The scent and sound of sizzling garlic and onions waft in from an unknown source at Backyard Social in Fort Myers. Plates and paper boats piled high with crispy truffle fries, overloaded lobster rolls and saucy slabs of ribs accessorize outdoor tables and the faces of the people digging into them. Basket pendant lights sway to the thumping R&B remixes from a DJ who’s proven he can handle the demands of the throngs that swarm the 9,000-square-foot space. Somewhere nearby, the rhythmic knocks and tumbles of falling pins from the on-site bowling alley punch into the air.

This is the scene at one of Southwest Florida’s newest food truck parks. Over the past few years, hip, alfresco, social hubs with a range of mobile canteens have popped up locally, from Backyard Social and Bay Street Yard in Fort Myers to Rooftop at Riverside in Bonita Springs and Naples’ Celebration Park.

The then-innovative Celebration blazed the trail in 2018 when it opened in the Bayshore Arts District, quickly cultivating a strong millennial and Gen Z following. The pandemic’s demand to safely gather alfresco fueled the park’s popularity. Post-Hurricane Ian, in 2022, a slate of new parks emerged, filling the need for outdoor-driven, adaptable social spaces with affordable eats and electrifying energy—places where locals could reunite, heal and embrace a remodeled future.

[caption id="attachment_71900" align="aligncenter" width="850"] A slate of events and activities fills food truck parks’ calendars—from the seasonal maker markets at Backyard Social (above) to the dance nights at Bay Street Yard to the Wooftop Wednesdays for dog lovers at Bonita’s Rooftop at Riverside. Photography by Brian Tietz[/caption]

Beyond touting contemporary architecture, striking public art and built-in social games, the venues pump out a wealth of high-quality cuisine. Pick a table at any of these locales, and you’ll be surrounded by a range of skilled home cooks-turned-restaurateurs, barbecue masters in the making and classically trained chefs testing their next ventures. And, each truck offers something distinct.

At Backyard’s No Manches, self-taught Peruvian chef Vanessa Franco Goñi infuses her homeland’s flavors into familiar Mexican dishes for inspired creations like quesabirria bao buns and pork carnitas tacos stuffed in fresh-pressed blue corn tortillas (which Vanessa picks up daily from Tortilleria La Guera in Lehigh Acres). “Cooking my food means independence and doing my own thing,” she says. A few trucks over, Fort Myers-raised, mid-twenties Tyler Goguen brings Central Texas craft-style ’cue to the game with Beau’s BBQ. Thick slabs of beef ribs and brisket by the pound (with a simple dry rub smoked low-and-slow for 15 hours over post oak wood) dance out of the truck alongside soft slices of white bread, pickles and paper boats brimming with picnic sides.

[caption id="attachment_71901" align="aligncenter" width="850"] Chefs revel in the creative challenge of serving from a 120-square-foot food truck. The need for experimentation leads to dishes like quesabirria bao buns at the Mexican-Peruvian No Manches truck at Fort Myers’ Backyard Social. Photography by Brian Tietz[/caption]

Chefs appreciate the creative challenges and freedom of cooking in a 120-square-foot truck. Having no set restaurant menu to occlude the imagination has drawn big-name restaurateurs, like 21 Spices’ Asif Sayed and the Neri family, owners of Naples’ beloved Molto Trattoria. Both restaurateurs have satellite locations at Celebration with blessedly stripped-down versions of their established fine-dining menus (think: roasted lamb naan flatbreads with mint chutney at Asif’s Deccani Bites and classic, deep-fried arancini rice balls at Molto Street Food).

With more options at your fingertips, it’s easy to find something to satisfy everyone—even restricted eaters. The gluten-adverse find pie heaven at Rooftop at Riverside’s Zoey’s Pizza, from father-daughter duo Doug and Zoey Lester. Born partly out of necessity (Zoey has celiac disease), the Lesters’ menu of gluten-free pizzas (plus, free-range chicken wings and salads) relies on flour imported from Italy and recipes informed by Doug’s experience as a Le Cordon Bleu Australia-trained chef.

Not feeling pizza that day? Go to any of the other trucks around Zoey’s for po’ boys with Gulf-caught shrimp at OCN Seafood Co.; savory galettes and sweet crêpes from the French-run Ma Petite Crêperie; and small-batch wholesome and booze-spiked ice cream at Crooked Cow Creamery.

[caption id="attachment_71902" align="aligncenter" width="850"] Backyard Social’s clubby atmosphere—filled with psychedelic murals, old-school games and neon signs—reflects the decidedly youthful tilt of the food truck park craze. Photography by Brian Tietz[/caption]

The vibe within these ‘eatertainment centers’—as Backyard Social’s co-owner Mat Baum calls food truck parks—is decidedly youthful. Backyard exudes the energy of a hip Miami club, with its sprightly, 1980s-inspired synth-wave aesthetic (psychedelic murals, old-school games, neon signs). “There’s no pressure—it allows for people to relax and do what they think is fun,” Mat says.

Rooftop at Riverside celebrates a local sense of place, with its beach house-like, two-story site housing the only rooftop bar in Bonita. Owner Chris Magnus honors his hometown’s heritage on the walls, with relics from the Bonita Springs Historical Society, and on the cocktail menu, developed by TV show Bar Rescue cohost Phil Wills. Special drinks nod to local landmarks and icons like the Belle Myers gin cooler, named after a 1900s ferry that went to and from Downtown Bonita. “People were worried about losing our small-town charm and [having] overdevelopment, so we said, ‘Let’s listen to the people,” Chris says. “Our history in Bonita Springs isn’t really old, but it is really cool.”

To foster a sense of community and make good on food truck parks’ experiential promise, Chris maintains a steady lineup of events, including bingo nights and the charming Wooftop Wednesdays, with dog meals at each truck.

[caption id="attachment_71903" align="aligncenter" width="850"] Celebration Park blazed the trail for Southwest Florida food truck parks in 2018 when it opened in Naples’ Bayshore corridor, fueling the neighborhood’s artful revitalization. Photography by Brian Tietz[/caption]

Entertainment and community are built into the fabric of all the parks, evidenced by the omnipresence of ping-pong tables, cornhole sets and socializing nooks. Fort Myers’ newer Bay Street Yard revolves around its outdoor stage, which hosts live music and has a big screen for sporting events. Renowned Fort Myers-based modernist architect Joyce Owens designed the showpiece venue, using shipping containers for the two bars and bathrooms (with a communal trough sink between) and the upstairs VIP platform. “There are all kinds of different spaces—the lawn with Adirondacks and high-tops; the covered seating area between the bars; upstairs, which has three curtained-off ‘suites’ you can reserve and a rail overlooking the stage,” Joyce says. The warehouse-chic space, across the street from Luminary Hotel & Co., solidifies the area’s reputation as a culinary hub, with three distinct food trucks painted to match Bay Street’s vibe.

