Appetite_HotDish_web
True Food Kitchen and Ocean Prime have taken Naples by storm. Here, we take a look at these newcomers and make a few recommendations for some similar restaurants in Southwest Florida.
Hot for Health
Chain: True Food Kitchen (Naples)
Shtick: It’s appropriate for the yogi who prefers Louis Vuitton to Lululemon when knocking around town—as well as her companions, be they açai-munching moms or executives who can’t imagine dinner without a piece of meat. The cuisine at the sunny spot in the Waterside Shops is rooted in the anti-inflammatory diet developed by Dr. Andrew Weil. While the menu screams “good-for-you” with trendy ingredients like chia, kale, quinoa and spelt, restaurant mogul Sam Fox didn’t forget to make the dishes (and drinks) taste great, too. truefoodkitchen.com
Read our review of True Food Kitchen here.
The Locals
New: The Living Vine Organic Café (Fort Myers) is considerably more casual but equally fresh and delicious. livingvinecafe.com
Splurge: The Local (Naples), Harold’s (Fort Myers) and Purple Spoon Culinary (Bonita Springs) are not quite as overtly bent on health, but their focus on local and organic sure does make us feel good about dining there. thelocalnaples.com, haroldscuisine.com, chefkristina.com
Steal: Food & Thought (Naples) and Barefoot Beach Farmacy & Cafe (Bonita Springs) both grow their own organic produce used to make uber-healthful creations. foodandthought.com, bbfarmmarket.com
One If by Land, Two If by Sea
Chain: Ocean Prime (Naples)
Shtick: With a roughly even split between seafood and steak, this spot’s highlights include a unique diver scallop dish with lemony sweet pea risotto and pink-to-perfection rib-eyes, not to mention killer cocktails. The restaurant is the haute flagship of an independently owned company from Ohio-based restaurateur Cameron Mitchell. He pulls out the stops here, so much so that literally everything is made on-site, from the simple syrups to the béarnaise. (If you’re feeling saucy, order something not on the menu; rumor has it, the kitchen will accommodate any request.) ocean-prime.com
The Locals
New: St. Germain Steakhouse (Naples) mixes prime rib with lobster tail, and Summerlin Jake’s Seafood and Steaks (Fort Myers) has something for all palates, plus a Southern accent to boot. stgermainsteakhouse.com, summerlinjakes.com
Splurge: Jimmy P’s Charred (Naples) is not just a steakhouse; it touts some of the freshest, most expertly prepared catches around. jimmypscharred.com
Steal: For deals on surf and turf, budget-conscious diners swim toward Bill’s Steak & Seafood (Naples). billssteakandseafood.com