The Latest in Southwest Florida Dining

OPEN FOR BUSINESS

Naples chef Brooke Kravetz (previously of The Cave, Baleen and Sea Salt) opens Old Vines Supper Club today, Feb. 14. Expect prix-fixe wining and dining (with everything from whole roasted chicken to chorizo and piquillo-stuffed quail) in the former Olympia Pizza & Gyros space, which also used to house Twisted Cheesery and Red’s Pizzeria.

Also debuting today: The long-awaited Next Door from the team behind Gather in Cape Coral. Chef de cuisine Jessica Shoemaker, executive chefs John Hill and Fabrice Deletrain, and executive chef/owner Ben Voisin collaborate for exceptional fare at their contemporary, chic new spot, which showcases handcrafted pasta, made in-house. Selections include black garlic knots, asparagus gnocchi and Wagyu filet mignon.

And, in case you missed it, a former waterfront restaurant found a new home in Fort Myers’ Gulf Coast Town Center. Hooked Island Grill opened Jan. 27 in the former Famous Dave’s Bar-B-Que space.

RECENT (RE)OPENINGS

Beloved Sanibel and Fort Myers Beach restaurants are reemerging after being battered by Hurricane Ian. On Captiva, The Mucky Duck, an island staple, reopened after clearing out several feet of sand and replacing all natural gas lines. Nearby, at the foot of the Sanibel Causeway, Bimini Bait Shack hosted its soft re-opening on Jan. 27

The iconic Bubble Room is also finding new ways to reach fans while their Captiva Island location remains shuttered. The team is now selling their cult-worthy cakes behind Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre in Fort Myers from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday through Sunday. Whole cakes are $63, and slices go for $9.50.

Down in Bonita Springs, Coconut Jack’s Waterfront Grille recovered from its damage after weathering 7 feet of storm surge during the hurricane. The restaurant, famed for its stuffed grouper, got a new paint job and furniture ahead of its Feb. 3 reopening.

One of the biggest restaurant comebacks post-Ian is on Fort Myers Beach with Junkanoo Below Deck, which reopened in a new location on Feb. 8. Owner Franco Russo took over the former Bayfront Bistro location; he’ll also reopen the seafood favorite Fresh Catch Bistro upstairs from Junkanoo this week.

ON THE HORIZON

Heads up: 2023 is a big year for restaurant news in East Naples and Marco Island. Beyond the hotly anticipated Rebecca’s (and its private club counterpart, The Maddox, from namesake entrepreneur Rebecca Maddox), Amber Phillips leverages her award-winning Sage Events & Catering gluten free-kitchen to open Sage Supper Club on Davis Boulevard this month. Amber promises chef cameos, farm-to-table offerings, cooking classes, pop-up dinners and themed events at her 30-seat culinary hub.

Also in Naples, keep your eyes peeled for PJK Neighborhood Chinese. Restaurateur Paul Fleming (one of Gulfshore Life’s 2022 Men and Women of the Year) soon debuts his latest venture—a contemporary ode to Asian cuisine, housed in the former Naples Design District space of Ristorante Ciao. Over on Third Street South, the owners of the super dreamy Mediterrano are working on Ocean Garden, a seafood-focused spot, in a renovated space across the street.

Further north, in Fort Myers, a hole-in-one experience is headed to the Luminary’s Hotel & Co., with Chips Sports Pub, which features two Topgolf virtual bays.

KUDOS

Cheers to the Naples Winter Wine Festival, which raised nearly $26 million and shattered yet another annual record, all in an effort to change the lives of Collier County kids. Online, the Naples Children & Education Foundation’s ninth annual online auction brought in more than $600,000.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS

Feb. 15-18: Fort Myers’ Eat Liberty—known for its high-energy, small scale and inventive plates—promises a “radically different” menu in the coming days in honor of Valentine’s Day. Options include fried chicken and caviar, red deer carpaccio, and poached halibut. Reservations are still available.

Feb 17-19: From 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday, join Cypress Lake’s Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church for its Greek Fest, featuring authentic Greek food (gyros, moussaka, pastitsio, spanakopita), dance performances and carnival rides and games.

Feb. 19: The SWFL Veg Fest 2023 at Farmer Mike’s U Pick in Bonita Springs offers recipes, vegetarian food trucks and cooking demos to expand your knowledge of plant-based cuisine.

Feb. 23: Alligator Bay Distillers and Chartreuse Craft Cocktail Lounge appear as special guests at Grumpy Goat Coffee’s Sips and Bites tasting event. They’ll collaborate for a creative libation for sampling alongside other local food and beverage providers including Kristi’s Key Lime Cookies, Pansardo Coffee Shop Italian Food Specialties and Olde Naples Chocolate.

Feb. 23-26: Celebrate the 10th anniversary of Lee County’s first microbrewery, Fort Myers Brewing Co. The four-day event will feature more than 50 rotating specialty craft brews, food trucks and live music.

Feb. 25: Celebrate the inaugural Bonita Fest from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Riverside Park in Bonita Springs. Enjoy craft beer from four local microbreweries food trucks and live music. Proceeds will go toward the Bonita Springs American Legion and the Bonita Springs Assistance Office to help with Hurricane Ian recovery.

The Latest in Southwest Florida Dining

Categories

Archives