Palm Cafe — Restaurant in Dunedin

Discovered a hidden gem today. A veteran’s support group I am involved in wanted to meet for lunch. One member suggested Palm Cafe, inside the Dunedin Fine Arts Museum on Michigan Ave.

I expected a coffee shop with maybe some pastries. Wow, was I wrong! Not just coffee and soft drinks, but fresh made sandwiches and salads, plus specials, and desserts. One of their specials was an Argentine Red Shrimp Roll. I would love to try that but I planned to get a cup of soup and Cuban sandwich. I planned to take half the sandwich home to my wife, and not sure she would like the Shrimp.

Two of my companions ordered the BLT sandwiches. Hmm I knew they had eaten here before, should have followed their lead. Our fourth chose the Roasted Pork Belly sandwich. We gave our orders, got dinks and chose a table. Within a few minutes our meals came.

My cup of Clam Chowder was creamy, seasoned perfectly, and delicious. The same with my Cuban, also my side of potato salad. The BLTs were not only huge, but had a massive amount of bacon. Both gentlemen loved it. Our fourth enjoyed his Roasted Pork Belly sandwich. But I could tell he was also jealous of the BLTs! Next time I will definitely get the BLT… or maybe their Special! Oh and I also bought a piece of yummy Peanut Butter Cheesecake to take home - and my wife did get half!

Great food, nice portions, great values. Service was great. I did not expect table service but did get it. And what a spectacular ambiance with artwork surrounding the cafe....

The best burger I've ever eaten: amazing beef, perfectly cooked and served on a homemade bun. I've had the burgers at fancy steakhouses like Peter Luger and Ruth's Chris and THIS. IS. BETTER. Right here in Dunedin! The secret to food like this is that there is no secret--it just takes great technique and lots of care. Most places get their buns from a package or if you're lucky from a bakery. Almost nobody is making them, and if they are they probably aren't doing it well. Palm Cafe is doing it perfectly and the prices are very reasonable. I'll probably never cook another hamburger. I have to mention the great salad too, with homemade croutons and the best Caesar dressing I've ever had. It's a wonderful setting, surrounded by all of the art. I can't recommend it...

Palm Cafe is hidden gem in Dunedin. This small cafe is located inside the Dunedin Fine Arts Center, and its menu is wicked good! We visited Palm Cafe this past Sunday for brunch, and I had to choose among four favorites--the shrimp and grits, crab cake Benedict, lobster roll, and lobster omelette. We chose the latter two and were bowled over by the portion and quality of the lobster meat--a very generous portion of lobster chunks (not diced lobster bites and pieces). Delicious and reasonably priced. I have had lobster rolls and omelettes at several other places in Dunedin, and Palm Cafe surpassed them all. HIGHLY recommended, especially for Sunday brunch! This cafe should have a line...