After looking back at many of the local restaurants that closed last year, this week we welcome the scores of new dining spots that debuted in 2023. 

Season’s greetings 

Taking advantage of the holiday season, we saw a flurry of local restaurants opening in December. Topping the list are three of downtown Naples’ most anticipated newcomers for dining and drinking.  

A prized stone in the gauntlet of an epic dining concept, Le Colonial Naples brought a true gem to Fifth Avenue South when the French-Vietnamese restaurant debuted Dec. 14. A few blocks east on Fifth, Limón rooftop restaurant and bar opened Dec. 15 to provide a lofty spot atop the new AC Hotel 5th Avenue Naples across from Tin City. Warren Naples introduced another new upscale destination when it launched Dec. 6 to anchor The Collective on 10th Street South in the Naples Design District. 

Also in Naples, The Kitchen and The Mini Bar opened Dec. 13 to add two more innovative hospitality concepts and an outdoor space connected to District, a trendy lounge that opened in August at Victoria Square at Central Avenue and Goodlette-Frank Road. Society Wine Bar opened just before Christmas at Park Shore Plaza in Naples after converting salon space into a modern venue for fine wine, craft beer and small plates.  

The first Oar & Iron Raw Bar & Grill opened for dinner Dec. 27 in the Plaza at Founders Square on the southeast corner of Collier Boulevard and Immokalee Road. The upscale casual seafood and steak restaurant with a full bar will add lunch service and hours starting Jan. 9. 

A new Vietnamese restaurant, Pho 80 and Boba Bear Tea, replaced Hanoi Quán on Dec. 9 on Pine Ridge Road in North Naples. La Mesa Taqueria, a Mexican dinner restaurant co-owned by the folks behind Joey’s Pizza and Doreen’s Cup of Joe, launched Dec. 15 on the Marco Island site of the former longtime home of NeNe’s Kitchen.  

Lakota Creole, featuring Native American and Cajun-inspired cuisine by Chef Court Beem, debuted Dec. 15 at Flamingo Island Flea Market in Bonita Springs. Fernandez the Bull Cuban Cafe also opened its latest location last month in Bonita; its first in Lee County. The Causeway dining hall with multiple restaurant concepts—Orzo, Roast, Smithy’s Kitchen and Dessert Lab—plus a self-serve beer tap wall and a full bar launched Dec. 7 under one roof on Old 41 Road in Bonita Springs. 

In Estero, Juice Society had its ribbon-cutting and grand opening Dec. 2 at Coconut Point mall after relocating from a tiny kiosk near the former movie cinema to a modern cafe space near Starbucks. San Matteo Italian Restaurant & Bar opened Dec. 4 in the previous home of Aldos at University Village near Florida Gulf Coast University. Oak & Stone opened another regional restaurant and bar Dec. 12 in Estero Town Commons. 

In Fort Myers, Taberna Ole is the new name for La Trattoria Cafe Napoli, a restaurant that was converted into a modern Spanish tavern. On Dec. 19, Lost Shot Bar & Grill replaced the recently shuttered Dutch-Way Cafe. 

In Cape Coral, Thai Café 99 opened Dec. 1 in the former home of Thai Nawa; Bayside Burger & Beer opened Dec. 6 in the former Crossroads Grill & Lounge space in Merchant Plaza; and Long Island Brothers New York Pizzeria launched Dec. 19. 

Among the biggest news stories of the year were the long-delayed launches of two massive regional resorts, each hosting multiple public venues for dining and drinking. Margaritaville Beach Resort opened Dec. 7 on Fort Myers Beach, while Sunseeker Resort Charlotte Harbor welcomed its first guests Dec. 15. 

Reopenings 

Regional restaurants continued to pick up their pieces from Hurricane Ian, and many celebrated long-awaited relaunches in 2023. 

Longtime favorites such as Snook Inn on Marco Island and Doc’s Beach House and The Fish House in Bonita Springs reopened in the fall. Baleen at La Playa Beach Resort in North Naples and Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grill on Fort Myers Beach were both back in action in late July. 

On Sanibel Island, Doc Ford’s, The Sanibel Grill and The Timbers Restaurant & Fish Market opened earlier in the year, while Bleu Rendezvous French restaurant relocated and relaunched last spring. Captiva Island eateries that reopened in 2023 include The Mucky Duck, The Green Flash Waterfront Restaurant, RC Otter’s Island Eats and Sunshine Seafood Café and Wine Bar. 

