Fresh First

Fort Lauderdale, United States

4.7

20 reviews

Contacts

QR code, vCard

Telephone:
+1 954-763-3344
Website:
www.freshfirst.com
Address:
1637 SE 17th St, Fort Lauderdale, FL, 33316
Nearby public transportation stops & stations:
2.2 miA1A/Granada S
2.3 miA1A/Bayshore D
2.4 miA1A/Viramar S
QR code
Download QR Image Download vCard

Map

Streetview

Activate map

Today

Today –
Local time (Fort Lauderdale) 3:37 PM Friday, June 27, 2025

Business hours

Monday –
Tuesday –
Wednesday –
Thursday –
Friday –
Saturday –
Sunday –

Description

Specialties

Fresh First is South Florida’s first 100% gluten-​free eatery and juicery located in the heart of Fort Lauderdale’s yachting district serving up internationally inspired healthy fare with many vegan vegetarian friendly dishes, our creative chefs combine fresh ingredients and superfoods to put a modern healthy spin on wholesome and delicious food. Our meals are created by Chefs who are passionate about cuisine with great texture, color and exceptional flavors that increases one’s health and vitality.

With the ever-​growing number of people who have gluten sensitivities, Fresh First recognized a need in our community to create an establishment that provides organic foods that are safe for people with gluten and peanut allergies. The delicious, flavorful and nutritious cuisine allows our guests without allergies to enjoy guilt-​free dinning.

You must try our raw zucchini puttanesca, house made waffles and açaí bowls!

History

Established in 2013.

We saw a need in the community for an eatery that the growing population of people with Celiac Disease, gluten in tolerances and sensitivities, and the conscious eater could all come and enjoy tasty, healthy, gluten-​free food without worry.

Meet the Business Owner

Tarso and Eliana T.

Business Owner

We are the new owners since Mid November 2015. We are just a young couple trying to improve people’s healthy lifestyles serving fresh food that tastes great!

Vicinity

Browse nearby places:
60
ft
Marina Boathouse
1601 SE 16th St
110
ft
Ana Sa Fitness
180
ft
Boatyard
1555 SE 17th St
180
ft
Bimini Boatyard Bar & Grill
1555 SE 17th St
250
ft
Mile Hi Valet Service
1617 SE 17th St
350
ft
Accounting and Business Consultants
1535 SE 17th St Ste 206

