Skillets Restaurant is continuing to expand in Palm Beach County after gaining popularity on Florida’s west coast. The breakfast and lunch establishment, which is already in Boca Raton and Delray Beach, is under construction in Wellington.
Skillets is known for its breakfast appetizers, scones of the day and Blue Zones dishes (healthier items). The Boca Raton location has been open for more than a year and a half at Garden Shops on West Palmetto Park Road. In Delray Beach, the restaurant has been open for more than seven months at Delray Marketplace on Lyons Road. Skillets will have 16 restaurants in the state, including three locations in Palm Beach County after opening its Wellington Trace location later this year.
The husband-and-wife team of Ross and Noreen Edlund founded Skillets in Naples in 1995.
“We would get so many customers coming over from this coast and they wanted to know, ‘when are you going to open up on the east coast?” Ross said. “I felt there was always a need for Skillets to get over here. People are still discovering us and we have a foundation with our regular customers. We are really happy with the kind of volume here.”
Ross said they’re in the process of looking at sites in Broward County as they continue to tap into the South Florida market.
Skillets CEO Joe DiGangi said he is excited about their growth in Palm Beach County.
“Ross and Noreen had a system in place and they did a phenomenal job creating a culture of standards with their philosophy and leadership,” he said. “We were able to take those standards and duplicate them and the company has done very well. We were able to continue to grow. I know we needed to be over here. We are really happy in this community and love this market. I know it’s a great opportunity for us and it will be a success.”
The chefs prepare everything from scratch and customers can order a traditional breakfast along with freshly baked biscuits, signature scones and home-baked sourdough breads.
Skillets is also known for its thick-cut smokehouse bacon, slow-roasted corned beef brisket hash, oven-baked Skillets potatoes, AA large eggs, dry-cured deli meats, pancakes, waffles, crepes, fresh berries, assorted fruits and ripe avocados. They also have Kennesaw fresh-squeezed orange juice, ground-per-brew whole bean Guatemalan coffee and PG Tips imported English tea. They whip all their eggs, use unbleached stone-ground flours, whole-milk buttermilk and never deep fry.
“I think breakfast is delicious and I love making it,” Ross said. “The secret to our success is you have to enjoy what you do. It’s about quality and getting the best ingredients and making it from scratch. It’s about getting the top quality maple syrup and best specialty flours for pancakes and waffles. When making an omelet, you whip the eggs. It’s about attention to detail.”
Skillets, which is open from 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., serves breakfast all day.
Noreen, who was raised in Ireland, said she takes pride in how food is served and the overall presentation at the restaurant.
“The customer knows and they will recognize if everything on the table is quality,” she said. “It’s a combination of good food, good service, a clean establishment and a safe place to dine. We know how important cleanliness is after COVID, and we have been very vigilant about that. We know it’s a mindset for people when they go into the restaurant and they are watching. We have been cognizant. We are dependable and our customers know what they are getting. It’s a good value and experience.”
Skillets also is known for its decor and design, which includes imported furniture from Germany. They have pictures framed on the wall of their food as well as from cookbooks.
“When you walk in, you want to know it’s a breakfast restaurant and have that different type of ambiance,” Noreen said.
Noreen’s Breakfast, named after its founder, provides a healthy meal for customers. The menu item includes a protein with one poached egg, steamed spinach, grilled tomato slices, sliced avocado, chopped chives, wheat toast and a fruit cup.
Skillets also features the Waffletizer, which is customized and provides an opportunity for families to share a food item with the concept of ordering an appetizer at breakfast.
“The Waffletizer is a fantastic product and the idea of sharing a breakfast dish is awesome and why we dine together,” said Chelsea Sell, Skillets spokeswoman. “It’s the story of Palm Beach and everything is trendy. It’s redefining breakfast and it’s bold. At Skillets, you can come with friends and family and never get bored.”
They also have specialty items available during certain months. In January, they will have a Caprese omelet with pesto, grilled tomato and grilled chicken.
Skillets has established a culture with several longtime team members associated with the restaurant. Harvin Bustillo Jr. started working at Skillets as a dishwasher in a seasonal position at age 17 while he was still in high school in Naples. He worked with his father, another longtime employee. Bustillo Jr., 26, is now a marketing manager for the restaurant. He also has two younger brothers who have worked as a host and server.
“I was able to understand a lot of the positions and work my way up,” he said. “It’s been a great learning experience.”
DiGangi said they have been able to create a positive environment among their staff.
“We have experienced extremely low turnover and we always have taken good care of our staff,” he said. “The morale is really high. They’re part of a team and love what they do. We have a big family atmosphere.”
Ross got his start as a partner in a bakery, which included locations in downtown Chicago. He also had a catering business before he relocated to Naples, where he later took over a German restaurant. He was inspired to turn it into a breakfast and lunch spot as Skillets opened up in 1995. Skillets will be opening in Port Charlotte during January, which will be its 13th location on the west coast of Florida.
Ross and Noreen spend the summer months in Ireland. Although the founders are semi-retired, they are still involved in the business. They also enjoy stopping by the restaurants to interact with staff and customers.
“Florida is a great place to have a business,” Ross said. “If you give people what they want, you get such a tremendous amount of loyalty. It goes beyond that they enjoy their food. For me, it’s like a family. We get to know these people so well.”
Visit skilletsrestaurants.com.