Just like Celebration and Rooftop at Riverside are benchmarks for their neighborhoods’ revitalization, Bay Street fosters Downtown Fort Myers’ return as a dynamic urban center. “What’s nice is it’s a contained urban site,” Joyce says. Chance encounters by the trough sink and under the covered bar lead to friendships, lovers groove along to live music (the open-concept, alfresco setting means there’s plenty of room to boogie) and families let children roam free, knowing intrepid tykes can’t venture beyond Bay Street’s strategically walled-in perimeter. “It brings people closer together,” Joyce says. “Like every great party, it’s not spread out.”

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The post Food Truck Parks Take Over SWFL—Here’s Where to Find the Best Eats appeared first on Gulfshore Life.

Offering a vacation from the mundane, fruity cocktails transport us to leisurely poolside afternoons near turquoise waters fringed with swaying palms. These colorful drinks spell summer.  

Myriad beach bars dole out umbrella- adorned drinks by the buckets, but most serious cocktail makers and imbibers scoff at the thought of piña coladas and strawberry daiquiris. It’s not that aficionados don’t like fruity libations—refined programs from Unidos—A Latin Restaurant + Bar in Naples to Jungle Bird Tiki in Cape Coral flaunt their affinity for fruit-centric drink cultures. They shun the diluted versions that came with the introduction of cheap spirits and artificial mixers. But here, bartenders rise up with properly balanced, just-sweet-enough sippers that remind us why life is better on the Gulf. Fruit in cocktails can be found across eras and styles—from 17th-century party- perfect punches to Spanish sangrias to modern classics, like the pineapple-y East 8 Hold Up—but tiki culture reigns supreme. At Jungle Bird Tiki, Jeremy Vincent and his spirited maestros reclaim the Polynesian-inspired genre, following the standards established by the 1930s forefathers: homemade syrups, layered ingredients, kitschy fun and tons of fresh juices. The menu touts classics, like the Zombie and Hurricane (upgraded with premium rum and homemade fassionola, a passionfruit-based syrup), along with plenty of modern variations. Try the Fighter Pilot, with four rums and housemade falernum, or the less-boozy, Champagne- based Death to Fresh with peach, raspberry and pineapple—all served up in whimsical tiki mugs, naturally.

Jeremy’s newer Front Porch Social, near the Cape Coral Parkway, takes the focus off tiki but keeps fruit at the center of drinks, such as The Pair of Pears with lychee, prickly pear and pineapple. On weekends, ask for a mimosa flight, a tower with four fruit-infused glasses of bubbly. 

[caption id="attachment_70905" align="alignleft" width="284"] A pepper jelly infused Jam Bramble at Front Porch Social[/caption]

In Naples, The Cave Bistro & Wine Bar’s sultry setting and oenophile inclinations belie the bartenders’ appreciation for the tiki craft. The bar has a secret, discretionary menu with turn-of-the-century classics and modern spins. Derek Van Dusen, who developed most of the list, proves fruity doesn’t have to mean light and sweet. If you prefer a burlier quaff, go for the Smokin’ Buddies, with scotch and mezcal tamed with lime, or Derek’s Any Port in a Storm, which updates the bourbon-and-passionfruit Port Light classic with single-malt.  Derek likes to play with lesser-known spirits, liqueurs and house-made creations to upend imbiber’s expectations. For his new Mumei (translates to ‘No Name’), he mixes rich Plantation Original Dark Rum with house falernum, coconut cream, an apricot cordial, bitters, lemon and a dash of saltwater solution. Don’t discount a drink as saccharine because you see ingredients like coconut cream or apricot, Derek warns. Studied bartenders know how to blend bitters, tinctures and other elements to enhance and balance flavors. “It’s like a spice rack in your kitchen,” he says.

[caption id="attachment_70908" align="alignright" width="300"] Quality ingredients are key for balanced fruity libations at The Cave Bistro & Wine Bar in Naples.[/caption]

It’s not all tiki in the fruity cocktail world, either. Latin America lays claim to many exemplars, and few riff on the tropics better than Naples Design District’s Unidos. “We have such good produce [in Southwest Florida],” bar manager Luke Dunlap says. “There are so many flavors you can work with that bring a new dynamic to a drink.”

The team makes the sauces for tipples like Gin & Jam—a playful mix of gin and blackberry jam—and the new Quiero Morada. “The name plays off the color ‘purple’ in Spanish, but it also sounds like ‘I want more’,” he says. Luke makes the jam for his artisanal spin on a blueberry daiquiri, boiling and macerating the berries with cloves, cinnamon, orange, sugar and lemon. The blended rum libation is  milk-clarified into a smooth sipper.

Cape Coral’s Nice Guys Pizza—a gritty bar that low-key touts one of the best drink programs in town—reclaims another fruity icon: the piña colada. For Nice Guys’ Escape, co-owner Greg Gebhard developed a ‘double juice’ technique, where he takes freeze-dried pineapple and rehydrates it with orange juice for an intensely flavored mix that exalts both fruits (“It doubles the flavor without diluting the drink,” he says.). Greg clarifies the alchemy to refine the texture and hits it with nitrogen gas for a creamy, velvety finish.

[caption id="attachment_70906" align="alignleft" width="300"] Nice Guys Pizza in Cape Coral uses a 'double juice' method for its velvety Escape nitro pina coloda. Photo By Brian Tietz[/caption]

Fresh, high-quality ingredients define the modern fruity cocktail. “We like to spend more money and put a higher-quality rum in the drink,” Jungle Bird’s Jeremy says. “Instead of doing 4 ounces of pineapple juice and 4 ounces of coconut cream, we can do half an ounce of each and let the good ingredients shine.”

At Naples’ Seventh South Craft Food + Drink, Barry Larkin adds another layer of fruity sweetness to his twist on the citrusy Bee’s Knees, with a dose of the Caribbean’s sweetened lime-and-spice liqueur falernum. In Bonita Springs, The Bohemian uses British-made, Naples-based Rivi Gin for its fan-favorite Green Goddess cocktail. The citrusy, herbal, spiced creation uses sake blended with Asian yuzu, ginger, mint from Bonita’s Farmer Mike’s U Pick,  and a spritz of absinthe. We also love the restaurant’s Tiki Vibez with caramelized pineapple puree and a banana cordial.

