Dave Osborn | Naples Daily News

There’s movie theater popcorn and then there’s Alamo Drafthouse Cinema popcorn.

Picking the film will be the easy part. Movie-goers will then have to choose from the traditional Bottomless Popcorn ($9.95, with real butter and free refills); Truffle Herb Parmesan Popcorn ($11.95); and Churro Popcorn ($11.95, “tossed with custom blend of cinnamon, sugar, maple & vanilla”).

The new theater at Mercato in North Naples opens April 29, in the same location as Silverspot, which opened in 2009 ― one year after the outdoor shopping and entertainment center opened.

With so many food and drink choices, if Billy Joel tried to include them all in a song, it would be longer than his 4½-minute 1989 hit “We Didn’t Start the Fire.”

What else to know about the movie house.

More than Goobers and Gummi Bears
Alamo Drafthouse Cinema serves candy including M&M’s and Sour Patch Kids, but it’s the extensive menu for food and drinks that makes it stand out more than most other movie house companies.

There are 11 starters, including the three popcorn options but also healthier choices like vegan cauliflower bites and avocado toast; seven sandwiches, from the Hellfire Burger to the Beyond Meat Vegan Burger; four salads; three entrees, including fish & chips; seven pizzas choices, including Brussels Sprout, Bacon & Goat Cheese; five flavors of shakes; and four kids only options, like mini-corn dogs.

And the drink options are about as robust, with 24 beers on draft; 11 “bottles and cans” choices for beers, White Claw and more; nine red wines, such as a $120 bottle of Benton Lane Pinot Noir from Oregon; six white wines; five rose and sparkling; and a dozen signature cocktails, like the Habanero Margarita, Alamo Old Fashioned and Bourbon Peach Smash.

There’s more: 17 whiskeys, including a couple 10-year bourbons; nine agaves; five gins; seven rums; five vodkas; two Brandies; three “boozy shakes”; and one non-alcoholic drink (Seedlip Grove 42).

Read the full article on naplesnews.com.

J. Kyle Foster | Naples Daily News

On a Saturday afternoon in January, Mercato in North Naples is busy and will get busier as the hours pass.

People come for the experience – from food and shopping to unique events and outdoor entertainment; from family fun to adult time that includes romantic dinners, cigars, drinks and dancing. The later the night, the heels get higher and the clothes get tighter.

At 4 p.m., it is 75 degrees and a group of 6- to 8-year-old girls practices cartwheels on artificial turf in the middle of the shopping center and later play hide-and-seek – all near busy restaurants, retail stores and an art show that has the street in between closed.

At 8 p.m., the green space is filled with people listening to Wendell Ray singing DNCE’s “Cake by the Ocean,” some sitting in chairs they brought with them. Others dancing. Children hop and run around. Stiletto-clad women in short skirts walk by to go to the three late-night spots – Blue Martini, Cavo and Burn.

Most of the restaurants have outdoor seating to take advantage of the Southwest Florida weather and the desire for visitors to enjoy it. Among the restaurants are The 239 Naples, Bar Tulia, The Capital Grille, The Pub, The Hampton Social, Rocco’s Tacos & Tequila Bar, Chipotle, Grace & Shelly’s Cupcakes, Kilwin’s ice cream.

Some of these also have locations eight miles south on Fifth Avenue South, also a very popular shopping and eating area in Naples.

“We share a lot of guests (with) downtown,” said Daniel McLean, general manager of Mercato’s Bar Tulia, whose first location was on Fifth. The cocktail menus at each location are created by the bartenders and are different, as are most of the menu items, he said.”It’s even more reason to go to both places” McLean said.

Shopping mall vs. downtown feel
“It’s like a walking shopping mall,” said Heidi Zizza as she was having drinks with friends at a table in the corner near the sidewalk at Blue Martini. “It’s very different from Fifth. Fifth Avenue is more of a downtown.”

Read the full article with photos onnaplesnews.com.

Diana Biederman | Naples Daily News

One of my all-time favorite traditions is dinner and a show. When growing up, my parents always paired the two, whether heading to Broadway, the ballet or opera at Lincoln Center.

Fun habits are hard to break. That ― and once I’m out for the night, why not make the most of it?

Tis the season for the performing arts in Collier County, though I wish they were accessible year-round. With that in mind, we’ve created a list featuring several favorite restaurants convenient to Collier County’s best-known venues and players.*

Two tips before heading out:
Given how bananas traffic is right now, allow ample time for delays and finding parking.
Make a reservation and let your server know what time you need to be out, even if you included that info while making a reservation.

Venue: Marco Island Center for the Arts’ Theatre
Venue: The Norris Center, home to the Gulfshore Playhouse
Performers: Opera Naples
The players: TheatreZone

Read the full article and restaurant recommendations for each venue on naplesnews.com.