Tutto Mare Palm Beach: Waterfront Glamour Meets Kitchen Missteps
There is a long-standing paradox in luxury dining: the more breathtaking the location, the more lenient a kitchen feels it can be with what lands on the plate.
When Tutto Mare Palm Beach debuted as the island's first true Intracoastal-facing waterfront restaurant inside the newly restored Glazer Hall, the anticipation across the 561 was deafening. Palm Beach has no shortage of high-society canteens, but direct sunset water views paired with a big-city pedigree? That is rare real estate.
We recently spent an evening exploring the venue to see whether this ambitious opening lives up to its grand architectural backdrop, or if it simply relies on the twilight glow over the water to carry the evening.
The Resurrected Legacy of Glazer Hall
To understand the weight of Tutto Mare’s arrival, one must understand the historic soil on which it rests. Long before limestone and glass redefined the waterfront, this site along Lake Worth Lagoon was occupied by Henry Flagler’s pioneering Royal Poinciana Hotel during the Gilded Age.
In 1958, legendary twentieth-century architect John L. Volk designed the Regency Revival-style Royal Poinciana Playhouse. For decades, its red carpet welcomed Hollywood icons and theatrical royalty. However, after falling dormant for over twenty years, the landmarked structure sat as a quiet ghost of Palm Beach culture.
Enter local visionaries and philanthropists Jill and Avie Glazer, who committed over $15 million to painstakingly restore and reimagine the 24,000-square-foot structure. Now christened Glazer Hall, the revitalized non-profit performing arts venue features a 400-seat state-of-the-art theater with retractable seating, world-class acoustics, and a glass rear wall overlooking the Intracoastal Waterway.
Tutto Mare anchors the waterfront wing of Glazer Hall, taking over the exact footprint of the historic Celebrity Room, the Volk-designed 1950s nightclub where mid-century stars gathered for late-night libations after performances.
The Tutto Dynasty: From the Hamptons to the Palm Beach Waterfront
Tutto Mare is the latest creation from husband-and-wife duo Gianpaolo de Felice and Gabby Karan de Felice, the celebrated minds behind the Tutto il Giorno restaurant group.
The brand’s story began in 2008 in Sag Harbor, NY. Gianpaolo, drawing from his Southern Italian roots in Neapolitan seaside dining, teamed up with Gabby to create an intimate, sophisticated sanctuary known for warm hospitality, refined pastas, and relaxed coastal chic. Over the years, Tutto il Giorno expanded its footprint across the Hamptons, with sought-after outposts in Southampton and East Hampton, as well as Tribeca in New York City.
Tutto Mare represents the group's grand Florida debut. Bringing their signature East Coast high-society DNA to Palm Beach, the concept adapts their classic Italian philosophy to an all-day, seafood-forward Mediterranean menu.
The Room: Design Sourced from Bali to Italy
The interior design of Tutto Mare is a masterclass in tactile luxury, curated through a long-standing collaboration between architecture firm Bonetti/Kozerski and Gabby Karan de Felice (daughter of fashion icon Donna Karan).
Rather than leaning into predictable, concrete-heavy coastal tropes or bright tropical motifs, the team looked to Italian heritage and Indonesian craftsmanship.
The Sourcing: Custom furniture and rustic decorative objects were hand-sourced by Gabby and the architects in Bali and produced by master Indonesian artisans.
Italian Precision: Structural millwork, cabinetry, and custom joinery were fabricated directly in Italy and shipped to Palm Beach.
The Details: The dining chairs and banquettes are draped in soft, silk-linen textiles by Dedar. The dramatic bar is carved from three massive blocks of hand-chiseled travertine stone, positioned directly beneath the room’s crown jewel: a restored late-1950s trompe-l'oeil mural titled Venetian Festival by artist Robert Bushnell, set under original barrel-vaulted ceilings.
The Optical Conservatory: In interior dining areas lacking direct daylight, mirrored conservatory-style oak windows catch and refract light from the waterfront, creating a luminous, open residential atmosphere.
Seamlessly integrated off the main dining room is an intimate Urban Zen lifestyle boutique, allowing guests to browse curated garments, handmade homewares, and artisan jewelry before or after their meal.
The Arrival & Service Dynamics
Despite the architectural grandeur, the guest arrival process currently suffers from an awkward layout flaw. Navigating the exterior pathway naturally leads guests past the wraparound porch overlooking the water and straight through the open lounge and bar area.
Walking past fully seated tables and bartenders into the main room before realizing you’ve surpassed the hostess stand makes for a self-conscious entrance. Once redirected back to the front host desk, staff leads you back down the same pathway to your table.