[caption id="attachment_70904" align="alignright" width="200"] Seventh South Craft Food + Drink's Barry Larkin plays with grapefruit bitters, stone fruit spirits, and fresh lime and lemon juices. Photo By Brian Tietz[/caption]

Revered Southwest Florida bartender Stanley Worrell—who’s at The Bohemian and nearby Chartreuse Craft Cocktail Lounge—says ice is key for a good fruity drink. Once your ingredients are properly proportioned, the right-sized cubes help with controlled dilution to further balance sweetness or acidity. Shaking isn’t just for show, either, he says. The movement integrates the fresh ingredients and aerates the drink, creating a velvety, foamy texture.

Unidos’ bar manager, Luke, reminds us the harvest is not just sweet berries or sour citrus. “Fruit is not one note,” he says. “So many people think of peppers and things like that as vegetables, but they’re fruit.” In other words, if you’re not playing with fruit, you’re missing out.

[caption id="attachment_70909" align="aligncenter" width="200"] The Bohemian's Tiki Vibez cocktail blends caramelized pineapple puree and a banana cordial with two rums. Courtesy The Bohemian. [/caption]

[caption id="attachment_70907" align="aligncenter" width="300"] The Bohemian[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_70903" align="aligncenter" width="200"] The Bohemian bar uses seasonal fruits for drinks. Photo by Scott McIntyre[/caption]

The post SWFL Craft Bars Reinvent Fruity Cocktails—And they’re Better Than Ever appeared first on Gulfshore Life.

We islanders saw tragedy after Hurricane Ian. Many, like myself, went homeless for a year or more. The storm not only damaged our beaches, causeway and beloved lighthouse, it also wrecked our vibrant dining scene. For me, a food lover and writer, the sudden loss of restaurants around Sanibel and Captiva Island made my stomach sink.  

Now, here we are, nearly two years later, and it feels miraculous. More than half our dining establishments are back in some form, and new creations have popped up along the way.  

I think back to when I returned to Sanibel after being displaced for eight months. My husband and I were living out of a tiny FEMA trailer next to our shell of a home, any lingering possessions covered in muck. We didn’t have so much as a coffee maker at the time. Even the pared-down menu at the restaurant inside Jerry’s Foods felt like a blessing. The grocery store had reopened shortly after the storm. It’s hard to understand the bliss of sitting down for a cup of coffee and greeting neighbors until life’s simple comforts are stripped away.  

In those first few months, a sprinkling of reopenings offered locals glimmers of hope. Those of us who could showed up in earnest to support tenacious restaurateurs like Cielo. The fine-dining locale, housed in a sturdy, second-story perch, welcomed guests back in November of 2022 and only recently stopped the lunch service created post-Ian to fill the gap in daytime dining for those of us working to rebuild.  

Local favorite Traders also opened in time for Thanksgiving, reprising its popular lunch and dinner menus, starring horseradish salmon and bourbon- and figbraised short ribs. Nearby, stalwart Bleu Rendezvous French Bistro was destroyed by 4 feet of water. Being the undaunted hosts and entrepreneurs they are, chef Christian Vivet and his wife, Mari, moved around the corner, rebuilt and reopened by the spring of 2023. With an open-kitchen format, redolent plates of fine French fare and Mari greeting guests at the door, the new Bleu Rendezvous manages to capture the close-knit feel and inimitable brand of authentic Francophile cuisine that’s enthralled diners for the couple’s more than two decades in the area. Few dinners have been more rewarding than those my husband and I shared at Bleu Rendezvous last summer—a respite of normalcy and finery while we were sweating it out, waiting for the second round of contractors to make progress on our gutted home of nearly 35 years.  

[caption id="attachment_70009" align="aligncenter" width="2500"] Courtesy Traders Restaurant[/caption]

Captiva Island, farther north, fared better in the storm—the hurricane veered east and inland, sparing the upper islands from some of the more devastating flooding. But, local restaurants took a beating. The Mucky Duck has since bounced back to its beachy, kitschy glory, but the fantastical The Bubble Room Restaurant remains shuttered (fans of the famed layered cakes are appeased at the sister Boops by the Bubble Room ice cream parlor next door).  

Consummate restaurateur Sandy Stilwell Youngquist is steadily reviving her kingdom of restaurants, most of which are in historic buildings—part of her drive to preserve Old Florida charm. Early on, she held fans over with Rico Suave’s Food Truck, parked in front of the now-reopened Cantina Captiva. While two of her five restaurants are still on the way, Sandy notably relaunched her intimate, 12-table Sunshine Seafood Café and Wine Bar, with a fresh indoor-outdoor look and lauded Ryan Kida—a local favorite since his days running Yabo restaurant in Fort Myers—at the helm of the kitchen.  

Amid the roster of returning staples— Gramma Dot’s; my favorite seafood spot, Timbers Restaurant & Fish Market; Over Easy Cafe, where the owners are like family for half of Sanibel; longtime friend Richard McCurry’s The Sanibel Café and its trademark seashell tables, which survived the storm; and our neighborhood hangout MudBugs Cajun Kitchen— newcomers continue to delight islanders.  

By summer 2023, ’Tween Waters Island Resort & Spa was back on track with its pre-Ian plans for a cosmic shift to its dining scene. The resort’s Old Captiva House reopened two months after the storm in its same gracious landmark space, while the longtime Crow’s Nest restaurant refined its casual, nautical feel and changed its name to The Shipyard. Overhead, the team built out the elevated-in-all-ways chophouse, which claimed the name of Crow’s Nest Steakhouse and introduced a new paradigm for island dining. One of the few second-floor eateries on the island, the restaurant offers a heightened level of sophistication and panoramic views of the beach. It’s the perfect backdrop for digging into the smoked appetizers, dry-aged steaks and Gulf-caught seafood, along with a heady collection of nearly 50 whiskeys.  

[caption id="attachment_70010" align="alignleft" width="512"] Photo by Scott McIntyre[/caption]

Rosalita’s Cantina filled another hole for islanders when it debuted in April 2023 with a modern take on Tex-Mex (try the pumpkin seed-encrusted salmon with butternut squash hash and crispy pickled red onions). Perhaps the biggest news of all is the arrival of Wickies Lighthouse Restaurant. People were already lamenting the loss of Island Cow when the tourist favorite burned down a month before Ian. Then, the storm came along and swept away the fine-dining institution Mad Hatter. The Alice in Wonderland-themed, upscale dining locale had been breaking all the molds for decades with chef Max Kolshak’s honed skill and fanciful flair.  

We breathed a collective sigh of relief this April when the groups unveiled two joint projects, coffee and ice cream shop The Magic Bus and Wickies Lighthouse Restaurant, the latter of which took over the Lighthouse Cafe space in the island’s East End area. (Lighthouse moved to a glittering new location down the road.) Gone are the old building’s weathered carpets and wall-to-wall lighthouse paraphernalia; in are glossy blue floors, an intimate bar nook and a menu that reflects Island Cow’s laid-back approach elevated with Mad Hatter’s finesse and whimsy. The decor is simple, but what shows up on your plate is anything but— especially during dinner service when the team turns out top-notch specials, like the slightly sweet, piquant shrimp with Parmesan horseradish grits.  

