lisettemac

Anyone have any restaurant recommendations for Naples, FL? We're up for anything -- casual, formal, seafood, Italian. We are staying at the Ritz Beach Club -- are any of their restaurants good?

Scotia

Last year I ate lunch at The Grill at The Ritz Carlton. It's a casual spot right on the beach. For four people it was over $90.00 which I thought was too pricey for what we had. (I think that included 4 beers.) Nearby is The Turtle Club where they have the best crab cakes I have ever eaten. It is also casual and you can eat inside or outside right on the Gulf. Across the street is "Buzz's" which is really casual and they are known for their Grouper Reuben sandwiches. Near Buzz's is The Sea Witch, again casual, lots of choices on menu, busy spot. You can walk to all these places from The Ritz. The Ritz also has a 5 Star dining room and farther up Gulf Shore Blvd. is the LaPlaya Hotel where there is an excellent dining room but the name escapes me at the moment. If you drive to downtown Naples there are many good restaurants.

irishswampyankee

Campiello's and Chops, both downtown.

escargot

check out this recent thread:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...1&tid=34756882

Neopolitan

Beware. Scotia made a mistake. I know that we're not supposed to correct mistakes here, but I do so very humbly and apolgetically. Please forgive me for correcting you, Scotia.

The casual beach spot at the RITZ is not called "The Grill", that's the name of their small, men's libary like but very expensive and formal restaurant inside the hotel. Their casual place on the beach is called Gumbo Limbo.

The restaurant at LaPlaya which is literally ON the beach and is quite good is called Baleen. There are often complaints about slow service there, but it's hard to top sitting there on the Gulf with the stars over your head, eating very good food. And why rush?

rncheryl

Several years ago had Sunday brunch at the Ritz. Charming, memorable.

Scotia

Thank you, Neopolitan, for correcting me. I definitely got the names of the restaurants at The Ritz mixed up. I apologize if I misled anyone.

I am heading to Naples on Sunday for a month and look forward to dining in their fine restaurants.

Neopolitan

By the way, the general buzz is that the best RITZ dining is at the Ritz Golf Resort --Lemonia. I love The Grill at the Gulf Ritz, but when a plain grilled chicken breast hit $38 I bowed out.

Gretchen

There is a WONderful French restaurant whose name I cannot recall. Just excellent and very attractive. Hope someone can give you the name. It closes in April.

Neopolitan

French? Closes in April? I've never heard of any restaurant owners in Naples dumb enough to close for the busiest month of the year!

Are you thinking of one of these?

Chardonnay: haughty, expensive, can be good, can be terrible, but always very expensive. They brought our preordered souffles when we were half done with our main courses and plucked them down in front of us. Maybe if our veal and lamb hadn't been so tough we could have finished them in time?

Bleu Provence: in Olde Naples, charming decor, decent food. Recently added a full bar.

Laffayete: also in Olde Naples. Good "country" French food -- like cassoulets and beef bourginon. A big covered outdoor area. Not cheap for what it is, but very good.

Marie Michelle's: In Park Shore, by the water at Veneitian Village. Good food, hit and miss service.

Cote d'Azur: on the North Trail, a delightful French place with really good food.

Escargot: a new place in a corner of a tacky strip mall next to K-Mart, which is getting raves as the best French food in Naples.

Gretchen

Can't quite remember--it is owned by French people. April may be the busy month, but it is also the beginning of a low season. It was a very attractive restaurant in its decor also. I'll ask DIL--her mother lives in Naples.

Neopolitan

"April may be the busy month, but it is also the beginning of a low season."

Did you mean then that they close at the end of April or after April? With Easter on April 16, many spring breaks until the following week (23rd), I assure you Naples will not be in a slow period until at least the very end of April. And trust me, May is certainly far from the slowest time of year in Naples.

I'm sorry, I'm just really confused trying to figure out any restaurant in Naples that deliberately closes at all in April.

Gretchen

Okay, last year our son got married in Marco Island. We arrived March 31 and stayed until April 3. We were charged two different rates on our hotel room--less for the 1st and 2nd. also, if we had been coming the next week our air fare would have been half of what we paid. What can I say. And the restaurant, for whatever reason was closing the next week for X amount of time. It wasn't our business, so I paid little attention. Sorry to confuse you and maybe since Easter is so late this year, it is different this year. I am not unused to the "seasons" in FL as my parents used to live in Vero. I can only speak from my experience. I think it of little consequence. I was just trying to offer a restaurant suggestion. I'll get the name.

lisettemac

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