Some notable Naples-area restaurants permanently shuttered in May at the end of the annual busy season, which wasn’t as busy as expected this year, by most accounts.
Closings included Bahama Breeze Island Grille, Dorona, HobNob Kitchen & Bar and L’Olivo Ristorante in Naples; La Sorpresa Latina Cuban Café, Naples Tiki Bar and Grill, Pelican Larry’s Raw Bar & Grill and Simit Fresh Mediterranean in East Naples; The Cave in North Naples; and Jimmy P’s Charred in Bonita Springs.
HobNob
HobNob’s last day was May 31 after operating since December 2013 in an Ingram Building restaurant and bar space at 720 Fifth Ave. S., Unit 101, that formerly was home to Zoe’s, Trilogy and The Jolly Cricket.
Through a note on social media, HobNob announced its closing “with a heavy heart,” thanking its loyal staff for their hard work and its patrons for their support for 11½ years.
“As we close this chapter, we do so with immense pride and gratitude. Though the doors of HobNob may be closing, the spirit and community we built together will always remain,” the message reads in part.
HobNob is especially notable because it was a restaurant co-owned by longtime local restaurateur Michael Hernandez. His series of local dining spots over nearly 40 years have included Aqua Grill, Michael’s Cafe, Midtown Kitchen + Bar, Public House, Trios and Zoe’s. Hernandez also took over the former Handsome Harry’s Third Street Bistro and founded Bistro 821 in 1994, which still operates on Fifth today under new ownership.
L’Olivo
Nearby at 651 Fifth Ave. S., L’Olivo Italian restaurant and bar shuttered April 30 after operating more than six years. Its co-owners — prolific local restaurateurs Raafat Bishai and Feibi Gouda — have occupied that space longer with previous businesses South Ave Restaurant and Crispy Seafood & Wine Bar.
Although they have retired the L’Olivo concept, the husband-and-wife team isn’t vacating the space. In fact, they and business partners Gerges Eskandr and George Salama intend to expand their local hospitality ventures into adjoining spaces, including the former unit of Roma Italian Bistro & Pizzeria. Interior demolition work recently began at that cordoned-off strip.
“We took over Roma and the other two spaces. We took all of the plaza downstairs,” Gouda said. “We are going to be opening a sushi restaurant, a sports bar and a Mediterranean restaurant. It’s going to be a high-scale restaurant and very modern.”
The renovation projects still must be approved by the city of Naples.
“Hoping everything goes fast and we can start in December,” Gouda said.
Roma’s owners recently opened a new restaurant, Ottimo on 5th Cucina & Bar, a few blocks west. Both properties are owned by M Development, the Aspen-based company that purchased the downtown real estate from Hoffmann Commercial Real Estate.
“We are committed to supporting locally hatched brands and concepts, while enhancing the physical buildings. We are proud to retain both L’Olivo and the Roma owners as part of our portfolio, all while moving forward with building improvement plans,” said Dan Morin of M Development.
Dorona
Dorona’s last day was May 16 after operating more than seven years in The Gateway of Naples retail center next to Naples High School. When the modern Italian steakhouse launched in January 2018, it was the third Naples restaurant concept from Chef Fabrizio and Ingrid Aielli, the local husband-and-wife team behind Sea Salt, Barbatella, Grappino and Bakery At Grappino, all local dining favorites that remain open in Naples.
In an email to loyal guests, Aielli Group announced it is terminating Dorona’s lease at 2110 Tamiami Trail N., a longtime restaurant end space that previously was home to TGI Friday’s and Midtown Kitchen & Bar. “After many memorable meals, shared celebrations and unforgettable evenings, the time has come for us to say goodbye,” the email reads in part.
Bahama Breeze
Darden Restaurants permanently closed 15 locations of Bahama Breeze on May 15. Bahama Breeze had one of the most shocking conclusions because its Naples location at Coastland Center mall closed within less than a year of opening without any prior notice to staff or patrons. The Naples location just launched last June 24, so it operated only 10½ months in an outparcel space at the mall on the corner of U.S. 41 and Golden Gate Parkway.
La Sorpresa
La Sorpesa permanently closed May 25 after a 30-year-run. The Cuban eatery and market had a large corner spot in St. Andrews Square on Tamiami Trail East.
The restaurant was co-owned by Patricia Amandis and her parents, Angela and Orerbe Perez. A Facebook post in early May announced the closing of the business after exhausting lease negotiations.
“It wasn’t an easy decision, but it was necessary. To every small mom-and-pop shop out there: I see you. This business is not easy — long hours, tough staffing, constant maintenance, nonstop pressure. It’s not for the faint of heart. And I couldn’t have done it without my parents. We gave it our all, and now it’s time to move on,” Patty Amandis wrote.
Angela Perez’s other business — La Sorpresa Immigration & Tax Services — will continue to operate at its new home at 2977 Goodlette-Frank Road, Suite 27, in Naples. Amandis and her wife, Christina Amandis, plan to open Disco Bean Coffee Co. this fall in Bonita Springs. The groovy new business will be a hospitality venture with a retail component in Sunshine Plaza on Bonita Beach Road.