20 reviews of Fresh First

No registration required
Place rating: 5
Fort Lauderdale, FL
I’ve been here twice and so far it’s been great! Last time I got the zucchini putanessca, it’s a raw meal but it filled me up. I’ve noticed their food is extremely light on the salt which I’ve grown to appreciate and is extremely rare to find at any restaurant in this day in age. Today I got the lentil burger with romaine instead of bread and a side of sweet potato salad, I gotta say I went crazy over the potato salad but not so much the lentil, a bit bland. Overall the ambiance and energy in the restaurant is great, friendly staff, and a menu selection that allows me to bring my non vegan friends without having to hear them complain about eating rabbit food
Place rating: 5
Los Angeles, CA
Got takeout lunch for the team on a business trip and it was fantastic food. Healthy, reasonably priced, and the staff seemed to enjoy working there.
Place rating: 5
Cincinnati, OH
This place is AMAZING and EVERYTHING is 100% gluten free. The chicken/​waffle and chicken spinach burger are no less than perfection. Everything was so good that we ordered meals and desserts to go! Celiac friendly, you will have no idea that it’s gluten free!
Place rating: 5
Whittier, CA
Geeze, where do I begin?! This place was WONDERFUL! Everything from the French pressed coffee, fresh veggie juice, and delicious breakfast! The customer service alone was GREAT and but most importantly, you can really see and taste how much quality they put into their meals– absolutely flavorful and well presented. Thank you Iliana!
Recommend:
— Wistful white
— green juice
— orange juice
— French pressed coffee
— 2 eggs breakfast
— quinoa cupcake
— sweet & red potato salad
— the little waffle (yum!)
— veggie omelet
P. S. Their wall is AMAZING!
Place rating: 3
Naples, FL
Headed cross town to try gluten free restaurant Hubbie. Hubbie got the chicken burger with waffles — said it was ok. Wasn’t impressed with portion size. Others had omelettes that were very good and blueberry pancakes also good. I had the blueberry quinoa bowl and it was good but just too much quinoa for breakfast, not very satisfying as a meal. I was overwhelmed with the menu — next time will try the granola which was my first instinct! Def will be back to try lunch. Yes it’s a few dollars more than should be but bc the whole restaurant is gf it’s worth it!
Place rating: 5
El Portal, CA
Everything on the menu is gluten free, and the food is terrific. You can find vegan, vegetarian, and chicken dishes here. The French press coffee is good, and the portion for one person is generous. As a Celiac and dairy free eater, I was thrilled to find this restaurant gem. It is kid friendly; the wait staff are pleasant; and the owner checks in on all the tables. I just wish I had a restaurant like this close by me. If you are gluten free-​the waffles are delicious and can be made vegan.
Place rating: 5
Fort Lauderdale, FL
I really like this place ! It’s cute, super healthy, conveniently located, good parking and fairly priced .
Also I saw the owner taking orders and explaining a menu item, I love it when I see an owner engaged like that, shows they care !
I order an omelette and a kale drink, a good change from the typical diner breakfast when they use a ton of lard. A big plus is this place is gluten free !
Place rating: 5
Arvada, CO
I wish they had Fresh First in Colorado! Went here while visiting my sister and loved it! Florida has such a wide variety of healthy restaurants and this was my favorite. It is so nice to go out for breakfast and not feel guilty about what you eat.
Place rating: 4
Hollywood, FL
This is a great place to go for a breakfast that is on the healthier side and still tastes good! They have some invigorating fresh juices and the food is prepared very well. However, get there early, like 8 a.m., when they get busy they get frazzled and don’t seem to handle crowds well. It was this way before and after the change of ownership. If you come at a busy time, your experience may be very frustrating. When the restaurant is not busy, the service is friendly. It sometimes takes forever to get coffee because all they have is a French press. Still, they at least seem to care about their customers and the food is constantly fresh and delicious, so it still gets 4 stars.
Place rating: 3
Fayetteville, NC
Visited this place with my husband and it was ok. They have a nice, healthy menu (which is why we came here), but nothing really peaked my interest. My husband ordered a smoothie with kale, avocado, banana and some other ingredients, while I ordered the «Pink» juice (watermelon, cucumber, lime and mint); his smoothie was bland, but my juice was tasty. I gave this place 3 stars because I’m not a fan, but it’s not a horrible place. Service was good and the lady making the smoothies and juices was fast.
Place rating: 5
Tampa, FL
Excellent food and service! They were very accommodating for our group of 5 even though we didn’t have reservations! Fresh and delicious food! Loved it!
Place rating: 5
San Jose, CA
Wow. This place is such a gem. GF everything!!! Had 2 eggs scrambled w/​sweet potato hash, which were both really good. The turkey bacon was perfect and OMG the GF waffles with syrup were life changing. Come here
Place rating: 5
Tamarac, FL
First time here — what a find! I had the egg sandwich — a fried egg, turkey bacon with white cheddar and tomato on waffle bread — side of slaw. My girl had the nut chili tacos — nut chili, red peppers, green onions, carrots, and riced cauliflower in red cabbage wraps topped with ginger sauce — side of red & sweet potato salad. She loved it. We’ll both be back.
Place rating: 5
Davie, FL