On Fort Myers Beach, Dixie Fish Co. and Petey’s Upper Deck at Matanzas on the Bay reopened. Peter’s Ice Cream & Coffee Shop relaunched in a fresh spot in downtown Fort Myers. 

As part of the relaunch of The Ritz-Carlton, Naples last summer, the resort’s restaurants such as The Grill and Gumbo Limbo returned and the Lobby Bar and Sofra were added to the local mix. As part of a makeover of the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort in Bonita Springs, its renovated Tarpon Bay restaurant reopened in the fall. 

Expect more regional dining spots to be back online this year. 

Inside jobs 

Although not to the multipronged extreme of The Causeway, a few other local places introduced hospitality concepts within other concepts. 

One of the most creative is Staff Only, a speakeasy hidden inside the new District destination in Naples. What appears to be an employee-only door leads to an intimate hangout with a secret bar and lounge for those in the know. 

Katz’s New York Deli—not affiliated with the legendary Katz’s Delicatessen in New York City—set up shop last fall inside Gourmet Mama, next to Chinatown on Pine Ridge Road in North Naples. Last summer, Garden Goddess, also known as GG’s, launched organic juice, salad and sushi bars, as well as breakfast and lunch entrees and grab-and-go options, inside Ada’s Natural Market in Fort Myers. Reopening in October after being damaged by Hurricane Ian, the 3 Pepper Burrito location in downtown Fort Myers started a fast-casual burger joint, Burgers with Attitude, on one side of its interior space. 

The owners of Lobster Rolls No. 1, originally Eat Smart in East Naples and Fort Myers, obviously are familiar with flinging spaghetti against a wall to see if it sticks. Not only did they roll out Mama Rita’s German Restaurant & Bakery this spring as a restaurant within Lobster Rolls, but they replaced it this winter with a fresh poutine concept, Fries Factory, now open in Berkshire Commons and College Plaza and coming soon to Cape Coral. 

Pizza roundup 

Another pizza place? Count on it. The number of local pizzerias is expanding to serve the popular comfort food to a growing population. 

San Giuseppe Pizza is pleasing New York transplants in North Naples while Pezzo Pizza + Bar is impressing crowds in Estero. The BBQ Shop in North Naples and Industry Beer & Barbecue in Naples were both converted into PizzaJones! 

Opening additional locations, Baci Pizza is now near Gulf Coast High School in North Naples and Tony’s N.Y. Pizza is in Berkshire Commons in East Naples.  

Napoli on the Bay Pizza had to close its namesake original spot, but launched new locations at the former Mama Mia’s in Naples and the site of a former Cuban cafe on Seward Avenue in North Naples. Napoli’s new location next to 7-Eleven on Third Street South is temporarily closed. 

Sammy’s Pizza came to Naples Towne Centre in East Naples from Chicagoland early in the year. The Ohio-based Romeo’s Pizza chain launched its first regional location on Naples Boulevard in late November.  

In Bonita Springs, Gatsby’s Pizza relocated and relaunched on U.S. 41, while Papi’s Pizza & Wings opened this fall at Flamingo Island Flea Market. Pizza Lab started cooking this year in Fort Myers, while Cape Coral saw the addition of East of Chicago Pizza, Pizza Parma, Gino’s Pizza, Grado’s Pizza, Luciano’s Too Pizzeria and DaVinci’s PizzaVino. 

Coffee and kava 

Shops specializing in coffee or kava remained popular to launch in 2023, and many more are still planned. Although PJ’s Coffee of New Orleans opened June 19 and closed Oct. 18, its four-month run in Cape Coral is not representative of the success of local coffee brewing businesses. 

Bad Ass Coffee christened a second Naples spot in December in Charleston Square across from Lowdermilk Park. New local shops in 2023 include Black Tulip Coffee in East Naples,  

Foxtail Coffee Co. in North Naples and Savour Coffee and Summer Moon Coffee in south Fort Myers. 

Meanwhile, a new local kava bar, Alchemist Kava, opened last summer off U.S. 41 East in East Naples, and Kava Culture Kava Bar continues its regional expansion with the launch of new locations in Marco Town Center in July, in Joey D’s former Brooks Village space on Collier Boulevard last week and another coming early this year on the East Trail. Nectar Lab also has a couple of lounges planned in Cape Coral, as well as others in the works in Collier and Lee counties. 

