Even in the middle of summer, the illuminated red bar is three deep as parties wait for a table at Blackbird Modern Asian in Naples. Overhead, a canopy of open parasols casts a soft light across tufted banquettes and stenciled walls, saturated in the bar’s signature crimson. Every so often, the hostess plucks a group from the crowd and leads them down a hallway to the dining room. A floating cherry blossom tree stretches its branches above tightly spaced tables. The room hums with energy. Servers lift smoke-filled cloches to reveal Sichuan spare ribs, with wisps curling into the air. As the evening progresses, the cherry blossoms glow deep purple, cocktails flow freely and the chatter swells. In short, Blackbird is a total vibe.
In an industry where so much artistry goes into what’s on the plate, restaurants like Blackbird remind us that mood, too, must be made—built through every richly detailed interior, lo-fi playlist and flickering candle. “From the napkins to the lighting to the art, there have to be elements to heighten your senses,” Blackbird partner Scott Frielich says. “If you get enough of those, along with the food and service, it becomes a whole vibe.”
The first impression of a restaurant sets the tone for the entire evening, and at Naples’ The Continental, the entrance is designed to wow. “We’ve got big black gates draped in purple and pink bougainvillea. You walk along beautiful fountains filled with koi to a vintage trunk with hosts waiting for you,” general manager Beau Harris says. “You can see the bar, which is usually packed, before you’re even seated. It builds excitement.”
Photography by Anna Nguyen
Photography by Anna Nguyen
Courtesy The Buzz Agency/Eric Laignel
Photography by Lori Hamilton
At The Bohemian in Bonita Springs, stepping through the door is more akin to falling through the looking glass. The modern, all-white exterior gives way to a stunning jewel box with walls drenched in rich teal paint—a surprise that mirrors the delightful unconventionality of chef Brandon Schewe’s wandering, Asian-inflected menu. His wife, Caitlin, designed the space, installing cheetah print carpeting and scouring local consignment shops for gold-framed mirrors, monkey sconces and bold artwork, which she layered on the walls with abandon. “You have to have no fear,” she says. “You play and move everything around. I have a whole garage full of rejects.” Silver-dipped incandescent light bulbs, candles and carefully positioned track lights imbue the room with mood lighting, and the playlist gets progressively rowdier, with more hip-hop and R&B as the night goes on. “I wanted somewhere for date night,” Caitlin says. “It’s dark—every light that could possibly be on a dimmer is on a dimmer.”
Interiors can define an entire concept. At Naples’ The Vine Room, green velvet banquettes, a shimmering honeyed onyx bar and art nouveau prints mirror the iconic cocktail bars of Paris and London, while next door, at Le Colonial, the aesthetic evokes a lounge in 1920s French Vietnam. Mahogany paneling, patterned tiles, abundant live plants, original paintings and slow-spinning ceiling fans evoke languid evenings in Saigon. “The food, the plants, even the uniforms are part of it,” says designer Darrah Ferrari Wahlstedt, speaking to the transportive design.
Once inside, standout drinks don’t just complement the ambience; they help define it. Attaching a celebrity bartender to the cocktail program lends instant credibility and cachet. Le Colonial partnered with renowned Miami mixologist Danilo Božović on its modern-tropical list. At The Vine Room, drinks are presented with theatrical flair, turning a pre-dinner cocktail into an immersive experience. Bartenders hand-carve ice, top cocktails with swirls of salted foam or smoke-filled bubbles, light garnishes on fire, and present drinks in treasure chests billowing with dry ice.
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Photography by Anna Nguyen
swfl restaurants with ambiance vine room up close
First impressions are everything, and at The Vine Room on Fifth Avenue South, green velvet, an onyx bar and dry ice-filled treasure chests deliver.
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Photography by Anna Nguyen
swfl restaurants with ambiance vine room
Elsewhere, the real intrigue is deep in the backbar or cellar, where exceptional bottles foster a sense of indulgence. Warren American Whiskey Kitchen curates a portfolio of more than 600 whiskeys, including rare pours of Pappy Van Winkle and Buffalo Trace O.F.C. Vintage.
Not every restaurant telegraphs its sensibility with velvet and vintage bourbon. At Nat Nat, the mood is stripped-down and instinctual, shaped by its walls of wine and tight list of shareable plates. Unfussy and convivial, natural wine culture draws chefs and sommeliers to the Naples wine bar, giving it the air of a food insiders’ haunt—dialed-in just enough to feel effortlessly cool, yet still approachable. To amplify that energy, chef and co-owner Ming Yee hosts frequent pop-ups, partnering with local talent from wine importers to chefs to bands and DJs spinning vinyl. “We use the restaurant as a vessel to interact with the community,” Ming says.
Music also heralds the tone at Bicyclette Cookshop, where ’90s rap pumps through the speakers, signaling that this isn’t the typical Naples dining experience. James Beard Award-nominated chef Kayla Pfeiffer’s unexpected, playful cuisine is the vibe unto itself. Haute caviar is paired with Bugles, a nostalgic childhood snack; often-overlooked hamachi collar is charred and artistically presented on an abstract splatter of romesco; and the roast half chicken comes with its curled claw still attached. “When the food is put down on the table, [I want there to be] a conversation about the last time you had Bugles. We’re making the food more of a conversation,” she says.
Whether the mood is meticulously designed or intentionally lo-fi, there’s a rare alchemy when design, sound, food and drinks come together. “We have people who make reservations three months out for Friday and Saturday nights [in season],” Beau says of The Continental. “When the drinks are going, the band is playing and the weather is as beautiful as we had this spring, it definitely makes for some magic.”
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Photography by Anna Nguyen
swfl restaurants with ambiance bicyclette cookshop
At Bicyclette Cookshop, ‘90s rap pumps while James Beard-nominated chef Kayla Pfeiffer plates surprises like hamachi collar on romesco and chicken with the claw still attached.
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Courtesy Alchemy Agency
swfl restaurants with ambiance the warren
Warren American Whiskey Kitchen’s 600-plus bottles—including rare Pappy Van Winkle—spell indulgence. Right: Nat Nat’s walls of natural wine and unfussy cool attract chefs and sommeliers.
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Photography by Anna Nguyen
swfl restaurants with ambiance bar nat nat