After months of being displaced across the bridge, where it felt like most of the dining options in the early days post-Ian were chain restaurants, we were grateful to be back on Sanibel. Here, nearly 100 percent of the reopened restaurants are locally owned. The sheer ecstatic delight we felt biting into Wickies’ panko- and truffle-crusted scallops with shallot beurre blanc and coconut risotto left us feeling hopeful and happy our treasured dining scene has made a much-welcomed comeback. 

The post Sanibel and Captiva’s Remarkable Dining Comeback After Hurricane Ian appeared first on Gulfshore Life.

Whether fresh Gulf seafood on a waterfront patio, tender meatballs or a pour of rare Scotch, we’re always on the hunt for a delicious, can’t-stop-thinking-about-it meal. These are those spots.

The New Fifth Ave Hotspot

Well-loved Chicago restaurant Le Colonial followed snowbirds south, opening its doors on Fifth Avenue South in December. The retro French-Vietnamese-inspired design—lush palms, louvered shutters and mahogany millwork—feels tailor-made for balmy Naples nights. The menu includes the restaurant’s familiar favorites spicy lemongrass chicken stir-fry and shaking filet of beef, with a greater emphasis on seafood as a nod to the coastal setting. Nab a seat at the bar suggests Gulfshore Life marketing consultant Holly Baldwin, where Le Colonial recently debuted a new cocktail program curated by Danilo Dacha Božović, who co-founded the Miami outpost of cultish New York City speakeasy Employees Only.

The Whiskey Den

Connoisseurs who know their Pappy from their Macallan can seriously geek out over two dozen pages of single-malt Scotch, rye and bourbon at the new Naples Design District restaurant Warren. But even whiskey neophytes will be impressed, says publisher Carin Keane. “From the minute you walk in, you feel the energy,” she promises. “The Old World-meets-Wall Street design makes you feel like you’re in a big city.” The kitchen turns out haute bar snacks, like Korean fried cauliflower and a bourbon-glazed burger, and those looking to splurge can pony up $10,000 to join the private club, which includes access to a posh private room, exclusive single-barrel offerings and tasting events.

The Fresh Take on Seafood

Restaurateur and hotelier Peter Tierney’s latest seafood-forward foray (you already may have sidled up to the raw bar at his The Claw Bar) is a true celebration of our waterways. On an inlet off the Gordon River, The waterfront patio at The Syren Oyster & Cocktail Bar is our digital media marketing manager Brittney Kleis’ favorite new spot for seafood standards like platters of oysters, lobster dishes and fresh catches from the Gulf. (Brittney knows what she’s talking about—the Florida native is married to a Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission guy.) In place of popular grouper and bass, the restaurant champions lesser-known local species in dishes like triggerfish schnitzel with lemon-caper butter and simply grilled sheepshead or yellowtail.

The Family-Run Red Sauce Joint

It’s not only brand-new spots that have us buzzing; Gulfshore Life senior editor Emma Witmer is partial to the tried-and-true Bruno’s of Brooklyn and its milestone move. When Emma relocated to town, her brother took her to the Downtown Fort Myers restaurant. “He wanted me to see one of the places that makes this region truly special, and as much as I hate to admit it, my brother was right,” she says. Opened in 2014 as an homage to red sauce cuisine from the owners’ New York hometown and family roots in Sicily, the restaurant excels at multigenerational family recipes (the tender meatballs and rich lasagna are musts), backed by house-made mozzarella and sausages, imported pantry staples and local produce whenever possible. This summer, Bruno’s moves to a century-old building on First Street, with a grand opening and ribbon-cutting to follow on their 10th anniversary, September 18th. The owners have spent the last year and a half refurbishing the space, preserving the original fireplace and brick masonry, converting the bank vault into a wine and fine Cognac cellar, and adding a dessert lounge on the second floor. 

The post Our Team Picks their Favorite New Restaurants for 2024 appeared first on Gulfshore Life.

Everyone is a regular at Unidos. Easy interactions punctuate visits to this Latin fusion restaurant, where the hospitality channels the attention of notoriously generous Hispanic grandmothers.

Soon after the restaurant opened in January, a friend and I sidled into one of the peony pink banquettes for supper. The dining room was already alive with the buzz of cocktail hour, and the late afternoon sun blazed through the wall of windows into the chic, midcentury-meets-coastal hacienda space—and directly into my eyes. Within seconds of clocking my discomfort, the hostess pressed a button to lower the shades (soon after, she raised them again, as if on cue, for sunset).

With an emphasis on remixing Latin American flavors and traditions with global culinary cornerstones (French, Italian, Asian, Spanish), the Naples Design District restaurant introduces something new to Southwest Florida. While hotspots like Bicyclette Cookshop, Warren and Le Colonial have claimed the media spotlight for the past few months, Unidos—from the trio behind Chicago-based restaurant Unidad—started with a quiet rollout, flying relatively under the radar.

For our team, the vibrant Ninth Street South newcomer is the undisputed standout of the year. Our Colombian-American editor-in-chief claims it was love at first bite when she had Unidos’ delightfully golden, crispy empanadas (“Who knew the original could be improved?” she says). The presentation and vigorous flavors resonated with our former food editor Andrew Atkins, too, who ranked the pork shank tacos in the realm of the divine. As for me, I was hooked by the service—all the attention of white-glove hospitality, with the relaxed feel of being with friends. The elements all add up to create a place that seems like it’s been there forever.

Around the open kitchen, barstools tempt guests to belly up for a front-row seat to the action. From our nearby perch, we can see executive chef Melina Martinez putting the finishing touches on our order of crispy yuca fries, a staple on many South American dinner tables. The 30-year-old, Mexican-born chef started as a dishwasher at Unidad when she was a teenager. Melina worked her way up the ranks until landing the lead role at Unidos. “We knew we had a person in Chicago who’s young, aggressive and a superstar in the kitchen,” says Carlos Angel, who is  Colombian and owns Unidos with husband-wife duo Sal and Jaime Muñoz. “[Melina] was the first to understand [our idea of] fusion.”

Melina, Carlos and Sal collaborate on the menus, playing with cooking traditions and flavors from gustatorily rich Latin American countries, including their native lands, as well as Argentina, Cuba, Brazil and Peru. Three-hour testing sessions are standard as the trio reinterprets heritage-driven recipes through the lens of popular global cuisines—and vice versa. Italian risotto gets tropicalized with passion fruit sauce-enveloped salmon, and in a riff on Asian crispy rice, Peruvian ceviche is perched atop croquettes of fried rice, served with Argentine chimichurri.

