Home Care In Palm City, FL

A new restaurant is filling a void in Palm City.

Palm City Social has opened on Martin Downs Boulevard in the Martin Downs Village Center.

It’s the second restaurant for Palm City residents Rick and Elizabeth Wilson and their son, Taylor. They also own The Gafford in downtown Stuart.

“We all live here,” Taylor Wilson said, adding Palm City doesn't have many restaurants, so residents have to drive to Stuart for more choices. “We tried to create a spot that we would want to go to.”

All things food:New restaurants, reviews, inspections & best bets

Wilson, 34, and his parents moved 11 years ago from Dallas, Texas, to Palm City, where his grandparents had retired. His dad was regional vice president for the national casual dining restaurant company Brinker International for 25 years and, at one point in his career, had over 200 restaurants, including national chains such as Chili’s Grill & Bar and Maggiano’s Little Italy.

Taylor Wilson was a chef in corporate dining when his dad asked if he wanted to move to Florida to open a restaurant.

“This is his retirement,” Wilson said — but “I don’t know if it’s retirement or not.”

At age 23, Wilson became head chef when his family opened The Gafford in 2011. Five years ago, Wilson met his wife, and they had two children.

Then Wilson and his mom pushed his dad to do more.

“I don’t want to say we were bored with The Gafford,” Wilson said, “but we kind of had a very well-oiled machine that we could take time to do something else.”

The restaurant, which opened Oct. 21, took 17 months to renovate — 13 months and $2 million more than planned, Wilson said. They took over three spaces in the Martin Downs Village Center, including the Palm City Chamber of Commerce, to build the 151-seat restaurant. They plan to add an 80-seat outdoor-dining patio.

Palm City Social is completely different than The Gafford, which is more expensive, he said. It can accommodate big parties and families with a children’s menu.

“We created Palm City Social to be more of a social gathering place, where I feel The Gafford is more of a date night,” Wilson said. “It’s more of an intimate experience, where Palm City Social is more of an open floor plan, not really a secluded area for people to dine.”

For now, a sous chef handles the day-to-day at The Gafford while Wilson spends most of his time at Palm City Social. Later, he will split his time between both restaurants.

Wilson described the restaurant as “modern New Americana.” The menu features appetizers, handhelds, salads and small-plate options — no big steaks yet. He plans to roll out a new menu next year that includes steak. Happy hour from 4-6 p.m. features only discounted drinks for now; he’ll add food later, he said.

The biggest seller is the 16-ounce Berkshire pork chop ($36) with gruyere, caramelized onion crème and wilted spinach over whipped Palm City potatoes and local vegetables. Wilson said he goes through 50 pork chops every night.

The second top seller is the chicken Milanese ($22) with crispy chicken cutlets over piquillo pepper and artichoke bruschetta, topped with a salad of vine ripe tomatoes, arugula, lemon balsamic vinaigrette and hand-grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.

The third top seller is the short-rib grilled cheese ($20) with crisp sourdough bread, overnight braised short rib, homemade pimento, cheddar cheese, pickled onions and chimichurri. He said the sourdough is made in New York, just for the restaurant.

Appetizers include ahi tuna cones ($15) with sesame waffle, wasabi aioli and wakame, as well as steak tartare ($26) with hand-cut tenderloin, classic accoutrements folded in, baby herbs, horseradish-garlic aioli and sourdough.

Desserts include a banana split board ($19) with Haagen-Dazs vanilla bean ice cream topped with fresh whipped cream, candied pecans, cherries, hot fudge, strawberry coulis, and caramel finished with caramelized bananas.

Wilson tries to get farm-to-table food when he can. All the fish dishes — except the Faroe Island salmon ($29) — is local from New England Seafood Market in Jensen Beach. He also works with Kai Kai Farm in Indiantown.

“It’s helping our community,” Wilson said.

Palm City Social

Laurie K. Blandford is TCPalm's entertainment reporter and columnist dedicated to finding the best things to do on the Treasure Coast. Follow her on Twitter @TCPalmLaurie and Facebook @TCPalmLaurie. Email her at [email protected]. Sign up for her What To Do in 772 weekly newsletter at profile.tcpalm.com/newsletters/manage.

PALM CITY, Fla. — A 21-year-old Amazon driver is in critical but stable condition after she was bitten by a "highly venomous" rattlesnake in Palm City on Monday.

In a Facebook post, the Martin County Sheriff's Office said the driver was delivering a package in the Highlands Reserve community Monday night when an eastern diamondback rattlesnake coiled near the front door bit her. The agency later said it was 5 feet long.

"The driver walked to the door, put the package down and was struck by the snake," the sheriff's office wrote.

The driver immediately became ill and called out for help.

Deputies arrived at the scene within minutes and found the victim on the ground outside the home.

