Naples is not only a perfect spot to live and play golf, relax or play tennis, it is also a great location to dine out. There are enough restaurants to go to and every year there are new openings. For 2017 at least 20 new restaurants are planned to open in North Naples and northern Golden Gate Estates.
We want just to name a few for you at this time, more to follow!
Randy’s Coastal Kitchen
Randy’s Coastal Kitchen is targeted to be the first business built in the Two Lakes planned unit development on property east of U.S. 41 North a few yards further north of Kane’s Furniture.
Randy’s Coastal Kitchen will be another new venture with a menu that is 75 percent seafood and similar to the original Randy’s which closed doors last fall.
Metro Diner
A family-style diner chain that carries its slogan “Where the locals eat” is estimated to open a location Jan. 31 in the Naples Walk shopping center.
Metro Diner, based in Jacksonville, FL, will open in the highly visible end unit where Mattress World and Blockbusters were located before and is found on the southeast corner of Airport-Pulling and Vanderbilt Beach roads. The huge, I mean huge, menu features breakfast, lunch and dinner favorites.
Breakfast selections vary from two eggs with toast and hash browns or grits for $5.49 to fried chicken and waffles for $15.49. Lunch and dinner selections range from a roasted turkey sandwich with cheddar and bacon on grilled sourdough for $7.99 to Charleston shrimp and grits at $16.99.
Breakfast options include a large selection of waffles, pancakes, French toast, Benedicts, omelets, and breakfast sandwiches. In addition to a variety of burgers and sandwiches, lunch and dinner choices include chicken pot pies, pot roast and meatloaf plates.
LuLu B’s Diner
Lulu B’s will replace the former Erika’s Café and the Gift Tree, which will hold a blowout sale on Super Bowl Sunday and then close after 30 years in the business.
The new diner will serve breakfast and lunch with a retro theme that celebrates the ’60s, much like the original cafe, which will continue operating in Pelican Bay’s Marketplace.
The menu will not only feature favorites such as top-rated burgers and BLTs with a twist, but also breakfast classics served all day. More specialties include omelets, homemade soup and salads, deli sandwiches, malts and shakes. Daily blue plate specials serve up nostalgia with sloppy Joes, meatloaf and open-faced turkey sandwiches.
The Warehouse
Among the first businesses to open in the Cameron Commons is supposed to be The Warehouse, Cuisine and Cocktails.
While construction is heavily moving forward the spot is expected to be a local hangout just east of Collier Boulevard on the north side of Immokalee Road.
Besides a menu of so-called new-age American cuisine, the restaurant and lounge will also feature cocktails and craft beers. On a 5,530-square-foot location there will be indoor and outdoor dining available.
The target is to create a community destination where neighbors can meet and have a good time together.
Burntwood Tavern
North Naples was designated by the Chef Art Pour Restaurant Group to be the first location of Burntwood Tavern outside of its nine in the Ohio area.
Burntwood Tavern is planned to open towards the end of August and fill the whole that Rusty Bucket Restaurant and Tavern, which closed Dec. 31 in Mercato left there.
The 4,300-square-foot venue in Florida will provide the restaurant’s signature interior blend of reclaimed wood, hand-blown glass lighting fixtures, and a copper-topped bar. The location will show as well the rustic and elegant design but also provide a warm, friendly atmosphere to enjoy the high standard of service and food it’s known for in Ohio where many so-called snowbirds might already have visited one of the nine locations.
The menu for lunch and dinner favorites include its harvest chicken salad, cedar salmon, Tavern steak and fries, and a pork chop served with peach jalapeno preserves. Burntwood also is known for its house-infused vodkas, offered in such flavors as cucumber, pickle, and bacon.
The Cave
A very specific new businesses showing up this year is The Cave, a bistro and wine bar planned to open at the Galleria Shoppes at Vanderbilt in North Naples.
The owners of Naples Wine Collection in the same center are relocating their existing wine and gift shop to another unit in the center and enlarge by adding a new business expected to be a culinary destination.
The designated arched ceiling of The Cave is purposed to give it a large, tunnel-like appearance similar to a cave, whereof the name results. A long bar spanning the rear of the room is supposed to serve high-end wines by the glass.
Charlie’s Seafood
A new seafood restaurant and raw bar will join the lineup of existing restaurants at the Piper’s Crossing retail center at the crossing of Immokalee Road and Airport-Pulling Rd.
