While May has historically been the month of the year with the most restaurant closings annually, May 2022 was notable for its abundance of post-season openings in the Naples area.
Although a few local restaurants such as The Counter Custom Burgers and Bokamper’s Sports Bar & Grill closed last month in North Naples, they were the exception this year. The Counter, for instance, simply chose not to renew its lease after operating 10 years at Mercato, said Valerie Cope, senior marketing director of the mixed-use center.
If restaurants were on the cusp of closing for whatever reason, May was always the time to close before facing the seasonal decline of the long summer months. But worldwide supply chain delays and worker shortages have flipped the calendar, throwing off the timing of restaurant openings and forcing many local restaurateurs to launch after season this year.
Many restaurants that opened in May had intended to debut last fall. A case in point is Carole’s House Café & French Bakery, which opened last weekend at St. Andrews Square on U.S. 41 East in East Naples. Co-owner Christophe Mars said he had initially planned to open his new business last November, but encountered unexpected delays during its buildout.
Ditto for Tacos & Tequila Cantina, which opened May 19 in The Pointe at Founders Square on the southeast corner of Collier Boulevard and Immokalee Road. Co-founder Kelly Musico had originally wanted to open T&T’s fourth location last fall or at least earlier this year.
The launch of Le Martinique French Cuisine & Bakery on May 1 along U.S. 41 in Naples, and The 239 Naples which opened May 10 at Mercato, also encountered significant delays. New restaurants such as EJ’s Meridian Café in Meridian Marketplace in North Naples and Olympia Pizza on Davis Boulevard in East Naples were quickly able to replace longtime turnkey operations.
Other new food and beverage spots that opened in May included Winfield Sandwich Shoppe, Jet’s Pizza and Royal Scoop Ice Cream in North Naples, Brookside Market in East Naples, Antojitos Y Mas in Golden Gate Estates and Clean Juice in Estero.
