aioli West Palm Beach: Sourdough Bakery & Cafe Spotlight

Every neighborhood has that one spot locals can't stop talking about. On South Dixie Highway in West Palm Beach, a lot of people would point you to aioli, a scratch sourdough bakery and cafe that's become one of the most talked-about casual places to eat in town. It's an easy drive down Dixie from our homes in SoSo, so it comes up a lot when guests ask us where to grab breakfast or lunch.

The story

aioli was opened in the fall of 2014 by Chef Michael Hackman, who had cooked on the Palm Beach dining scene for years, including as a private chef, before opening his own place. Today Michael and Melanie Hackman own it together. The idea from the start was casual, chef-driven food made with local ingredients, with plenty of it ready to take home.

What it's known for: sourdough, baked from scratch

Bread is the heart of aioli. It's a scratch sourdough bakery, and its naturally leavened breads and pastries are baked in-house every day. In a 2026 interview with WFLX, Michael Hackman described aioli's sourdough as taking more than three days to ferment. That patience is a big part of why the bakery case gets so much attention.

On the menu

aioli is an all-day breakfast and lunch spot with a counter-service feel. The menu changes regularly and there are always specials, but generally you'll find:

Morning: fresh-baked pastries and breakfast sandwiches.
Lunch: soups, salads and sandwiches built on house-made bread.
Take-home dinners: prepared dinners-to-go that you can reheat later. That's handy if you're staying in a vacation home with a kitchen and want a night in after the beach.
Bread and sweets to go: loaves and baked goods to take with you.

Some menu items are gluten-free, and aioli also does catering. Check aioliwpb.com for the current menu, daily specials and hours, which can change.

MICHELIN Guide recognition

aioli holds a Bib Gourmand in the MICHELIN Guide Florida. That's Michelin's distinction for good quality, good value cooking, and aioli has it again in the 2026 guide. Michelin's inspectors point to the in-house bakery, the open kitchen and the all-day menu of baked goods, breakfast sandwiches, soups, salads and sandwiches. Curious which other local restaurants made the guide? See our roundup of MICHELIN Guide restaurants in West Palm Beach and Palm Beach.

How to fit aioli into your trip

Because it's a daytime spot, aioli works best as part of a morning or lunch plan. A few ideas:

Before the beach: grab breakfast and coffee, then pick up sandwiches and something sweet for a picnic on the sand or a boat ride to Peanut Island (see our beach guide).
Stock the house: a loaf of sourdough for breakfast at the house and a take-home dinner for a lazy night in.
Make a South Dixie morning: pair lunch with browsing the shops and galleries of Antique Row, farther north on South Dixie Highway.

Good to know before you go

Where: South Dixie Highway in West Palm Beach, at the corner of Summa Street, a few blocks south of Forest Hill Boulevard.
When: it's a daytime spot for breakfast and lunch. Check the website for current hours before you go.
Dine in or take out: the space is casual. Eat there or take your order to go for a picnic or a beach day.
Plan ahead for take-home dinners: pick-up times are limited, so check the website if you want a dinner-to-go.

Why we send guests here

When you stay in a home instead of a hotel, a great bakery becomes part of your routine: fresh bread for the house, sandwiches for the beach cooler, something sweet for later. aioli fits right into that kind of trip, and it's a good example of the local, independent spots that make the south end of West Palm Beach such a nice place to stay.

Looking for more places to eat? Our food guide to West Palm Beach has more neighborhood favorites, and our vacation rental vs. hotel guide explains why having a kitchen makes a trip easier.

Stay nearby

Our owner-managed homes are in SoSo, a short drive from aioli, downtown and the beaches. Browse the BnBs, book on Airbnb, or ask us for more of our favorite local spots.