Once seated, however, the staffing ratio is unmistakable. With nearly two servers per guest, service is abundant. Staff members are attentive, quick to refill water, and prompt with table turnarounds. Yet, attentiveness cannot always compensate for a lack of menu flexibility or dish knowledge.
What Other Diners Are Saying
A quick survey of local diners and early online reviews reveals a remarkably consistent consensus. Visitors unanimously praise:
The Architecture & Views: The unobstructed west-facing Intracoastal vistas and golden-hour sunsets are considered second to none on the island.
The Ambience: Gabby Karan’s residential-chic design and the energetic lounge crowd receive glowing marks.
However, the critique almost universally centers on value vs. execution. Guests frequently cite undersized portions relative to high-end pricing, inconsistent seasoning, and a kitchen that feels noticeably uninspired compared to the million-dollar setting.
On the Table: A Course-by-Course Analysis
1. Tuna Tartare with Guacamole
Presentation & Flavor: Plated atop a bed of fresh guacamole and accompanied by crisp greens and chips, the tuna tartare is undeniably refreshing. The bright citrus note and fresh raw fish paired pleasantly with the vibrant lounge soundtrack drifting from the bar.
The Critique: While enjoyable, the portion size for a dish intended to be shared between two guests felt remarkably modest for its top-tier price tag.
2. Shrimp Risotto
Presentation & Execution: The presentation is visually striking, featuring a thin, delicate disk of fresh shrimp crudo draped over a mound of creamy rice.
The Critique: Unfortunately, the execution fell flat on culinary fundamentals. There is a fine line between authentic Italian al dente and undercooked rice; this dish leaned firmly into the latter, leaving a gritty, crunchy center in the grain. Furthermore, the risotto lacked salt and basic depth of flavor, rendering it noticeably bland despite the quality of the raw seafood.
3. Truffle Fettuccine
Presentation & Execution: House-made fettuccine served in a light cream sauce, buried under a generous shower of shaved black truffles.
The Critique: The pasta itself was flatly seasoned, relying entirely on the aromatic truffles to carry the dish. Adding to the awkwardness of the course, we overheard our waiter describing the dish to an adjacent table by rating the truffles a "6 out of 10 on the intensity scale." It was an oddly candid and puzzling way to sell a luxury ingredient. Truffles are meant to possess a distinctly rich, earthy depth, and rating them on a mediocre numeric scale feels out of place for a high-end establishment. To top it off, when we inquired about adding a simple protein (such as chicken or shrimp) to give the dish more substance, the kitchen refused outright due to strict menu policies.
The "Sun-Down Markup": Lunch vs. Dinner Pricing
An examination of Tutto Mare’s menus reveals a subtle detail that Palm Beach diners should note.
While midday diners enjoying an al fresco lunch can sample classic Mediterranean salads and pastas at standard fine-dining prices, identical or nearly identical dishes undergo a curious "sunset surcharge" come evening. Portions remain modest, yet entrée prices increase significantly on the dinner menu. This proves that at Tutto Mare, you aren't just paying for the ingredients; you are paying a prime-time tax for the twilight view over the Intracoastal Waterway.
Summary Guide
Go For:
Unrivaled Sunset Views: The absolute best waterfront patio seat on the Palm Beach side of the Intracoastal.
Gabby Karan’s Design: A stunning masterclass in Italian-Balinese luxury interiors.
Lounge & Cocktail Scene: Perfect for an early evening aperitivo at the travertine bar before hitting a performance at Glazer Hall.
Be Prepared To:
Navigate an Awkward Entrance: Prepare to stroll past the bar into the main room before finding the host desk.
Pay Premium Prices for Modest Portions: Approach dinner with a light appetite and a generous wallet.
Encounter Kitchen Rigidity: Requests for menu modifications or protein additions to pasta dishes will likely be politely declined.
Final Verdict
7.0 / 10 for Culinary Execution | 9.8 / 10 for Atmosphere & Location
Palm Beach diners are accustomed to high price tags, provided the culinary precision and generosity match the check. Tutto Mare currently risks earning the title of the island's premier "Spend a Lot and Get a Little" destination.
While the venue succeeds brilliantly as a social sanctuary, the kitchen’s output does not currently match the elevated standards set by its architectural pedigree. Small wine pours, rigid kitchen policies, undercooked grains, and uninspired seasoning create a noticeable gap between cost and satisfaction.
Tutto Mare Palm Beach
70 Royal Poinciana Way P120, Palm Beach, FL 33480
