Agave Returns to Its Roots

The North Naples restaurant and tequila bar is undergoing a revitalization.

When the North Naples restaurant and tequila bar Agave opened in 2011, you could barely get a reservation. It was the first time Neapolitans had seen an innovative approach to food from the American Southwest and Mexico with a striking contemporary feel.

But somewhere between the strong margaritas and house-made tortillas, it lost its footing. Tableside guacamole with more toppings than what you’d see at most big-city Mexican restaurants was shelved, and dishes that could not even be argued as Tex-Mex crept onto the menu. It still had loyal supporters, particularly for its top-shelf tequilas, happy hours and late-night music scene, but it just wasn’t generating the heat it could.

For its fifth anniversary this fall, however, a high priestess in the world of fine dining stepped in to work her magic. Angela Morales, who developed a reputation for herself as the sommelier of Angelina’s, is now overseeing operations for both Angelina’s and Agave. She spearheaded the rebranding and menu overhaul and brought back the guacamole carts for good in September, and we can taste the results.