Two Meatballs in the Kitchen plans to expand its Italian restaurant concept into the Naples area soon to replace The Warehouse Cuisine & Cocktails, which permanently closed March 19 after a nearly eight-year run on the north side of Immokalee Road just east of Collier Boulevard.

The vacated site will be the first Collier County location for Two Meatballs in the Kitchen, which has two locations in Lee County – the original that launched in south Fort Myers in 2008 and its Cape Coral counterpart that opened in 2020. In Collier, Two Meatballs is leasing the freestanding 5,400-square-foot restaurant space at 9010 Bellaire Bay Drive, said Franco Russo, co-owner of the local restaurant brand.

“We are excited about it. It’s a great market and obviously a good building,” Russo said. “I really do love the space and the building and the location and the restaurants around us that do well. I think it’s a good next step for Two Meatballs.”

Russo’s Montoro Holdings restaurants also include Fresh Catch Inland in Estero, Fresh Catch Bistro and Junkanoo Below Deck on Fort Myers Beach, as well as Stones Throw in Cape Coral, but he thinks Two Meatballs in the Kitchen is best for the Naples spot.

“Instead of doing a brand new concept or keeping it The Warehouse, I think it’s a concept that makes sense for the area,” Russo said. “I think this is a great, great spot for us.”

The prolific restaurateur doesn’t expect to waste time retrofitting the second-generation space.

“We’re not going to do extensive work in there, but I hope to be open in the next three months,” he said.

The Warehouse staff is welcome to stay on, Russo said, but he realizes that most cannot afford to take a months-long hiatus. The new restaurant will continue to have more than 150 seats and a full bar and lounge. Expect the same “relatively traditional” menu and hefty portions served at the other Two Meatballs locations, as well as a big happy hour, Russo said.

“Two Meatballs is built on fair prices, good quality and large portions, and that’s what we’ll do,” he said. “Mama’s Pasta is probably our number one item. Our meatballs are up there as an appetizer.”

Mama’s Pasta features diced sausage and meatballs sautéed with pancetta, ricotta and peas in a cream sauce topped with pecorino and parmesan served over a choice of pasta. Mama’s Meatballs are crafted with veal, pork and beef topped with house-made tomato sauce and parmesan cheese.

The dinner menu has 15 signature pasta dishes, as well as chicken, seafood and veal entrees. Hand-tossed pizza, calzone, stromboli, soups, salads and appetizers round out the options. The lunch menu also includes flatbreads and sandwiches.
Two Meatballs opens daily for lunch at 11 a.m. and starts dinner service at 3 p.m. Happy hour is noon to 6 p.m. daily.

The Warehouse

The Warehouse raised the bar on dining opportunities east of Collier Boulevard when it opened in May 2017. Of course, when the family owned and operated casual restaurant quietly closed before the end of tourist season this year, it had a lot more competition; more than a dozen restaurants launched at that intersection within the last six years and more are coming this year.

A typed note posted in March on the restaurant’s door announced the closing from The Warehouse management team: “Unfortunately, due to the economy, the rising cost of goods and services, we were no longer able to provide the best possible product and service that we have been known for. Due to this we have closed our doors for good.”

The restaurant’s real estate was purchased in March by North Naples resident John Smith, confirmed Frank Kupiec of LQ Commercial, who represented the seller in the transaction. The purchase price was not disclosed, but owner Robert J. Forgèt had been marketing the restaurant and its 1-acre lot for sale for $3.1 million. The Forgèt family purchased the property as Naples-based V&T Land LLC in October 2016 for $910,400. The market value today on the improved Heritage Bay Commons tract is nearly $2 million, according to county property appraiser records.

Last June, the Forgèts sold the adjacent Volcano Mountain Adventure Golf business and real estate to Naples-based SmithCorp Realty LLC, owned by John Smith and Claire Sweeney-Smith, for more than $2.5 million. The Smiths continue to operate the miniature golf course and ice cream concession.