Grappino restaurant in Naples is expanding its space into the adjacent former footprint of La Colmar Bakery & Bistro at 80 Tamiami Trail N. 

The plan is to reopen the connected walk-through space while creating a commissary bakery, additional seating for Grappino and a possible Italian market and morning cafe. The redesigned space is targeted to open this fall. During the transition, Grappino will remain open for lunch and dinner Tuesday through Saturday. 

“Grappino is doing great so a little extra space will be good. We are going to open it back up to where it was before,” said Jason Goddard, corporate chef for Naples-based Aielli Group, which owns and operates Grappino, Sea Salt, Barbatella and Dorona in Naples. “Right now, we are just working on the renovations over the summer and finalizing the concept. We’ll be open for season.”  

The Aielli Group leased the additional 3,638 square feet of restaurant space and a 223-square-foot patio adjoining Grappino. The real estate transaction, negotiated by Patrick Fraley of Investment Properties Corp., was in the works before Aspen-based M Development acquired the building last fall from Hoffmann Commercial Real Estate. The deal delayed the lease agreement. 

Ana and Yannick Brendel launched La Colmar in August 2017 alongside Timeless, but they permanently closed the bakery cafe last summer after a run interrupted by ownership changes. Fabrizio and Ingrid Aielli opened Grappino in early 2020 in the former space of Timeless, a restaurant that operated for two years at 90 Tamiami Trail N., next to La Colmar and across from Wynn’s Market. 

Grappino’s niche in the Aielli’s Italian offerings includes Roman-style pizza, salt-roasted chicken and its selection of grappa, grape-based pomace brandy that inspired the restaurant’s name. The Il Grano section of the menu allows guests to create their own lunch or dinner entree combinations from separately priced lists of pastas, sauces and presentation.