Zoës Kitchen Is Now Cooking in SWFL

Estero got the first taste of the fast-casual Mediterranean joint that has expansion on the horizon.

One down. Two to go. And who knows? If we’re lucky, maybe more in the future.

The definition of healthy and tasty on the go, Zoës Kitchen has arrived in Southwest Florida.

The first of three locations planned for the area opened on June 20 in Estero, across from Coconut Point (22941 Lyden Drive, 239-494-3540). Next up is Mercato in North Naples in November (taking over the vacant Taps space near Second Cup), and next year we’ll see another in the new Whole Foods plaza going up in Fort Myers.

It’s part of a growing chain that started more than two decades ago but only just now made its way to our shores. There’s good reason to be excited: Zoës is not your average quick-serve. You can peruse a wine list and order a glass of Pinot while you wait for appetizers (like lamb meatballs and baked feta) and entrées (such as charbroiled salmon kabobs with pilaf and Greek salad) to be delivered to your table. In fact, there’s a pretty extensive menu divvied up into starters, salads, sandwiches, entrées, kabobs, sides and desserts, along with pre-packed snack boxes and “family meals” (select entrées with a choice of two sides with portions large enough to serve three to five). The icing on Yaya’s chocolate cake (“grandma’s” recipe, made each day) is that each Zoës doesn’t have a microwave or fryer, so it’s pretty hard to eat a meal where you’ve lost all concept of how many calories you’ve consumed—making it easier to justify a slice (or two).

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