Upon sleuthing for answers as to why Meat Eatery and Taproom suddenly closed the doors of its Boca Raton location over the summer, chef and owner George Patti has confirmed to New Times that the restaurant will relocate to a new location soon. He tells New Times the reason for its closure was a hike in rent.
"Yes, we are negotiating two spots right now," confirms Patti. "The landlord tried to raise our rent, and we couldn't come to an agreement."
The restaurant is currently looking at locations in Lighthouse Point and along the beach in Deerfield Beach.
Fans of the Boca Raton location had been looking for answers for months, with one writing in the South Florida foodie Facebook group, Let's Eat, South Florida, "Sad...they not only had a great burger, but their other food was delicious, as well!" Another fan wrote, "Their burgers were fantastic, and soups were off the charts!"
More Than Burgers: Duck Fat French Fries, "Adult Milkshakes," and Wings
Meat Eatery and Taproom was founded by chef Patti and Sommelier Thomas Smith 15 years ago in Islamorada, down in the Florida Keys by Mile Marker 88. Since its opening, it has won more than three dozen awards and accolades, including "Best Burger in Florida" by Reader's Digest as recently as 2021.What fans of its former Boca Raton location and its current Islamorada location love about the local restaurant is that it smokes all of its meats on site, makes its sausages in house, and even creates its condiments from scratch. It also serves lighter fare, including salads, veggie dips, and more. Plus, it has 12 craft beers on tap, along with organic wines and micro-brewed sodas prepared without high fructose corn syrup.
From its duck fat French fries to the housemade Nutella ice cream in its "Adult Milkshakes," Meat Eatery never had a classic burger joint menu — and that's a good thing.
A framed poster signed by Guy Fieri after filming Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives
Photo by Burger Beast
A Stamp of Approval by Food Network's Guy Fieri
Plus, in addition to racking up accolades and plenty of press, the restaurant truly shot to its "legendary" status after being featured on Food Network's Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives.During its "Hot Meat and Cool Veg" episode (Season 24, Episode 8), television personality and chef Guy Fieri loved the food he had at Meat Eatery and Taprooms' Islamorada location.
"As the name suggests, this spot is a meat-lover's haven. The menu is chock-full of burgers, barbecue, and other meaty dishes, as Guy found out when he stopped by on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives. Both the wings and the pork rinds had him hooked," reads the episode synopsis.
Meat Eatery and Taproom. 88005 Overseas Hwy., Islamorada, Mile Marker 88; 305-852-3833; meateatery.com. Opening in South Florida soon.
