"Palm Beach's old-guard continental room since 1980, Wine Spectator-decorated — book the caviar bar to impress a client."
Norbert and Lidia Goldner opened Cafe L'Europe on April 7, 1980, and more than four decades later it is still the room Palm Beach's old guard books first. The German-born Norbert ran it as chef-proprietor until his death in 2018; the kitchen now belongs to executive chef Alain Krauss, who keeps the continental European canon intact. It sits at 331 South County Road, a block off Worth Avenue, and holds a Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence.
Alain Krauss cooks the food that built the room's reputation: Wiener schnitzel pounded thin and fried golden, Dover sole filleted tableside, rack of lamb, and the kind of classical sauces most American kitchens abandoned years ago. Norbert Goldner, who hailed from Germany, made the schnitzel a signature, and it has stayed on the menu through every refit. Mains run roughly $40 to $95 — the Dover sole sits at the top, around $94.
The other half of the appeal is the champagne and caviar bar, which the Goldners opened in 1985 as the first of its kind on the island. Caviar service runs from about $150 to $450 depending on the tin, poured against a wall of mirrors and small lights. The wine list is the reason for the Wine Spectator nod — long on Bordeaux and Burgundy, with the depth to match a serious bottle to the sole or the lamb. This is not cooking that chases trends; it is a forty-year continental repertoire kept to standard.
The dining room is all etched-glass French doors, mirrors and thousands of tiny lights — a deliberately romantic, slightly grand setting the Goldners moved into in 1995. The sound level is conversation-easy, the lighting candle-warm, and the tables are set with proper linen and generous spacing. In season, jackets are the norm for men at dinner, and the crowd skews to Palm Beach regulars who have been coming for decades. The bar side is livelier; the main room is hushed and old-school.
Book this room to impress a client because it trades on exactly the signals that land in Palm Beach: longevity, formality and a wine list with real depth. The continental menu is legible to any guest — no one has to decode a tasting concept — and the tableside Dover sole gives the meal a quiet piece of theatre. Order caviar to start, let the sommelier choose the bottle, and the evening reads as confident and unhurried. For the wider field, see our world's best client-dinner restaurants and the best French and continental rooms.
Not for diners chasing the new — this is a forty-year continental kitchen, not a modern tasting room, and the in-season crowd and jacket code skew decidedly old-guard.
Yes — if you want classical continental dining done to a consistent standard, Cafe L'Europe is worth it. The Wiener schnitzel and tableside Dover sole are textbook, the room is genuinely romantic, and the Wine Spectator-honoured cellar is deep. It is expensive, with mains from about $40 to $95 and caviar well beyond, but it delivers exactly what it promises rather than chasing fashion.
Reserve through Resy or by phone on +1 561-655-4020. The Palm Beach season runs roughly December through April and books up well ahead, so reserve early for weekend dinners and holidays. The champagne and caviar bar takes walk-ins more readily than the main dining room. The restaurant is at 331 South County Road, a short walk from Worth Avenue.
The dress code is smart and, in season, jackets are expected for men at dinner in the main dining room. Palm Beach regulars dress up here — think blazers, collared shirts and cocktail dresses rather than resort casual. The bar is a touch more relaxed. If you are dining December through April, err on the formal side to match the room and the crowd.
Order the Wiener schnitzel — the dish that made the restaurant's name — or the Dover sole, filleted at the table, which sits at the top of the menu around $94. Begin at the caviar bar if you are marking an occasion; service runs from roughly $150 to $450. Ask the sommelier to match a Bordeaux or Burgundy from the award-winning list.
Yes — Cafe L'Europe is built for anniversaries, milestone birthdays and client dinners. The candle-lit, mirrored room is one of Palm Beach's most romantic, the service is polished and unhurried, and the kitchen handles classics with confidence. Book the main dining room rather than the bar for the full effect, and see our best restaurants to impress clients for more.
Via Resy · jackets preferred in season
Affiliate disclosure: Restaurants for Kings may earn a commission when you book through our reservation links, at no cost to you. Our scores are editorial and never paid for.
Cafe L'Europe is Palm Beach's old-guard answer to the client dinner. See where it sits among the world's most reliable rooms for closing the deal over a meal.
Read the client-dinner ranking →