Heading the eastern end of the center the family friendly spot will be Charlie’s Seafood & Pub. The new local dining opportunity is supposed to open in the next days or weeks in the location formerly occupied by Cider Press Cafe which closed last summer.
Charlie’s Seafood’s offer includes a fresh seafood market featuring clams and crabs. In fact, the entire restaurant will revolve around fresh and also provides its own herb garden along a covered patio.
Fuzzy’s Taco Shop
Although months behind schedule, Fuzzy’s Taco Shop really is going to open soon in North Naples.
The Tex-Mex restaurant is targeted to open Jan. 23 in a redeveloped retail space at 2405 Tarpon Bay Blvd. in the Super Target-anchored plaza on Immokalee Road.
The Texas-based chain known for its Baja-style soft tacos, jumbo burritos, and all-day breakfast opened its first area location last May in south Fort Myers.
The fast-casual restaurant’s menu includes grilled or tempura fish tacos with a distinctive garlic sauce and feta cheese. Other protein choices for either tacos or burritos include shredded chicken or brisket, ground beef, spicy pork, fajita chicken and beef, grilled or tempura shrimp and grilled veggies.
The menu also features enchiladas, fajitas, nachos, quesadillas and other Mexican dinners. Fuzzy’s full-service bar serves a large selection of draft and craft beers, signature frozen cocktails, and several different flavors of Margaritas.
Kruk’s Steaks
Kruk’s Steaks plans to be the local go-to place for authentic Philly cheesesteaks.
The first Kruk’s is coming soon to a unit in the retail center on the corner of Naples Boulevard and Airport-Pulling Road that had been the first Beefstro’s Gourmet Beefs and previously was Fabulous Pita and Quizno’s.
BMK also is the franchisee that last summer opened the region’s first PrimoHoagies, a Philadelphia-based sandwich chain, in North Naples. The first Lee County location opened last week in a former Beefstro’s just outside Gulf Coast Town Center.
Kruk’s menu will be much simpler than PrimoHoagies. The new sandwich shop will offer items such as chicken cheesesteaks, chicken cutlets and fries in addition to Philadelphia’s iconic cheesesteak with thinly sliced steak in a hoagie roll and topped with cheese.
In an effort to mute the dispute as to what kind of cheese tops an authentic cheesesteak, Kruk’s will offer the option of American, Provolone or Cheez Whiz.
DeLuca’s Dogs and Burgers
A new weekday lunch place is targeted to launch next week in the industrial park area north of Pine Ridge Road in North Naples.
The barebones menu of DeLuca’s Dogs and Burgers will turn back the clock on lunch prices. Hamburgers are $1.50, hot dogs $1.30, and hand-cut fries $1.25. Add cheese for another 20 cents or chili for a quarter.
Chef Chris DeLuca is starting the local lunch counter and takeout at DISH Delivery, a Naples-based healthy meal plan service he operates at 5630 Yahl St., unit 4. Yahl runs north off Pine Ridge Road between Shirley Street and Naples Boulevard.
DeLuca is partnering with Chef Mark Buescher to operate the new business, which will be open 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday. The idea is to provide a quick, affordable lunch to workers in the surrounding industrial park. For takeout, call 239-776-0101.
Napoli on the Bay
After expanding with new locations in East Naples and Marco Island last year, Napoli on the Bay will add two more locations this year in North Naples.
The longtime local pizzeria based in Naples’ Crayton Cove is targeted to open next month in the former Carvel ice cream shop at Marquesa Plaza on the southeast corner of Livingston and Pine Ridge roads. Another location is expected to open in the fourth quarter in Vanderbilt Commons, a new strip center that will begin construction soon on Vanderbilt Beach Road west of Collier Boulevard.
Expect the same favorite menu of pizza and pasta, stromboli and calzone, hot and cold sandwiches, and soups and salads.
Vanderbilt Commons
In addition to Napoli on the Bay, a Five Guys burger franchise and a still-unnamed restaurant will locate in the first 35,000-square-foot phase of Vanderbilt Commons. The new retail center is expected to break ground in February or March on Vanderbilt Beach Road just west of the shopping center anchored by Winn-Dixie at Collier Boulevard.
The center’s infrastructure is already in, so it is expected to be delivered this fall.