“This won’t be your average coffee spot. Think speakeasy vibes meets vinyl records,” said Patty Amandis, best known as longtime local DJ Pat Pat. “You’ll be able to kick back, sip on craft coffee or tea, browse a killer vinyl collection and enjoy donuts, snacks, ice cream and even beer and wine.”
Naples Tiki Bar
The owners of Naples Tiki Bar announced via a May 13 post on its Facebook page the closing of the business they operated since December 2021 on the northern end of the Hitching Post Plaza on the East Trail.
“Thank you all for the support. I’m sorry to say we have closed the doors permanently. See ya down the road,” accompanied a photo of a “CLOSED” red neon sign.
While a new concept has not been announced, Hitching Post Plaza co-owner Christopher Shucart hopes a new operator will be able to launch there soon.
“It will definitely remain a similar concept. It’s too cool of a spot. The bones are there,” Shucart said. “Whoever comes in, it will be a complete rebrand of everything. I have my crew getting it cleaned up.”
Pelican Larry’s
“Stay tuned for something new and exciting coming to this location soon,” a social media post promised on May 18, the final day of Pelican Larry’s Raw Bar & Grill on Davis Boulevard. The local restaurant and bar permanently closed with less than a day’s notice after operating since 2007 at 7785 Davis Blvd., Unit 101.
That anchor space may be rebranded by owner Randy Seyler, who recently rebranded Off the Bone BBQ at Logan Landings in North Naples as Dough Daddyz Kick’n Italian Kitch’n. Because the commercial strip on Davis is named Pelican Larry’s Plaza, expect an eventual name change for what also previously had been Del Mar Retail Center.
The East Naples closure follows the end of Pelican Larry’s original location on Pine Ridge Road in 2023 after 25 years. Other locations of the concept still operate on Immokalee Road in North Naples and at University Village near FGCU.
Simit
The last day for Simit was May 18 after serving popular dishes from Turkey, Macedonia and the Mediterranean region for three years in an end space at River Reach Plaza on Airport-Pulling Road. The venture shared ownership with Turco Taco, a fast-casual local dining brand founded by Oz Ozturk and Ivo Milanoski, but Milanoski sold his ownership interest in the joint restaurant venture effective May 30.
“I feel deeply blessed to have been a part of something so special and look forward to what lies ahead,” Milanoski said.
Ozturk plans to convert Simit to Turco Taco. “I just want to focus on one concept,” he said. “That’s why we’re going to turn this one into Turco Taco.”
Turco Taco has locations in Naples and North Naples with another in the works in downtown Fort Myers.
The Cave
In an email to patrons on May 16, co-owner Jim Dixon cited personal health challenges as a factor leading to the permanent closure of The Cave Bistro & Wine Bar after operating it for 7½ years in the Galleria Shoppes at Vanderbilt.
Naples Wine Collection, The Cave’s adjoining retail store, will continue to be operated by Jim and Laura Dixon’s daughter, Brandie, through the first part of July, but she will have to find a new space for the store she started elsewhere in that center in 2013. Options include leasing a new unit in the Shoppes at Vanderbilt, finding another retail space or possibly relocating to the family’s “man cave” off Rail Head Boulevard in North Naples.
“I have a few things I’m looking at.” Brandie Dixon said. “Nothing has been decided yet.”
Charred
Jimmy P’s Charred in Bonita closed at the end of service on Mother’s Day, May 11.
“Our lease is up, and we have decided not to renew at this location,” reads a note taped to the restaurant’s door, “We appreciate the continued support you have given us over the past 7 years and hope to open another location in the area in the future.”
The Bonita bistro launched in February 2019 in an outparcel space in the Prado at Spring Creek retail center on U.S. 41. Jimmy P’s still operates its original Charred in Naples, its butcher shops and cafes in Naples and Bonita Springs, and lends its name to two locations of Jimmy P’s Burgers & More in North Naples.
More changes
Joe’s Crab Shack in downtown Fort Myers permanently closed after its lease ended in May. The site where the dining chain operated for decades will be transformed into the Legacy Harbour Project with two 25-story residential towers, marina dock access and retail areas, WINK News reports. Joe’s Crab Shack on the Gordon River in Naples closed in 2013 and is now the site of the Hyatt House waterfront hotel.
A couple of other regional spots recently closed to relocate to new spaces. Seventh South Craft Food + Drink closed April 26 on Seventh Avenue South in Naples so that Seventh South Waterfront could launch May 15 in the former Three60 Market on Haldeman Creek off Bayshore Drive in East Naples. Take Two Coffee closed its original shop May 11 so that it could open at its new Fort Myers location May 16.
After operating 20 years on the southeast corner of Fifth Avenue South and Third Street South, Bice Ristorante shuttered June 1 but is targeted to reopen in October after extensive interior renovations, said owner Stefano Frittella.
