Fernandez the Bull Cuban Cafe hosted a grand opening of its fourth location and first in Lee County on Dec. 18. The restaurant is near Bonita Beach Road and U.S. 41 in the Publix-anchored Center of Bonita Springs.
Fernandez the Bull has had a presence in Southwest Florida for almost 40 years, originally founded by Luis Fernandez in 1985 as the first Cuban restaurant in Naples. Stephanie Figueroa and business partner Lazaro Figueroa took over the restaurant in 2007.
It has two Naples area locations and one on Key Largo. Expanding north to Bonita Springs was on the Figueroas’ radar for a while. They saw an opportunity for a location off a major road near a busy intersection and took it.
“The location was so good being so visible and right there on the road, that was why we chose that area,” Stephanie Figueroa said. “We thought it made sense with everybody going out to the beach, and it puts us a little bit into Lee County where the customers have been asking.”
Inaisis Sanchez, who owns the Bonita Springs location, began working at Fernandez the Bull almost 10 years ago bussing tables. She then became a server before being promoted to assistant manager and then manager of the Immokalee Road location.
“I came to Bonita and I fell in love with the city, and the location is amazing,” Sanchez said.
The menu is identical to the other locations, but the drink menu has some hints of creativity from Sanchez. She made sure to add some cocktails that serve as a nod to life in Cuba. The El Apagón, meaning blackout, references how Cubans experience loss of electricity regularly on the island. The black vodka-based drink is served in a lightbulb.
When customers walk inside, they will see what Figueroa calls an evolution of the look of Fernandez the Bull.
“I can’t even say it’s Fernandez the Bull 2.0. It’s Fernandez the Bull 10.0,” Figueroa said. “It’s an amazing design concept that [Sanchez] has in there. It just has a different vibe.
In the center of the restaurant is a bar lit up blue, surrounded by paintings and photos alluding to Cuba. There is a 3D topography map of the country spanning across the main wall.
“With some of those elements that are newer and creatively some of the stuff she came up with, we’re going to kind of reverse decorate and bring some of those elements [to other locations] to tie them all together,” Figueroa said. “But you can definitely tell it’s an evolution of the brand and of the look of the restaurant.”
Figueroa said a customer who isn’t familiar with Cuban food should try a classic dish, such as roasted pork with beans and rice. She also recommends chicken dishes with the restaurant’s homemade chimichurri or something from their large selections of steaks.
“I think people have a familiarity with Cuban food that maybe they didn’t have so many years ago,” Figueroa said. “A lot more people have an understanding of it. Cuban food is not spicy. It is flavorful. You know, lots of garlic, lots of seasoning.”
Those who prefer spicy dishes can indulge in the restaurant’s homemade hot sauce.
Sanchez isn’t the only Fernandez the Bull veteran employee joining the Bonita location. About half of the staff has worked at a different location, including the head chef. Sanchez also recruited former employees.
“We couldn’t be happier. [Sanchez is] an amazing person, she’s always been a great employee, and I know she’s going to do wonderful there,” Figueroa said. “She’s one of those people that whatever she touches, it’s great.”
The restaurant is at 3250 Bonita Beach Road SW next to Malinche Mexican Cuisine. Hours are 11 a.m. until 9 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays and closing at 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.
