Sipping a daiquiri by the ocean with a view of gently lapping waves and swaying palm trees — it’s pretty nice to be a tourist in Fort Lauderdale.

Rossopomodoro, a major Italian fast-casual chain, wants a bigger slice of the U.S. culinary market. The branch that brother-and-sister franchisers Andrea and Francesca Neri opened two months ago in downtown Fort Lauderdale is the third on this side of the Atlantic and the second in Florida.

It’s a good sign for the economic recovery to see restaurants opening at a faster rate. Here are three places in South Broward that opened in the last several months.

Sitting in the hip, new Tap 42 Bar and Kitchen, listening to Weezer and sipping a Kona Longboard, it’s hard to believe we’re on the site of Brownie’s, Broward’s oldest bar. Built in 1935, it drew top black entertainers like Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald and Duke Ellington before they became legends. Later, its devoted clientele sipped 50-cent drafts and threw peanuts on the floor.

A mini ice rink and fake snow brought a taste of winter to Las Olas this year, but at Tundra, the chill factor is real. The restaurant uses 10,000 pounds of ice a week for the gleaming sculptures and other arctic accents crafted by ice sculptor David Berman, a former Broward Convention Center executive chef, and Tundra co-owner with Alex Podolny, a native of Ukraine.

The new Gianna’s Pizzarant in Plantation is the type of family-run Italian restaurant we’d all welcome in our neighborhood. It’s run by the brother-sister team of Francesca Hixson and Giuseppe Ribaudo, who grew up in the business. Their father, Bartolo Ribaudo, owns nearby Pizza Center, long a popular destination in West Broward.

For years, Café Sharaku was one of Broward’s best-kept secrets. In fact, the first time we visited the 18-seat restaurant in 2007, we were afraid it might not survive. But chef-owner Iwao “Jin” Kaita has slowly built a devoted clientele that appreciates his artistic Asian fusion cuisine. These days, it’s a good idea to have a reservation on weekends.

It’s the time of year to dine along the water and enjoy the beauty of South Florida that tourists pay big bucks to experience. Here are two long-time outdoor dining favorites and one newcomer, all with a low-key vibe.

The ponies are racing again at Gulfstream Park, and there’s a new place to spend your winnings (or forget your losses). Bet on 6-week-old Blu Sushi as a hip, hot destination offering a crowd-pleasing menu of elaborate rolls, sushi and sashimi combos and standards like dumplings, salmon teriyaki and Chilean sea bass.

We could dine at Pine Court Chinese Bistro in Sunrise every night of the year and still not sample all the dishes available. The basic menu alone features more than 200 items, plus there’s the more authentic Chinese menu and dim sum carts loaded with goodies that make the rounds daily.

At this busy time of year, we often find ourselves heading home late without a plan for dinner. In our neighborhood, one good source for late-night grub is our local pub.

The Fort Lauderdale beach dining scene just got a little hotter thanks to chef Steve Zobel, whose East End Brasserie at The Atlantic Resort & Spa joins 3030 Ocean and Steak 954 as worthy draws for locals as well as tourists.

If you’re a fan of Italian food — and who isn’t? — here’s a scouting report on three places to consider in East Broward.

This weekend, many of us will be facing the same quandary: Finding a place to take our out-of-town visitors. When you live in South Florida, you’re always searching for spots by the water where you can treat friends and family from colder climes to warm breezes and simple pleasures like fresh fish with a squeeze of lime or a plate of golden-brown conch fritters washed down with a Corona.

Himmarshee Bar & Grille was a downtown institution for 14 years, a sophisticated, pre-theater alternative to pub grub on Second Street. But after the economy crashed, many diners began grazing on appetizers and skipping pricey entrees — spending less, sharing more.