…including a local Food Network cheftestant
Diana Biederman | Naples Daily News
Local restaurateurs are shaking things up this summer. A Peruvian restaurant in East Naples has a new owner who’s also the top chef there. The town’s (arguably) most famous punk-rock pizza purveyor trades barbecue at Bayfront for a new brew-focused concept. His chef from another venture is now at the new spot.
And we have three more chef moves making news at high-end hot spots in Naples.
Read all the chef changes on naplesnews.com.
Find a home in the Naples, Florida area! Contact David at David@DavidFlorida.com or 239-285-1086.
See who nabbed second place out of 67 counties.
Samantha Neely | Fort Myers News-Press
Southwest Florida has a new recyclable spotlight on it.
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection released its data for the highest recycling rates in Florida counties, with Charlotte, Collier, and Lee counties all ranking within the top five.
Here’s what to make from the data and what residents can do to help the region stay on track.
Lee County sees spotlight for recycling:Lee tops all Florida counties in recycling for 2021 by reusing 1.6 million tons of trash.
Where did Southwest Florida rank against other counties?
While Southwest Florida didn’t take the number one spot at 80%, it claimed the next positions on the list:
- Collier County – 78%
- Charlotte County – 76%
- Lee County – 72%
Read the full article on naplesnews.com.
Find a home in southwest Florida. Contact David at David@DavidFlorida.com or 239-285-1086.
Naples, Fort Myers restaurants among OpenTable’s Top 100 in US for outdoor dining
Diana Biederman | Naples Daily News
Not too surprising, Naples and Fort Myers restaurants were well represented in the new OpenTable “Top 100” favorite outdoor finds in America.
The restaurant reservations platform, as determined by “verified diner reviews,” awarded Florida 17 total nods, with Naples and Fort Myers representing 5% overall ― more than any other destination in the state. Only California had more winners, with 31.
Alberto’s on Fifth
During season, the line to dine at Alberto’s can stretch down the street. Off-season, it’s less competitive. A recent visit with my college alumnae social group was outside, where we enjoyed the restaurant’s two-course al fresco deal with a glass of wine for $35 per person. True story: a bestie found love on a blind date there that she attributes to Torino-born chef-owner Alberto Varetto’s food.
Campiello
And the awards keep coming to Campiello, which earned a 2022 spot on OpenTable’s overall Top 100 best nationally in December, the only restaurant in town noted.
The Claw Bar at Bellasera Resort
Live like you’re on vacation at this glam spot that channels Beverly Hills and London’s late Le Caprice (IFYKYK) vibes, albeit sunnier and a tad more casually. Seafood towers, great burgers and potent martinis (make it gin for authenticity) paired with sunbrella seating on the patio adjacent to the hotel pool is an idyllic way to spend time.
See the other restaurants that made Open Table’s list on naplesnews.com.
Contact David to find a home in Naples near these noted restaurants. David@DavidFlorida.com or 239-285-1086
Ritz-Carlton, Naples, slammed by Ian, reopens bigger, better, on Vanderbilt Beach
Laura Layden | Naples Daily News
The Ritz-Carlton Resort, Naples quietly reopened to resort guests last week, giving them the first peek at its major transformation.
Now, locals can see and experience the same.
On Monday, the Ritz rolled out the welcome mat to the community – and all visitors. The transformation includes several new restaurants, and a new lobby bar, with a champagne tasting menu, and “elevated light bites,” such a caviar and wagyu truffle sliders.
The world-renowned resort took a beating from Hurricane Ian, forcing it to close for more than nine months, and to lay off nearly 600 employees.
The coastal property on Vanderbilt Beach remained open in the midst of a multimillion-dollar renovation, until Ian hit in September, swamping it with water and sand, and lashing it with high winds.
Upgrades to the resort include the new Vanderbilt Tower, with an expansive new club lounge and more than 70 more spacious club-level guest rooms.
Read more about the Ritz Carlton and the club-level experience.
Find a home in the Naples, Florida area! Contact David at David@DavidFlorida.com or 239-285-1086.
Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park is open after Hurricane Ian and it’s still glorious
Amenities, treeline, dunes were destroyed by the storm.
Naples Daily News Staff
Key points
- Parking fills up quickly and is limited to lots 1 and 2.
Bring cash to pay fees as there’s no guardhouse.
Pets are not allowed on the beach itself but can go inside the park.
Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park reopened in May 2023 after suffering major damage during Hurricane Ian. The popular, natural Naples beach is a local favorite, has historically ranked high in national best beach lists and ranks as the No. 1 best thing to do in Naples by U.S. News & World Report.
Before Ian, the park attracted about a half-million visitors each year.
Read more about the park and how it looks now on naplesnews.com.