Every recipe harkens to a place—whether it be the team’s childhood family tables or the slate of restaurants they’ve scouted in the Americas in search of inspiration. The elote fritters—Unidos’ smashed, tempura-covered version of Mexican street corn with cult-favorite Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise—embody the spirit of teamwork, experimentation and underlying pride-of-place that anchors the restaurant. “It takes me back to my childhood,” says Sal, who lived in his family’s native Mexico for a couple of years in his youth.

Like the kitchen, the bar is central to the design and open to diners. High-spirited bartenders mix Latin libations like the pisco sour and caipirinha, as well as spins on classic cocktails, like an old-fashioned with a blended mezcal and rye base. Tropical sippers, like the blueberry-jam mojito mocktail I enjoyed, offer something equally intriguing for non-imbibers.

A festive atmosphere permeates the space as pop favorites remixed with Latin beats (think: Coldplay songs by a cumbia band) play in the background. At the heart of the operation is the flaming Santa Maria grill (similar to an Argentine parrilla but more versatile), fueled by high-heat South American Quebracho hardwood that imparts the intensely smoky, earthy flavor of Argentine barbecue. This beast of a machine is responsible for the envy-inducing pork tacos—a whole slow-cooked shank with meat that slides off the bone, served in a mini cast-iron skillet with greens and blue corn tortillas. Colombian chef Boris Alverez mans the grill, using two cranks to raise and lower the grates for the perfect level of caramelization on Argentinian vacío de novillo (flap steak), Brazilian picanha (juicy top sirloin) and cauliflower steak with passion fruit-coconut sauce.

[caption id="attachment_68676" align="aligncenter" width="683"] Carlos Angel, Sal Muñoz and Jaime Muñoz opened Unidos in January. Our editors were struck by the under-the-radar restaurant’s welcoming atmosphere, intuitive service and vibrant, Latin American flavors. (Photo By Brian Tietz)[/caption]

Housed in a former Starbucks, Unidos stylishly blends into the setting with its gray wraparound metal overhang and black-framed windows. Inside, Jaime worked on the design, mixing rattan pendant lights with pink diner-style booths and rock-cage benches for a Latin midcentury-meets-coastal aesthetic. Ornate tiles, imported from Colombia, add to the sense of place, while the exposed ceilings and quartz bar keep the look decidedly contemporary.

Warm, spirited hospitality is a trademark of Latin American culture, and in this area, Unidos follows its muse to the T. Servers and guests quickly become friends, and Sal and Carlos often stroll the dining room, bussing tables, recommending dishes or offering special pours of late harvest Malbec. The restaurant embodies its name, Unidos, a.k.a. Together—everyone feels part of one, knitted, palate-expanding experience.

As we leave the restaurant, I’m sated and warm—like how I feel leaving a family member’s table. Many restaurants strive to create an ambiance that feels like home; Unidos perfects the vibe.  

The post Raising the Bar on Latin Food in Naples appeared first on Gulfshore Life.

It doesn’t take much for bartender Edgar Sierra to know what kind of drink you’ll like when you slide up to the bar at Bicyclette Cookshop, the sleeper-hit restaurant that has taken Naples by storm since opening last fall. Small context clues, like your spirit of choice, lead to inspired delights: a gin-based sipper with a hibiscus tea reduction and citrus-curd puree (a far more complex take on flavored lemonade) or a spicy tequila espresso martini, like the one that earned him top place at this year’s Tromba Tequila Master of the Margarita competition.

The improvised libation was inspired by his Mexican grandmother’s café de olla (clay pot coffee). “It’s the same clay pot she uses for her chilis, beans—it’s multiuse,” he says. The porous surface retains the flavor, lending the coffee residual spice and earthiness. Edgar hopes to one day open a Mexican bar in Naples to showcase the true spectrum of his family’s native culture—the unsung spirits like fragrant raicilla and earthy bacanora; the blended diasporas that have influenced Mexico’s UNESCO-recognized culinary heritage; and the peoples’ familial-driven vivaciousness. “Hispanics have a big culture of partying, but there’s this beautiful side, where, although it’s a party, people really engage with one another,” he says. 

While it’s been a few years since I put down my cocktail writer pen (I used to write a column for Southern Living about the American South’s then-exploding cocktail scene), I still appreciate a proper bar experience. In its most devout iteration, the industry draws highly creative, well-read, charismatic folks with a deep curiosity about the world around them. When I met Edgar, I saw all of this as he whipped up three- and eight-ingredient drinks with equal finesse, translated preferences into new creations, and expounded on spirits’ provenance with ease.

Starting his career in the kitchen at farm-to-table pioneer Blue Hill and the now-shuttered molecular gastronomy legend wd~50, Edgar learned to perfect the basics (his collection of culinary books is 200 deep and counting), honor tradition (he has deep reverence for the 20th-century classic and neoclassic cocktails) and to play adventurously with flavors. “Just because someone says something doesn’t work, doesn’t mean it won’t—we just haven’t found the way to make it work yet,” he says.

He moved to Naples in 2021 and worked at Rocco’s Tacos and Tequila Bar and District’s back-room speakeasy, Staff Only, before transitioning full-time to Bicyclette. The Vanderbilt Beach Road restaurant—with its innovative chef and kitchen—provides a perfect playground for professional bartenders like Edgar. By the end of his shift, the 31-year-old, New York transplant may have sous vide tequila with super spicy chile de árbol and smoky, chocolatey chile morita to rapidly infuse it for an árbol de tequila tincture; turned leftover citrus peels into a flavor-rich puree; and painted a chamoy puree rim onto a glass, which he then chills for a subtle tequila drink. The hardened condiment imparts delicate savoriness with each sip.

The term craft cocktail gets thrown around lightly these days, but here, it’s exemplified: drinks composed as stories. Edgar tells me about the New York icons like Pegu Club and Angel’s Share, where he began his self-education about 10 years ago, and his time working at ATLA (from the group behind The World’s 50 Best Restaurants standout Cosme). Places that, through osmosis, taught him the mechanics of a proper cocktail: nothing too sweet, nothing watered-down—you need a perfect balance of flavors and a nice, weighty mouthfeel. “It’s like a good wine, the flavors should dance in your mouth,” he says.

Edgar sees Southwest Florida’s bar culture as being at a tipping point, with modernist cocktailery taking root and possibilities abounding. He looks to places like Naples’ new Unidos Restaurant & Bar, with its singular focus on reinterpreting Latin American food and drink, and Chartreuse Craft Cocktail Lounge in Bonita Springs. “They have spirits you won’t find anywhere, like multiple varieties of Haitian rum,” he says.

