If you were to survey the vacationers and snowbirds that end up in South Florida during the winter months, then you would find that the vast majority are from New England. If that survey included an open-ended question along the lines of "What, if anything, do you miss about home when on holiday?" the answer would include something about seafood.
New England just has a certain way they do chowders and lobster rolls. But for a while, it was hard to find a place in West Palm Beach that served authentic New England seafood.
Enter Chowder Heads.
Mussels are among the many great seafood offerings at Chowder Heads — Photo courtesy of Chowder Heads
Chowder Heads' newest location in West Palm is its second, along with the original in Jupiter. This restaurant is the go-to spot for clam chowder, whole belly clams, steamers, oysters, lobster roll, clam roll, shrimp roll and lobster bisque.
Besides the standard seafood fare reminiscent of home, Chowder Heads does well to add some innovation to the traditional plates. There's a lobster scampi for those who like to mix a little pasta with their sea cuisine. There's also a lobster mac and cheese dish with the option to add pork belly. For the New Yorkers, there's a delectable pastrami sandwich and Chowder Heads' take on a Reuben.
Seafood can be expensive, which is one reason why some people don't eat it every day. At Chowder Heads, the prices are reasonable, especially if you dip in during lunch time.
There are a load of great selections available for under $10. These include the popular shrimp scampi, popcorn shrimp roll and fried fish sandwich. This helps to give you a taste for just how good this place really is. Assuming you are impressed by lunch, you can come back for a more heaping dinner portion.
The West Palm Beach location is equipped with some professional tenders of the bar, which allows them to issue a specialty drink menu along with the standard food pamphlet. The names are intriguing, the drinks themselves even better.
If you like coffee liquors, try the New England Girl Scout (Vodka, Bailey's and Kahlua). If you're a die-hard seafoodie with a drink-loving sidecar, test out the Lobster Martini.
Chowder Heads' West Palm Beach location is located in a higher end shopping center on Okeechobee on the west side of I-95. This is convenient, as you're not forced to go into the downtown and deal with traffic, when the main thing on your mind is "food in belly."
Chowder Heads will surely impress, with its take on authentic New England seafood a rarity in South Florida.
