Four solid picks for the weekend of May 23-24 in and around Boca. A Paris-trained chef baking before sunrise, a family farm that turns into a full afternoon, and the smash burger spot locals found first. Your weekend is covered.
L'atelier Des Pains - French Artisan Bakery (Delray Beach)
Chef Yves starts at 4:30am. By the time most people are pouring their first cup of coffee, he's already pulled croissants and baguettes from the oven - made entirely from scratch, every single day. Paris-born, classically trained in Bordeaux, and set up in a strip plaza off Congress Ave that you'd drive past without a second glance.
This is not a sit-down café. It's a take-home bakery, and the croissants and baguettes sell out regularly. Call ahead or get there early - that's not a suggestion. Tuesday through Sunday, 7:30am to 5pm at 1445 N Congress Ave, Suite 3 in Delray Beach.
The Girls Strawberry U-Pick - A Full Afternoon in Delray
Strawberry season is over, but the farm is still wide open. There's a petting zoo with rescued birds and animals, gem mining for the kids, a train ride through the property at $3 a ticket, and a full ice cream parlor and NY-style pizza spot (Bambinis Garden Pizzeria) on site. You show up thinking you'll stay an hour. You leave three hours later.
One thing to know: the outside garden and animal exhibits close at 5:30pm, so get there with enough time to actually do everything. Admission runs $9-10. Located at 14466 S Military Trail in Delray Beach, open Tuesday through Sunday from 10:30am to 8:30pm.
The Boca Smash - Thin, Crispy, Worth the Trip on SR-7
Thin patties, crispy edges, soft bun, and tallow fries that are genuinely the move. This is the kind of spot locals found before everyone else caught on - @martyeatsall has already put it on, and it's on DoorDash and UberEats if you can't make it in person. But you should make it in person.
Single smash is $8, double is $12, tallow fries are $5. Open daily at 19345 State Road 7 in Boca Raton.
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