The Nora Hotel's opening date was Monday, October 19, and the first thing West Palm Beach got from it was a brasserie that opens at 7 a.m. Pastis, the Stephen Starr restaurant on the hotel's ground floor and the first Pastis in Florida, has been serving since opening week. The rooftop pool and restaurant are still marked as opening soon, and the late-night room down the block is set for December.
So the north end of Railroad Avenue is filling in from the ground floor up. Through the end of the year it will be a breakfast, lunch and dinner address first. The pool deck, the aperitif lounge and the 2 a.m. closing time arrive later, each on its own date.
What is serving on the ground floor now
The hotel comes from Sean MacPherson and BD Hotels, the New York group behind The Bowery Hotel, Hotel Chelsea and The Mercer. According to Palm Beach Now, this is the group's first major hotel project outside New York City. The property has 201 rooms, interiors by GACHOT that draw on Palm Beach's Mediterranean and Spanish Colonial Revival architecture, and membership in The Leading Hotels of the World.
For anyone who lives nearby, the restaurant matters more than the room count. Pastis takes bookings through Resy, and the booking page shows no hotel-guest requirement. The posted meal periods:
- Breakfast: 7 to 10:30 a.m. Monday through Friday, and 7 to 10 a.m. on weekends
- Lunch: 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekdays
- Weekend brunch: from 10 a.m.
- Daily span: 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., per The Leading Hotels of the World
The menu is brasserie standard: steak frites, a raw bar, escargot, frisée aux lardons, moules and roast chicken. The Nora District's own write-up suggests that breakfast and lunch are "where the regulars will quietly settle in."
Jack's Bar, a mid-century-style lobby bar serving classic cocktails, was scheduled to open with Pastis on October 19. The hotel describes it as "an atmospheric homage to the historic glamour and industrial grit of the Nora neighborhood."
The rooftop and the late shift come next
Everything still to come on the north end sits up the stairs or later in the evening. Here is where each project stands as of the week of October 29:
| Venue | Address | What it is | Timing as reported |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lillys | Rooftop, The Nora Hotel, 1135 N. Railroad Ave. | Mama Hospitality pool, bar and restaurant, developed with STARR Restaurants | Own site says "opening soon"; November per World Red Eye; date TBA per Haute Living |
| Macs 44 | 825 N. Railroad Ave. | 80-seat restaurant and bar built around live performance | December 2026, Tuesday to Sunday, 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. |
| Indaco | 1080 N. Railroad Ave. | Listed in the district directory | Late 2026 |
| Sisley Spa | The Nora Hotel | About 4,000 square feet, Florida's first Sisley Spa | Announced with the hotel |
The rooftop date is the soft spot. On October 16, World Red Eye reported Mama Hospitality's announcement that Lillys would open in November. The same day, Haute Living listed the date as TBA. When it opens, the rooftop will include Lillys Pool, Bar Lilly and Cafe Lilly, with poolside dining, an aperitif lounge and live music.
Lillys and Macs 44 will take Mama Hospitality's West Palm Beach count to three venues. The group's first is Mary Lou's. The December opening also sets the district's latest planned hours so far. A room open until 2 a.m. at 825 N. Railroad sits a few blocks from a brasserie that closes at 11 p.m.
Why the north end needed an anchor
The hotel's position on Railroad Avenue matters as much as its opening date. At 1135, it sits past the last address in the district directory, which runs from the 800 block north:
- 800 block: Sunday Motor Co. at 805, Loco Taqueria & Oyster Bar at 840, Carousel Fine Art at 845, IGK Salon at 860, Van Leeuwen Ice Cream at 870, H&H Bagels at 880, Celis Juice Bar at 895
- 900 block: SWEAT440 at 905, [solidcore] at 915, Le Labo Fragrances at 975
- 1000 block: Del Mar at 1015, Sports & Rec. at 1035, Warby Parker at 1040, Mint at 1045, Sana Skin Studio at 1055, Pompanos at 1070
- Around the corner on 7th Street: ZenHippo at 485 and Gro Yoga & Wellness at 489
The 1000 block has been filling in through 2026. Cameron Mitchell Restaurants announced Del Mar's opening on April 7. On July 7, The Palm Beach Post featured Sports & Rec., Loco and Del Mar as World Cup watch spots, according to the district's press page for Sports & Rec. The hotel at 1135 now closes off that northern stretch. With Indaco listed at 1080, the blocks between Del Mar and the hotel lobby have a reason to be walked end to end.
The south end already covers the early morning with bagels at H&H and juice at Celis. Pastis brings a sit-down 7 a.m. table to the north end, and that table stays open through dinner. Once Lillys and Macs 44 open, the district will run from breakfast past midnight.
Getting a table in the first weeks
The district's opening-week guide recommends booking ahead for dinner and weekend brunch, warning that "the first month will be the hardest table in town." The guide gives three practical tips:
- Book dinner and weekend brunch on Resy as early as possible.
- Use the bar for walk-ins. It serves the full menu and suits a solo diner or a spontaneous pair.
- Go off-peak. A late weekday lunch or an early weeknight dinner shows how the room will feel once the opening rush settles.
Breakfast is the easiest way in. Weekday service starts at 7 a.m. and runs until 10:30.
Parking at the north end
The district's parking page lists two lots, both paid through ParkMobile:
| Option | Location | Posted rate |
|---|---|---|
| Premium lot | Between 8th and 10th Streets | $3 for 1 hour, $8 for 2, $15 for 3, $20 for 4; six EV chargers |
| North lot | 11th Street and Spruce Avenue | $3 first hour, then $2 per hour, up to $25 per day |
| District valet | Stands by Sunday Motor Co. and Del Mar | $10 per day |
| Hotel valet | The Nora Hotel, open 24 hours | $10 until 6 p.m., $15 after 6 p.m. |
The North lot at 11th and Spruce is closest to the hotel. The district's older FAQ says the first hour of parking is free, while the newer parking page lists $3. ParkMobile will show the rate in effect when you park.
This week on the NORA calendar
Three events on the district calendar give a reason to stay after a meal at Pastis:
- Thursday, October 29, 5:30 to 7 p.m.: Dogs & Dogs
- Friday, October 30, 5:15 to 6:15 p.m.: After Dark with Gro and [solidcore]
- Saturday, October 31, 10 a.m.: Halloween Fun at ZenHippo
Dogs & Dogs on Thursday runs into early dinner. On Saturday, the 10 a.m. ZenHippo start lines up with the beginning of weekend brunch at Pastis.
Sarah Mahoney follows openings like these from Breakers West, a short drive west of Railroad Avenue. If a move closer to the Nora District or downtown West Palm Beach is on your mind, Breakers West Properties can talk through how these blocks fit the way you live. Work With Sarah.
