Mercato’s latest venture—Tap 42 Craft Kitchen & Bar—launched Aug. 2 in the former longtime space of AZN Azian Cuizine in the North Naples mixed-use development.
It’s the 11th location for Tap 42 but the first on the Gulf Coast for a hospitality concept serving contemporary American fare, craft beer and handcrafted cocktails. Another location is planned soon in the Southwest Florida corridor, said Alex Rudolph, a partner and executive vice president of Tapco Restaurant Group, a Florida-based company that operates 10 locations along the state’s east coast.
AZN’s veteran restaurateurs retired in December after nearly 15 years at Mercato, making way for Tap 42 to bring its casual concept to the market. Workers scurried around last week in the days before Friday’s opening to make last-minute efforts to convert AZN into Tap 42 at 9118 Strada Place, Suite 8155.
“It was a mad dash to the finish, but it looks great,” Rudolph said. “You have to come check it out. It’s pretty incredible. It exceeded even our expectations.”
Tapco spared no expense on the design and decor of its newest space, Rudolph said.
“It feels very cool, sexy, intimate, upscale. Everybody that walked in kind of freaked out about the design and feel in here, so it’s pretty special,” he said.
The major transformation includes a new bar, flooring and custom booths and tables.
“We fully gutted the front of the house down to the floor. We rebuilt everything that you can see,” Rudolph said. “It’s a totally different place than what AZN was. It’s like a totally different restaurant. You can’t even recognize it.”
The addition of Tap 42 fits into the overall vision for Mercato by the Atlanta office of North American Properties, the leasing agent for the local lifestyle center. On the second floor above Tap 42, Alamo Drafthouse Cinema replaced Silverspot Cinema this spring and the area’s first Shake Shack is coming early next year to another new restaurant space in Mercato.
“I think that’s kind of why we were chosen for this space,” Rudolph said. “They’re looking for stuff that I think is high-end, cool, fun and can work for everybody from every age. I think that fits what we’re very proud of. We’re different things at different times for different people. We can be very flexible. We have an awesome lunch business. We do great happy hour, big celebratory dinners, your casual sports-watching dinners, party brunches on the weekends, family dinner for during the week—we cover all the bases.”
Tap 42 is known for its casual American menu of popular items, as well as an expansive bar for a late-night hangout and boozy brunch, served 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Tap 42 even features a disc jockey during brunch on Sundays to create more of a party atmosphere with bottomless beverage specials.
“I wouldn’t say it’s necessarily the primary focus of our business, but it’s certainly a fun part of our business,” Rudolph said.
Menu entrees include barbecue baby back ribs, Southern-fried chicken and waffles, beer-battered fish and chips, mahi mahi, filet mignon, chimichurri skirt steak and a variety of bowls. Other items include burgers, sandwiches, salads, sides and desserts. Appetizers feature a calamari tower, truffle street corn guacamole, chicken lettuce wraps, spicy tuna tartare and short rib beef sliders.
Tap 42’s kitchen hours are 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11:30 a.m. to midnight Friday, 11 a.m. to midnight Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday. The bar stays open later.