Before closing down the bar, we toast to a night well spent. Edgar shakes up a gin martini with the addition of Yellow Chartreuse, St-Germain, orange blossom water and bitters. He splits the drink into three shot glasses and tops mine with a disc of candied citrus, brûléed and chilled on the spot. It’s the most sophisticated shooter I’ve seen. “The sugar crisp on the side mellows out all those strong flavors on your palette,” he says.   

As I sip my uniquely smoky-meets-herbaceous mini martini, I’m reminded that you often don’t have to go further than your neighborhood bar to expand your palette and mind. And if your closest drinking den happens to be Bicyclette, go pull up a seat, ask for Edgar, and let him play.

The post Meet the Bartender Shaking Things Up in Naples appeared first on Gulfshore Life.

When he opened Andre’s Steakhouse in 1993, Andre Cottoloni (an alum of Brooklyn’s legacy steakhouse Peter Luger) brought a taste of the New York City chophouse experience to Naples—and not much has changed since. “Andre’s is one of those hidden gems,” says Gulfshore Life community advisory board member and architect David Corban. “It’s not a place that’s buttoned down. You can get loud.”

Within the wood-paneled room with rows of beer steins as the only decor, the focus is decidedly on the beef. Thick-cut, dry-aged, USDA Prime steaks are tossed under the ripping-hot broiler, carved into rosy slices and presented tableside on sizzling platters. (Get the massive porterhouse for two to sample the richly marbled strip and tender filet.) Sliced tomato and onion salad, veal chops, buttery German fried potatoes and crispy shoestring onions—old-school steakhouse standards that have gone out of vogue at trendier restaurants—are still very much the norm here.

To accompany the massive cuts, there’s a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence bottle list. And, if you’re still looking to indulge after a night of carnivorous hedonism, the dessert menu includes five iterations of liquor-spiked coffee drinks, topped with fresh whipped cream. 

The post Inside Andre’s Steakhouse—An Enduring Slice of 1990s Naples appeared first on Gulfshore Life.

Dwayne Bergmann is used to discussing tile and lighting, area rugs and ceiling finishes, and satin versus matte paints. He has dealt with these subjects since opening Dwayne Bergmann Interiors in Fort Myers in 2013.

But, when he’s not poring over fabric samples or picking wood stains, Dwayne has another love: food—and he has strong opinions about the best places to enjoy a meal around Lee County. “The culinary experience here has evolved significantly, especially over the last three to five years,” he says. “When I started coming to Fort Myers 20 years ago, it was quite challenging to find much of anything beyond the typical offerings.”

By “typical,” Dwayne means pizza, pasta, burgers, fried shrimp and lots and lots of chain restaurants. That was the Lee dining scene of the late 1990s and early 2000s. Now, he sees an abundance of options, a diverse range of culinary talent and oh so many wonderful restaurants to which he is eager to return.

While his background is in design, the food is what matters most to Dwayne at restaurants. “There has to be good food—then, service,” he says. “If a restaurant can do both well, then I’ll certainly be back.”

High on Dwayne’s list of local favorites is the tiny but mighty Azure. At this South Fort Myers restaurant, owners Eddy Garces and Lee Riley treat their customers like close friends. Azure’s menu blends classic French fare—coq au vin, escargot, frisée salad—with dashes of Mediterranean spice in the form of paella, marinated olives and a Moroccan-braised leg of lamb that Azure’s kitchen twirls with house-made ribbons of pappardelle.

Another South Fort Myers restaurant layering great food with great service is Osteria Celli. “It is a very underplayed location,” he says of chef Marco Corricelli’s 9-year-old locale, which sits at the end of a Publix-anchored shopping plaza on Summerlin Road. “He has such a loyal following. No matter the day, there’s always a nice hum of people in there.” The branzino and salmon are two of Dwayne’s favorites. “And the pastas, of course, are incredible,” he adds.

For a broader array of seafood dishes, the designer ventures across the Caloosahatchee River to Cape Coral’s Lobster Lady Seafood Market & Bistro, a New England-inspired spot that Dwayne says has the bustling vibe of an Old Florida fish house and “the best lobster we have in this market.”

When his seafood cravings lean raw, Dwayne’s go-to is Maks Asian Kitchen & Sushi on Fiddlesticks Boulevard in South Fort Myers. Here, brothers and veteran sushi chefs Billy and Kevin Mak craft vibrant rolls from perfectly seasoned rice and plate glistening slivers of salmon and hamachi alongside exquisite hunks of otoro—bluefin tuna belly, marbled pink with fat.

While Maks also offers Mongolian tofu and fried rice dotted with shrimp, scallops and pineapple, Dwayne opts for the simplicity of sashimi. “You need fresh, high-quality fish for sashimi to be good, and Maks is the very best,” he says.

[caption id="attachment_68862" align="aligncenter" width="850"] Dwayne’s top pick for sashimi, Maks Asian Kitchen & Sushi in Fort Myers, serves up prime cuts. “You need fresh, high-quality fish for sashimi to be good, and Maks is the very best,” he says. (Photo by Scott McIntyre)[/caption]

For a more casual taste of Asia, Dwayne heads to the nearby Thai Star. Wedged between a smoothie joint and a pizza chain, Thai Star is a restaurant you really have to look for to find. But the search will be worth it, thanks to the velvety curries and a coconut noodle soup Dwayne calls “to die for.”

While all of Dwayne’s picks are tucked into strip malls or plazas, some spots outshine others. Such is the case for Liberty, where cousins and chefs Bob and Richee Boye have turned this 30-seat South Fort Myers space into one of the area’s hottest reservations, with an inventive and ever-changing menu of small, shareable plates.

And then, there is Harold’s, a longtime Dwayne favorite from long-beloved local chef Harold Balink. Dwayne appreciates the chef’s farm-to-table ethos and the simple (yet perfectly executed) dishes that allow quality ingredients to shine. “I think everyone knows it by now, but Harold is just incredible,” Dwayne says. “He’s one of the chefs that really changed the dining scene here for the better.”   

The post Food-Loving Designer Dwayne Bergmann Dishes on His Favorite Lee County Restaurants appeared first on Gulfshore Life.

My nonna used to prepare this for me when I was just a boy,” Angelina’s Ristorante sous chef Daniel Bellinger tells patrons—most of whom are friends and family—at a wine dinner in March. During the monthly event, Angelina’s chefs thoughtfully pair dishes with select wines from a vintner. Tonight, the focus is on Napa Valley’s Groth Vineyards & Winery. Daniel is wistful as he details the labor of love before us: little slips of delicate pasta dough pinched at their ends, drenched in a deep pool of bronze-colored brodo, a long-simmered homemade bone broth. Each parcel of caramelle pasta, named for its shape like a wrapped caramel, encourages a sort of reverie. This is slow food rooted in a communal past.

