(Michelle) Now retired high school teacher Pat Sydlo-Arshan is ready to tell us why her pick has received an A+ with a delicious menu that focuses on locally sourced ingredients.

This spot has become a favorite with locals and visitors alike.

It's located in Stuart and it's called CoLab Kitchen.

(music) Hi, I'm Laurrie Wood.

I'm the general manager of CoLab Kitchen.

One of the owners has a local farm here, and she loves fresh produce.

And she used to go to our sister restaurant which is District Table.

And she really loved the food there.

So the owner of District Table and the owner of Hill Lab Farms, they came together and they wanted to have a space where we could both sell the produce and then represent it in food.

That was delicious.

(music) We are a part of downtown Stuart and downtown Stuart.

For those of you that don't know, we're like right in the center of the Treasure Coast.

We’re close to the beach, which is one of the best parts of Florida.

And our space we put together because we thought that we wanted a space kind of like a community living room for people to hang out in, especially people with kids.

They felt comfortable coming to listen to music, having a space to eat great food, relaxing, maybe on their sofas to have coffee, maybe they're here for a drink after work, or they're just looking for some fresh produce.

We kind of wanted to have all of that available to as many people as possible.

We want guests to feel really comfortable.

We want them to feel relaxed in our space.

We want them to have had really delicious food and a great experience, super good service and enjoy the cocktails as well.

CoLab is fresh local food.

(music) (Michelle) So this is not an average dining experience.

It is not.

As soon as you walk in, it's almost as if you're walking into a French market.

There is a bakery on one side, cold case on the other, and the lettuce looks like bouquets of flowers.

It's they're huge and all kinds of prepared foods are available for purchase.

(Michelle) Codie, what do you think when you walked in?

Yeah, it's a really neat entrance, you know, going through the market and all of the fresh produce.

I think they actually do it.

Hydroponically on the location, at least a lot of the lettuce, and I think they even source it to some other like local restaurants in the community.

(Michelle) Lexine what did you think?

I loved it, that location.

It's funny that you've mentioned that one because it's like my second time being there.

And when you walk in, it opens up to a huge backyard and you just have that coming home for Thanksgiving or Christmas vibe.

When you walk into that restaurant, it's really, really nice.

(Michelle) Okay, so Pat, tell me what you had this last time you went in.

(Pat) I had the arugula salad with a watermelon and feta cheese.

And then of course, I had the brisket because it's like perfume when you walk in there because they're smoking the brisket out back, and then they have two different sides, it doesn't stop.

(Michelle) Codie, what did you have?

(Codie) We started out with the blue crab as an appetizer.

(Michelle) It's like a dip, right?

(Codie) Yeah.

It almost comes in like an escargot kind of dish with those dimples on it.

And it was spectacular.

That was probably the highlight of my meal, was that that blue crab.

(Michelle) Lexine tell me about your experience.

(Lexine) to start I had the hummus.

It was great.

It was light, it was airy and it was citrusy.

That hummus had a different flavor and a different texture that I've never had in that I enjoyed.

Oh they're amazing.

(Michelle) Oh, it had pickles.

(Lexine) It had pickles and pickled French beans in the hummus with.

Yeah, it was good.

(Michelle) Then you had.

Something called a cheese for.

(Lexine) Yes, I did though.

The cheese for options.

It's four of their sides where I got their smoked.

Sweet potato casserole.

Sweet potato casserole.

(Michelle) You had a chickpea.

(Lexine) Yes.

Oh I had that too.

I had that.

Too.

(Michelle) Okay.

You had an eggplant.

Like a roast.

(Lexine) A roasted a smoked roasted eggplant.

They smoked it, they roast it and then they brought it out.

(Michelle) And then there.

Was a fourth thing.

(Lexine) The macaroni.

Yes.

That's the macaroni salad.

Yeah, it was good.

I had leftovers.

(Michelle) And you had something called a mango madness cake.

(Lexine) Yes.

(Michelle) Tell me about that.

(Lexine) That Mango Madness cake.

It was slivers of cake in between mango jam.

And then you had it topped with your sugar cream topping.

Oh, yeah.

Okay.

Your sugar icing.

Frosting.

Yeah, but.

That sounds delicious.

The mango is like, just straight pureed mango.

Not watered down.

Not.

It was very clean, very flavorful.

(Michelle) Pat, tell me about your banana cream pie.

One of my favorite desserts.

(Pat) Oh so good.

And they make their own vanilla wafer.

Is that the step too far, I think.

No.

It's perfect.

Yeah.

No, that was that was delicious.

And it was meringue on top.

So that was a little different than we usually have.

But between that and the drinks.

(Michelle) Tell me about what did you have for drinks.

(Pat) Oh.

Porch pounder.

(Michelle) What's that?

(Pat) It's passionflower, gentian and citrus.

It was huge.

It was a. Bowl and had vodka and honeydew.

As well.

Yes, it did okay.

And my husband had a vodka, cucumber, you name it.

Drink.

And it was delicious.

(Michelle) Tell me a little bit about service, Codie.

(Codie) Our service was spectacular.

Our waitress was right there.

We were greeted right when we walked in.

No wait or anything.

You know, it's Stuart, It’s not as busy as some of the cities.

But no, it was wonderful service.

No complaints.

(Michelle) Parking.

(Lexine) Parking was great.

Yeah.

They have their parking in the front of the building and then there's like a parking off to the side.

So there's ample parking.

Yes.

(Michelle) All right Pat.

Well, CoLab Kitchen was your choice.

Sum it up for me, please.

(Pat) I think I'm the luckiest girl in Florida for finding it.

And I would say that this is so unique.

It's for everybody.

You bring your whole family, every friend, and you could just sit there by yourself and enjoy it.

(Michelle) Codie.

(Codie) Yeah, it's a great family environment.

Having the kids run out in the back is a lot of fun.

You can just enjoy the food and enjoy the drinks, and you're going to be coming home with a lot of leftovers as well.

(Michelle) Lexine (Lexine) it's a really, really nice place to be.

Once you go there, you feel at home, you're very comfortable and there's something for everybody.

(Michelle) For a delicious farm to table experience, you can visit CoLab Kitchen, located at 100 southeast MLK Junior Boulevard in Stuart.

They're open Wednesday to Sunday for brunch and dinner.

Reservations are accepted where the average price for dinner without drinks is about $45.

(music)