"She was sort of lethargic in her interaction with our deputies, limited conversation," Martin County Sheriff's Office Chief Deputy John Budensiek said. "It was obvious when they were walking up to ask her what had taken place, you could see the bite on her inner thigh just above the knee."

The woman was taken to a local hospital, where she's now in "very serious condition," the sheriff's office said.

PeteBurke5 · Amazon delivery driver calls 911 after being bitten by rattlesnake

Sgt. Brian Tyson caught the snake from the front door.

"Do you get a lot of calls about snakes in that area in general?" WPTV reporter Joel Lopez asked.

"We do, absolutely, we get them quite frequently," Tyson responded.

"It was aggressive. I used a long tool, a long pole to pin the snake against the wall and took care of it."

Tyson said this time of year MCSO sees an uptick of calls about snakes and because of its size temper and the small children in the area, the snake was put down.

"I did not think that it was a smart idea to try to trap it and then release it," Tyson said. "I'm sure the citizens of that community would have been quite upset had we done that.

Eastern diamondback rattlesnakes, which are highly venomous, are "very common to this area," according to the Martin County Sheriff's Office.

Amy Kight with Busch Wildlife Sanctuary said people need to remember that snakes love our tropical climate and that most of them are completely harmless.

"When you see them, the best thing to do is just leave them alone," Kight said. "Assume all snakes have the potential to be dangerous, especially if you're not good at identifying them."

Amazon spokesperson Branden Baribeau released the following statement regarding the incident:

"Our thoughts are with the driver and we hope for a full recovery after this frightening incident. Together, with the Delivery Service Partner, we're looking into the circumstances surrounding this incident and continue to make sure that drivers understand they should not complete a delivery if they feel unsafe."

Copyright 2023 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Laurie K. Blandford

In case you missed any of the articles about new restaurants that TCPalm previously posted throughout this month, here's a roundup with links to that subscriber content.

Click each "read the full story" link for the name, location, hours, photos, menu highlights, signature dishes and more information about the restaurants. Some articles include exclusive interviews with the chefs and/or owners.

All things food:New restaurants, reviews, inspections & best bets for all occasions

OPENED

Downtown grocery and cafe

A new grocery store and cafe has opened in the middle of a busy downtown. The deli offers fresh juices such as mango, ginger pear and strawberry watermelon; build-your-own tacos like Moe’s or Chipotle; fresh subs like Jersey Mike’s; and fresh salads like Panera. It also has pizza, hamburgers, ice cream and milkshakes. Read the full story.

Pizza chain opens 7th location

A local pizzeria chain has opened its seventh location on the Treasure Coast. It’s the first location in Palm City but the third in Martin County, where the local pizzeria began four years ago. The pizzeria also offers Italian dishes, create-your-own calzones and strombolis, sandwiches, wraps and hot grinders. Read the full story.

'Home of the birria' opens 2nd location

The self-proclaimed “home of the birria” has expanded with a second location on the Treasure Coast. Both locations are inside gas stations. Birria is a Mexican dish of stewed meat seasoned especially with chili peppers that’s growing in popularity on menus across the world. Read the full story.

Southern-style dessert shop

A national old-fashioned dessert shop has opened its first location on the Treasure Coast. The new restaurant is one of seven locations in Florida. It features classic Southern-style desserts, including cobbler, banana pudding, gourmet cinnamon rolls, cobbler cookies and milkshakes. Read the full story.

Sub shop reopens in new location

A longtime popular sub and sandwich shop in Indian River County has reopened at a new location just a half-mile away in a larger, standalone building with ample parking and an expanded menu. Their sandwiches stayed the same, but they've added pizza, burgers and fried items to the menu. Read the full story.

CLOSED

Downtown restaurant closes after 7 years

A popular downtown restaurant closed after seven years in business, but the new owner said she's going to open an even better restaurant in the location. The original restaurant was a hit when it opened in 2016, but the quality declined after it was sold to a group of owners. Read the full story.

Virtual golf closes after 6 months

A virtual golf bar and grill has closed after less than six months in business. The restaurant was run by executive chef Brent Blaha, who had created an eclectic "soup to nuts" menu with upscale bar food, salads, sandwiches, tacos, wings, pasta, steak, seafood and American classic comfort food. Read the full story.

COMING SOON

Uptown bakery, bistro, wine bar

A local couple hopes to kickstart a new Fort Pierce destination area with their new bakery, bistro and wine bar. They are renovating a historic house in a residential neighborhood and hoping to open the cafe by the beginning of next year. Read the full story.

Downtown late-night restaurant

The new owner of a downtown restaurant took over last December and plans to reveal a new restaurant in November. She’s not revealing the new name or chef yet. She divulged it will stay open late, but wouldn't say how late. It's going to be more of an elevated gastropub-style place with small, shared plates. Read the full story.