Tonight, the small bundles are filled with slow-braised pork. Flecks of meat swirl in the brodo as spoon after spoon of broth is drained. It reminds me of Southern potlikker, or ‘what’s left behind,’ meat and bones boiled down to a hazel elixir. But at Angelina’s Ristorante, nothing feels forsaken—everything is golden.

Each step takes hours, which turn into days. “And this is just one course of many,” says Angela Smith, who owns the restaurant with her husband, Don. Generations of Italian culture and history trace the outer edges of Angelina’s Red Room, where the wine dinners are held. The space is adorned wall-to-wall in varying shades of red, reminiscent of blushing Burgundy and sun-ripened tomatoes. Reverent poems, generously stenciled on the walls, wrap the room, punctuating the connection between earth and table—and the people seated around it:

“My darling, you breathe in the fragrance of the vine. / Feel joy in the warmth of Tuscany and its food. / The pasta is rich, the wine is full, and the friendship is sincere.”

Dappled light filters through each layer of the large, hung Renaissance paintings that appear as if lit from within. The soft lighting makes any visit to Angelina’s feel warm and inviting, but it’s the people who make the restaurant a home away from home. Here, the servers quickly learn your name—or at least your favorite wine. Fruits and vegetables are pulled from the earth sometimes hours before arriving at your table, sourced from neighboring Farmer Mike’s U Pick, which delivers to the restaurant daily. Dishes are anchored in tradition with an ingredient-first philosophy—a collection of staples executed with passion, from the fresh mozzarella, stretched by hand each day, to the imported Italian balsamic and olive oil, made specially for Angelina’s. Food writers often wonder if one should eat to live or live to eat, but here, there is no difference. Good food is seen as a necessity, and so is the company with which it is enjoyed.

Angelina’s Ristorante is Mr. and Mrs. Smith’s love song, their family story. And for them, family is meant in the truest Italian sense of the word. Every server, runner, chef and customer-turned-regular marks the heartbeat of this place—a coordinated rhythm of familial excellence going on 16 years. This is the Smiths’ Italy, the food Angela has always loved to cook and Don has loved to eat.

Don was recently retired when the couple opened the restaurant in 2008. He had spent decades in the fast-food industry, rising through the ranks at McDonald’s, before joining Burger King as president and CEO. Later, at PepsiCo, Don helped breathe life into the Pizza Hut and Taco Bell franchises. Before he retired in 2005, he owned all of the Perkins and Friendly’s in the United States.

After three years, it was time to slow things down—not as retirement suggests by nature but as love requires. It takes time to develop dishes that honor centuries of tradition and specials so good they remain unchanged for years. The couple could risk an uprising if they removed the beloved, salty-sweet, slow-roasted veal agnolotti or the sea salt-encrusted yellowtail snapper, which has been on the menu since day one. Presented whole inside a dome of salt, the snapper remains warm inside its castle, ready to be cracked open tableside. The escaping steam floods the Rococo lights above several times a night when the dish is ordered.

Italian cooking is simple yet evocative. Individual flavors are pronounced rather than layered, often accented by just a drizzle of olive oil or a pinch of salt. Angela, an avid home cook and recipe-tester for America’s Test Kitchen, including their magazine Cook’s Illustrated, helped design the menu. Don worked on the building. Both made a commitment to their staff, treating them as family and asking only that they do the same for Angelina’s guests. Theirs is a hospitality rooted in care, a level of service unparalleled in fine dining. “So many of our regulars ask for a specific server. And some will even coordinate their reservations around a server’s schedule,” Nick Kattman, an assistant general manager and sommelier at Angelina’s for nearly 11 years, says. Nick began as a server and quickly dove into the restaurant’s wine program.

The young oenophile was drawn to Angelina’s legendary three-story wine tower. Within the 30-foot-tall structure, everything is precisely controlled—temperature, humidity, the UV from the sunlight streaming in from the restaurant’s garden. Little brown wine tags dangle like paper jewels in the filtered light. The older, more sensitive vintages are nestled side by side, accessible via a staircase that winds toward the heavens.

At Angelina’s Ristorante, it’s the food. It’s the service. But it’s also the wine. Nick takes me inside the wine tower, and I wonder at the possibilities within the nearly 4,000 bottles, all revealing their own pilgrimage, their own language. Italian wines take precedence, but there are also several first growth Bordeaux, which reach their peak after two decades. “They have to be on their side at the proper temperature and ideal conditions,” Nick says. Given Florida’s flat landscape, the Smiths dreamt up the towering glass column in the middle of the dining room to emulate the effect of an underground cellar. “I found it fascinating. It was like a moth to the flame,” he adds.

Nick volunteered to store the bottles, learning the tower top to bottom. He recently traveled to Italy, as many at Angelina’s Ristorante have, eager to visit the country and see the culture that shapes their daily life. He and wine director Dinah Leach live in a state of constant learning. Dinah teaches a wine class every week and encourages all staff to attend. After one year of employment, Don and Angela pay for their servers to take the level-one class of the Court of Master Sommeliers exam, the first step in becoming a certified sommelier.

[caption id="attachment_68906" align="aligncenter" width="850"] Executive sous chef Israel Martinez is considered the backbone of the kitchen. Here, he finishes a dish tableside—a common occurrence at Angelina’s. Like much of the staff, he’s been with the restaurant for years. (Photo by Anna Nguyen)[/caption]

Jamie Edmunds, another tenured server at Angelina’s Ristorante, sets down the final course of the wine dinner—lamb shoulder over parsnip puree with carrots, paired with a 2019 Groth Vineyards reserve cabernet sauvignon. The lamb shoulder was braised then pressed under a weight overnight. It’s dense, meltingly tender, rich and delightfully sticky.

As Jamie finishes her rounds, she shuffles through a series of tickets in her apron, each one reflecting the likes and dislikes of familiar customers. She notes their preferred wines and favorite pairings and often offers to send them home with what remains at the evening’s close.

One table over, an exuberant diner asks who’s responsible for the marinara and how it’s made. Jamie answers, “Mrs. Smith, of course, one of the owners.” The diner approaches our table apologetically; she must have the recipe. Angela smiles, a broad, welcoming gesture. “When we first opened, Don told me that the kitchen might need some help tweaking [the sauce]. It wasn’t quite right. I came in and shared my recipe. Garlic and olive oil toasted on the stove. San Marzano tomatoes—I squeeze each one by hand. And then let it be. It’s the simplest thing,” she says. The diner nearly hugs her in gratitude.

