Known for its beaches, arts, cultural scene, and vibrant events, Fort Lauderdale is a great place for residents and tourists to enjoy leisure activities. The city is also nicknamed the “Venice of America” thanks to its gondola canal rides, scenic and historic riverfront, and shopping and dining area on Las Olas Boulevard. Additionally, its restaurants and hotel options give people a great spot to take in the sights of the city’s various landscaped beachfront promenades.
For anyone looking to set up a restaurant against Fort Lauderdale’s charming backdrop, we have created a list of the area’s best restaurant contractors. These firms are led by veteran industry professionals, each of whom understands the best way to create spaces where people can dine and enjoy one another’s company.
City Construction
2727 SW 26th Ave. Coconut Grove, FL 33133
City Construction is a Florida-based general contractor specializing in interior construction, general contracting, construction management, and project consultation. Since its inception in 1996, the firm has completed more than 30 million square feet of corporate, retail, restaurant, and hospitality projects. It works on these projects using a performance and trust-based approach, emphasizing quality, accuracy, and client satisfaction. To ensure consistent quality, the firm uses the latest project management software to keep clients updated and to streamline communication between points of contact.
Planta Queen is one of City Construction’s restaurant projects completed in the Fort Lauderdale area. This 150-seat space uses a design by ICRAVE and features a vibrant ambiance that transitions seamlessly between day and night. Daylight filters through wide windows during the day, while light fixtures brighten the space during the night. The clean and sleek exterior contrasts with the interior’s lively look, giving patrons a subtle shock from the change in vibe.
Bluewater Builders
3900 Northwest 126 Ave. Coral Springs, FL 33065
Bluewater Builders functions as a full-service general contractor serving Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, and the Carolinas. Headquartered in South Florida, the firm provides comprehensive construction services for projects of various sizes and scales. It was founded in 1998 with the guiding principles of trust, time, and teamwork—pillars that still define the firm today. Following these principles allows it to establish close relationships with clients, partners, and employees, leading to efficient resolutions and creative solutions.
Made up of more than 40 professionals and an additional team of skilled craftsmen, Bluewater Builders has dependable self-performing abilities and extensive knowledge of the industry. The firm’s team is known for accepting and meeting technically challenging requests, and this confident approach has allowed it to establish a well-diversified project portfolio. The consistency of Bluewater Builders’ performance has also resulted in its ability to handle projects both locally and nationally. The firm’s projects typically come from past clients, which is a true testament to its unwavering dedication, professionalism, and collaborative nature.
Double P Construction, Inc.
910 NW 9th Ave. Fort Lauderdale, FL 33311
Double P Construction, Inc.’s work is built on the experience it has cultivated over the years in the design, development, and construction industries. It continues to refine its skills based on the founding principles of perseverance and perfection, leveraging all its resources to meet industry and client standards. As a result, Double P Construction, Inc. can work on projects for both commercial and residential clients. These projects receive the dedicated attention of the firm’s team of architects and industry professionals, each of whom recognizes the nuances of project types and requirements.
Firm president Alessandro Potenti leads the firm with the skills and knowledge he gained studying at the University of Degli Studi di Firenze Facoltà di Architettura in Florence, Italy. His professional degree in Architecture gave him the experience necessary to understand how to promote social growth, interaction, and comfort through construction. This understanding allows Potenti to create spaces that encourage fostering relationships and community confidence.
Build McKenzie
2247 NW 17th Ave. Miami, FL 33142
Build McKenzie was founded in 2005 as a self-performing residential general contractor. The idea behind its inception was to bring together like-minded professionals dedicated to using their understanding of the art and science of construction to improve the quality of life. By 2009, Build McKenzie expanded into the commercial construction market, leading to the creation of the firm’s architecture division in 2012. Now, Build McKenzie functions as a design-build-craft firm, and a majority of its efforts focus on incorporating sustainable and progressive principles into projects.
Michael Schwartz, an award-winning chef, contracted Build McKenzie to work at the first location of his restaurant Genuine Pizza, because the client was trying to rebrand the existing Harry’s Pizzeria. In order to achieve this, Build McKenzie constructed 3,500 square feet of restaurant space, installing in-house-crafted millwork pieces, a large moss wall, and a dough-making room with a view window.
Danto Builders
4901 NW 17th Wy. Suite #503, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309
Founded in 1980, Danto Builders is the oldest firm on this list. It was founded to provide clients with a variety of design, construction, and construction management services geared toward increasing time and cost efficiency at all project phases. Since its inception, the firm has contributed to projects at various levels. It has been involved in the acquisition, financing, development, designing, planning, and construction of numerous structures. Most of its work features partnerships with commercial, industrial, and residential clients throughout America.
In working with clients, Danto Builders makes sure to build collaborative relationships that allow it to understand what clients want and need during and after construction. The firm’s approach focuses on creating designs that maximize the potential of land, materials, style, and functionality, all while meeting codes, budgets, and timelines. The professional team—made up of real estate experts, financial specialists, architects, engineers, estimators, permit expeditors, superintendents, project managers, and subcontractors—ensures that everything is viable and sustainable. Danto Builders handles all aspects of the project, including design, subcontractor qualification, purchasing, and management.