Cookies and cream 

Specialized cookie bakeries and ice cream parlors found some sweet success in 2023. 

Insomnia Cookies launched in February at University Village near FGCU, Crumbl Cookies came to Cape Coral in March, Cookie Plug opened in June in south Fort Myers and Chip Cookies started baking in Estero in late August. 

Sharing the scoop on more new dessert shops, Spots Ice Cream, Crepes & Sauces just opened in November on Pine Island, joining others that opened last spring: Mr. Bentley’s Ice Cream at Marco Town Center on Marco Island, Fernweh Ice Cream off Bayshore Drive in East Naples, 16 Handles at Meridian Marketplace in North Naples and Holy Moly Ice Cream—home of spaghetti ice cream—in Cape Coral. 

Naples nourishment 

In addition to the many already mentioned, other new dining spots made news this year in Naples.  

Paul Fleming launched a new restaurant concept, PJK Neighborhood Chinese, downtown last spring. Chef Vincenzo Betula introduced Rouge, an intimate steakhouse concept, behind The French on Fifth last summer. Cafe Nutrients merged with Natural Wines Naples to create Bar Nat last fall. 

Other eateries opening in Naples included DiGusto Italian Deli & Tastery, Forever Fiore Tea Lounge and Marquise Cafe. Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen was added and Sbarro returned to the food court at Coastland Center mall. 

North Naples noms 

The North Naples area saw a great deal of restaurant activity in 2023. 

In November, Bicyclette Cookshop replaced Fit & Fuel Cafe in The Pavilion retail center, Old Vines launched in the former TooJay’s Deli space at Mercato and Shabo’s Bistro took over the longtime space of Gino’s Trattoria Per Tutti in Pebblebrooke Center. 

Other notable new restaurants included Binto Thai Street Food Cafe, Blu Jelly, Boutique Sweet Couple, Shea’s Lansdowne Street, The Oasis and the second location of Carole’s House Café & French Bakery. Chains that introduced locations in Collier County included Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen, Mission BBQ and Nautical Bowls.  

New public restaurants inside gated communities included Casa Cotzelli at Island Walk and 

The Village Spot in Village Walk. Butcher Private opened its members-only business club. 

Eastern Collier establishments 

New restaurants opening east of Collier Boulevard, or State Road 951, included the first area locations of Kelly’s Roast Beef, T-Yummi and Oar & Iron at Founders Square. Mercato at Ave opened with multiple food and beverage kiosks in its indoor marketplace in Ave Maria. 

East Naples edibles 

Local entrepreneur Rebecca Maddox launched two more companion pieces on Bayshore Drive. The public-facing Rebecca’s Wine Bar opened in April, followed by The Maddox, a private members-only social club, in October. 

Stix Sushi & Seafood replaced Fish 41 in Lakewood Plaza, Pho An Vietnamese restaurant moved into Asian Palace’s former space in Kings Lake Square and Wild Berry Cafe took over the longtime Gina’s Cafe in the Park industrial park space on Commercial Boulevard. 

Old Vines Supper Club debuted in Davis Plaza on Valentine’s Day, Frankie’s Italian Deli relocated to St. Andrew’s Square in June and Oahu Fresh Bowls came to Marquesa Plaza in July. Additional locations for Jersey Mike’s Subs and Nautical Bowls opened at Business Circle and Stock Plaza, respectively. 

South Collier starts 

Miller’s Ale House opened its second Collier location in Restaurant Row and Captain Morgan’s Seafood Grill launched in Everglades City early in the year. 

Marco Island also saw the opening of The 844 Gulf & Prime, Ori’s Bakery & Cafe, The Island Hideout breakfast-lunch cafe and Thai Thai Sushi Sports Bar. 

Bonita beginnings 

Habaneros Mexican Grill in Prado at Spring Creek was one of the first restaurants to launch in Bonita Springs in 2023. It was followed by Platoo Sushi & Thai in the Shops at Hidden Lakes on U.S. 41 and a trio of new eateries—Waffle Monkey, Wolfmoon Bakery and The Boba Shop—at Entrada on the northeast corner of Old 41 Road and Bonita Beach Road. See this week’s column online for additional news about Lee County restaurants opening in 2023.  

The “Tim Aten Knows” weekly column answers local questions from readers. Email Tim at tim.aten@naplespress.com.