagus, and Béarnaise sauce (what's known as an Oscar-style steak), or accompanied with bone marrow butter.

Like any respectable steakhouse (and Florida restaurant, for that matter), Okeechobee also serves a mix of high-quality seafood from local and regional waters, including shrimp, pan-seared sea bass, and scallops. The menu is rounded out with a mix of familiar steakhouse-style sides and salads to help diners create the meal of their dreams. The sophisticated offerings don't stop with the food menu. Okeechobee Steakhouse is the only Palm Beach County restaurant to earn Wine Spectator's "Best Of" Award of Excellence, recognizing the steakhouse's wine list of more than 800 bottles carefully curated to pair with the cuisine.

Though it might be the oldest steakhouse in Florida, those truly interested in Sunshine State culinary history also need to head west to the Gulf Coast. That's where they'll find the real oldest restaurant in Florida, Columbia, which has been serving up Spanish-Cuban cuisine in Tampa's Ybor City neighborhood since 1905.

Still, there's no denying the history and heritage of Okeechobee Steakhouse. With one mouthwatering meal, beef lovers in South Florida will quickly learn there's truly incredible flavor behind these decades of service.