Imagine a restaurant where you can have healthy food options for everyone. Eating delicious food was never so appealing. The people from Fresh First really understands the need of a healthy conscious customer.
First, they are located adjacent to the parking lot building of Marriott hotel, and you can park your car free of charge with validation. Additionally and very cool there is specific spots to Fresh First’s customers.
I was looking for a vegan restaurant with options to my non-​vegan family. We found Fresh First and our experience was delightful with a menu rich in plant-​based options, natural handmade juices, vegan waffle option, omelets, chicken and tuna (for the non-​vegan). My whole family was very satisfied with the options and the food.
Service is great as well. The owners are overseeing everything and checking personally if they met customers expectations. Congratulations!
Place rating: 5
Brooklyn, NY
I am staying at the Hilton Marina hotel so it was less than 10 mins walk. It was delicious I had the western omelette and the pink juice which had watermelon, cucumber, and mint. Both I enjoyed especially the juice it sure felt fresh. The whole meal was just enough for brunch. The waitress was attentive and the atmosphere and décor of the place was bright and we’ll taken care of. They had a yellow rose on each table and even the counter top. Would love to come often but I live in New York!
Place rating: 5
Fort Lauderdale, FL
I had a lunch meeting with a client who is gluten-​free. She asked me to pick a spot for us to meet and upon researching gluten free restaurants on Unilocal,I came across Fresh First.
The restaurant is simple and very clean. They make homemade soups daily. The soup of the day was a creamy cauliflower soup. It was delicious. For entrees, we ordered the tuna melt and quinoa burger. The tuna melt was AMAZING! I would have never thought to put tuna on a waffle. It was love at first bite. The quinoa burger was also very flavorful with rich, red tomato sauce. Yum.
The entrees were so good, we had to try their desserts. We had a quinoa cupcake which was fantastic. It came topped with fresh strawberry preservatives and goat cream cheese. We also had a gluten-​free chocolate chip cookie. The chocolate chunks were very rich and delicious. And our wallets were happy with the quality of food we received for the price.
I’m not gluten free but this restaurant had me saying who needs gluten or preservatives? I’ve been recommending Fresh First to all of my gluten-​free, vegetarian and vegan friends.
Place rating: 5
Fort Lauderdale, FL
Wow! Amazing people, great healthy food that tastes fantastic! This place caters to vegan, vegetarian, gluten free and healthy lifestyle meals. They make all the desserts fresh and omg they’re delicious. Just tried the pumpkin maple walnut cupcake and their chocolate chip cookie, served warm, vegan and damn delicious. They definitely do not skimp you on the chips!
They’re known for their chicken and waffles and the eggs benedict, so we had one of each! No need for any hot sauce or ketchup. The food has so much flavor, Hollandale sauce has a nice kick to it, served with turkey bacon, it was perfect! The hashbrowns were a mix of red bliss potatoes and sweet potatoes, amazing and they give you the perfect portion.
Try one of their green juices and save room for dessert, you won’t be sorry!
Place rating: 4
Miami, FL
When I was deciding whether to move to Fort Lauderdale, I was frustrated with my condo search and didn’t believe I would really like the Fort Lauderdale culture. Before heading home to Miami, I searched health food restaurants, read a few good things, and decided to check out Fresh First.
I was in awe over the 100% organic, 100% gluten free concept they have going on here– something I have never seen. They bake everything in house in their gluten free oven, so there’s not even risk of cross contamination. Yay, I could order a sandwich! Well, upon trying the chicken portobello mushroom sandwich followed by a quinoa goat cheese frosted cupcake, I was hooked. I kid you not– this experience encouraged me that I could handle moving to Ft. Lauderdale, which I did. It still remains one of my favorite restaurants here, and anytime I have a chance to eat out for lunch, I go there.
The only downsides are that it’s not cheap (though it’s worth it) and hours are limited (so don’t go when it’s closed).
Place rating: 5
Staten Island, NY
The best coffee and gluten free food I have ever had. And I mean, EVER. Incredibly clean, the waitress was pleasant and assertive. Answered all the questions my cousin had. My cousin has a dairy and gluten allergy so it’s not easy to find a place that is accomodating. So glad we found this place, will be back for sure!
Place rating: 5
Fort Lauderdale, FL
Finally had a chance to stop in after wanting to try Fresh First since I moved to Fort Lauderdale three months ago. We dropped by for lunch on a Saturday afternoon and ordered a blissful blue smoothie to share (recommended by our server — was excellent and not too sweet), the tuna melt, and the double stack chicken burger with red and sweet potato salad. Everything was fantastic. I especially loved the gluten-​free waffle that the tuna melt was served on. The gluten free bun that came with the chicken burger that my boyfriend ordered was also fabulous. We didn’t have room for dessert but all the more reason to come back and try the quinoa cupcake and homemade ice cream!
Our server also kindly informed us that Fresh First 17th Street is celebrating its 2 year anniversary next Thursday and Friday with half-​price menu items– I can’t wait to get back here– the macaroni and cheese and zucchini puttanesca on my must-​try list along with all of the desserts. :)