Moments like this are frequent at Angelina’s Ristorante, when a dish is made so simply, with such reverence for its parts, the diner feels inclined to slow down and savor each bite the way one hopes to savor life itself. The pappardelle ‘Capri,’ a restaurant staple, features only Sorrento lemon olive oil; juicy, Italian San Marzano tomatoes; and fresh basil to temper the richness of the oil. Wide, handmade pappardelle are cut with imported bronze dies, creating a porous texture that clings to the glossy sauce. “It feels and tastes like Italy,” Daniel says.

During our final course, Daniel is joined by executive sous chef Israel Martinez, who stands quietly by the Red Room’s French doors. A piano plays in the background, framing the moment. Israel began as a dishwasher at Angelina’s. He was captivated by the smells and sounds of an Italian kitchen—flour suspended in air, 80-pound wheels of aged Parmigiano Reggiano, San Marzano tomatoes, grown in the volcanic soil of Mount Vesuvius. He was eager to immerse himself, to learn more, to do more.

Over the years, Israel mastered the menu, working his way up to sous chef. When Angelina’s longtime head chef resigned, Don and Angela leaned on Israel. “No one knew we were without an executive chef from the moment the position was emptied over a year ago to now. All because of Israel,” Angela says. 

The Smiths call him “the horse,” a reference to how he carried them all. Daniel came on several months ago after working his way through Napa Valley at Michelin-starred restaurants including The French Laundry. The environment in the California restaurant was markedly different from Angelina’s—more of a pressure cooker, less of a homecoming. Tonight, the chefs are busy but relaxed; a certain tenderness motivates them. “We are lucky to have you both,” Don and Angela tell the chefs. With their hands over their hearts, the men respond, “We are the lucky ones.”   

The post How Angelina’s Ristorante in Bonita Springs became a Institution for Southwest Floridians appeared first on Gulfshore Life.

When Jacques and Lysielle Cariot created their alluring Bleu Provence in Naples in 1999, the French natives opened a portal direct from the Florida shores to the sun-kissed South of France. What began as a rather humble homage to their roots has evolved into a legacy restaurant where gastronauts go to lose themselves in a grand culinary voyage that renders geography irrelevant.

The restaurant, awash in crisp white and vibrant blue hues, exudes casual-chic—a French trademark—where the service is attentive without being overbearing or pretentious. And the voluptuous menu highlights a veritable roll call of classics that instantly transport the palate. From herbaceous pistou to plump pan-grilled mussels kissed with bright citrus to provençal fish soup accented with rouille, the signature garlic-saffron-breadcrumb emulsion that accompanies seafood throughout Southern France. 

Perhaps even more luminous than the food is the wine program. The selection has become a beacon for oenophiles the world over. When the banner Naples Winter Wine Festival (NWWF)—one of the world’s most illustrious wine auctions—comes to town, the global best-in-class sommeliers and vintners that descend on the Gulf for the festival usually end up at Bleu Provence.

When the restaurant opened, the list contained a mere 30 selections, all from France. Over the years, partially due to guest preferences and partially due to the family’s outright obsession with wine, the list has evolved to include a staggering 5,000 selections and 40,000 bottles from practically every classic wine region in the world. The wine experience at Bleu Provence has earned the team the highly coveted Grand Award from Wine Spectator every year since 2015. The restaurant is one of only 93 in the world and one of four in Florida to hold that honor.

Last year, the couple announced they would be stepping back from day-to-day operations and passing the reins to their sons, Clément, an Advanced Sommelier from the Court of Master Sommeliers (one of about three Advanced Somms in Naples), and Kevin, the restaurant’s general manager, who also helps with the massive undertaking of cataloging the wine inventory. The parents are ready to devote their time to their farm, The Sanctuary, located 45 minutes outside of Naples, where the couple cultivates vegetables, fruit trees, and flocks of chickens and turkeys.

But, rest assured, the restaurant and prestigious wine program are in excellent hands. “Wine was always part of our culture,” Clément says.  Meals at his grandmother’s home in Grans, a speck of a village in Provence, were punctuated by bottles lovingly shared by his parents, aunts and uncles. He spent his childhood playing in the family’s small wine cellar, captivated by the old bottles. His first wine memory was at age 7. “I remember one Sunday having a big family dinner, a bottle was being shared, and I was running around the table. Jacques stopped me and said, ‘Stop, you need to respect this.’ So I tried it. It was a Château Lafite Rothschild,” he says of the prestigious, centuries-old producer, known for crafting some of the finest and most expensive reds in the world.   

Ever since Bleu Provence opened when Clément was 17, he has had his hands in the family business, working every position on the floor. At age 24, while he was a server, a guest at the bar beckoned him over and said, “Here, don’t taste this, just smell it—tell me what it is.” Clément had never done a blind tasting before. “I said it was a Côte-Rôtie, which was correct. He asked me to name the producer. It was familiar, a wine I had drunk before. I said René Rostaing. And I was right.”   

The experience was a watershed moment. Clément started getting more serious about wine. By 2007, he had taken over the wine program. Under his direction, the wine program has doubled—to the point that the family has had to procure off-site storage for the surplus of their battalion of bottles. The restaurant cellar has also grown alongside the collection. At first, Clément recalls, the wines all reached eye level and shared space with an office for the team. Over time, bottles overtook the office, every square inch of wall, and eventually, the next-door space, making for the handsome, wood-clad, 1,300-square-foot masterpiece.

Now, the mere organization of the stock  requires savant-level clarity. “We gave every spot where we store the wine a geographic location number. On the list, every wine has a 6-digit number next to it. And we use that to go and locate the wine immediately in the cellar. We have it divided by area, rows, and columns. It’s become like a game of Battleship,” Clément says.

Of course, you’ll find examples of some of the great wines of the world across the list. White Burgundy, the ultimate French chardonnay, is Clément’s personal favorite, and the Big Boys are all present, from Domaine Leroy Corton-Charlemagne to Roulot to Raveneau. But the inherent beauty of this modern collection lies in the surprises, such as the dedication to lower-alcohol wines, natural wines, and a deep roster of lesser-sung expressions and appellations, such as red Sancerre, idiosyncratic pours of France’s Jura region, and European-style California vinifications, like Ceritas chardonnay and pinot noir. “I’m very proud of all the Provence wine we have,” Clément adds. “One of my favorites is Château Simone. Each of their wines brings you a piece of the flavors of Provence: garrigue, lavender, peaches, apricots, a bit of black olive. It really tastes like Provence.”

Great restaurants strive to transport guests, to exude a sense of place. And the Cariot family manages that feat seemingly effortlessly. No passport required.  

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