CLOSING SOON

Polish restaurant, hot dog joint

Flat Dog Diner in Vero Beach is planning to close in October, but no date has been set yet for the restaurant's last day of business. It's one of the best hot dog joints on the Treasure Coast, and it's one of only four Polish restaurants in the tri-county area.

Laurie K. Blandford is TCPalm's entertainment reporter and columnist dedicated to finding the best things to do on the Treasure Coast. Follow her on Twitter @TCPalmLaurie and Facebook @TCPalmLaurie. Email her at [email protected]. Sign up for her What To Do in 772 weekly newsletter at profile.tcpalm.com/newsletters/manage.

Community gardening is taking on new meaning in Martin County. A farm has opened near Palm City for locals to try their hand at cultivating vegetables and herbs for use in their own kitchens.

Members of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Martin County (BGCMC) were the first to turn soil here last March, with a ceremonial first plant of a 50-by-50-foot plot at what is known as Newfield Farm. The children planted peppers, eggplant, and herbs including rosemary, basil, and mint. The first harvest was in June, while Seminole pumpkins, sweet potatoes, and more were added in the fall.

A monthly farmer’s market launched at the site in August, offering fresh produce and artisanal goods from locally owned businesses. Visitors to the market can also participate in goat yoga sessions and enjoy bites from the Fork in the Road food truck, which is operated by BGCMC. The market currently hosts about a dozen vendors, with the next one taking place December 16 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Eventually, an event barn (occupying approximately 4,000 square feet) will operate educational programming, cooking classes, demonstrations, and tastings, as well as a retail store and produce stand.

Under the supervision of Agmenity farm management company—which employs farming practices void of pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers to grow a wide variety of seasonal crops and help people reconnect with the food they eat—Newfield will grow to encompass more than 100 acres of raised beds and plotted plantings. The farm will serve as the centerpiece of a new master-planned community by Mattamy Homes. “Both our residents and members of the public will have the opportunity to subscribe to a farm club and do their own gardening,” says James FitzGerald, Mattamy’s senior manager of community development.

The 3,400-acre parcel of land belonged to the family of economic journalist Knight Kiplinger, who has long promoted sustainability and conservation. For the last decade, farmer John Long of Agri-Gators has cultivated more than 1,000 acres of the parcel with corn, potatoes, and other crops.

The community will also feature more than 50 miles of trails that can be used for hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding, the majority of which lies in the Kiplinger Conservancy—1,000-plus acres south of Citrus Boulevard between the C-23 canal and Southwest Boatramp Avenue. FitzGerald says Mattamy’s intention is to stay true to Kiplinger’s values and protect the land, eradicating invasive species in the wetlands, thinning out the understory with controlled burns, composting, and protecting wildlife (including making sure gopher tortoises won’t be displaced from the property). “Seventy percent of the site is going to be preserved as public open space in perpetuity,” he says.

MARTIN COUNTY, Fla. — The National Weather Service confirmed that an EF0 tornado touched down Monday afternoon southwest of Interstate 95 in Martin County, carving an eight-mile path.

The tornado touched down to the south and west of Interstate 95 at mile marker 107 before crossing the interstate at about 4:43 p.m.

The system then moved to the north-northeast into Palm City, where numerous trees were felled on properties between I-95 and Southwest Martin Highway.

The circulation continued to the northeast in Stuart where the NWS said multiple residents submitted videos of the tornado impacting portions of the Canopy Creek residential subdivision. However, the tornado caused sparse damage.

There were additional reports of downed trees along the path as it moved across Florida's Turnpike and into Stuart.

The circulation eventually produced a waterspout over the St. Lucie River that then pushed onshore and into the North River Shores subdivision before lifting and dissipating at 5:08 p.m.

The tornado produced minor damage in North River Shores, including a few fallen trees near the intersection of Northwest Pine Lake Drive and Northwest Fork Road.

No injuries have been reported from the tornado, which had a width of about 50 yards.

Second Tornado?

WPTV First Alert Weather chief meteorologist Steve Weagle said a second tornado also occurred in Martin County on Monday afternoon.

"I would estimate the second twister formed near I-95 and Becker Road around 5:50 p.m.," Weagle said, "then moved directly east toward Harbour Ridge at 5:59 p.m. and then crossing the North Fork of the St. Lucie River."

However, National Weather Service meteorologist William Ulrich said Wednesday that at this time they are unable to confirm a second tornado that was associated with the cell that moved along the St. Lucie and Martin County border between 5:30-6:30 p.m. Monday.

"After analyzing the video that was provided to us on Twitter, it appears that the tornado was associated with the first system as it crossed I-95 and was not at Becker Road as initially claimed," Ulrich said in a statement. "At this time we can confirm only one tornado associated with Monday evening's event."

Copyright 2024 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.