Reasonably priced restaurants in (or around) Naples
 

Hello everyone,
I'm a frequent board lurker.....but now I am brave enough to post my question. We're headed down to Naples in April (renting at the Dunes!!) and were looking for suggestions for reasonably priced restaurants....already have good ideas for good (more pricey?) restaurants like Campbello's and Baleen, but you can't eat like that every night and still be able to make it to the beach each day! :) Thanks in advance for your suggestions.
~Lea

Funny you should mention The Dunes. Just a couple days ago a friend was saying their favorite restaurant in Naples is this place in The Dunes. (and this couple is in the restaurant business!). I've never been inside that complex, so I'm clueless, but I think there's only one restaurant there.

Since you're in the Vanderbilt Beach area, a real cheapie don't miss in my opinion is Buzz's Lighthouse -- on the bay side of Gulfshore Drive between the Ritz and La Playa. Way casual, best to grab a table on the outside deck. The best thing on the menu is the Grouper Reuben!! Wash it down with a beer.

Near there right on the beach is the Turtle Club at the Vanderbilt Beach Resort. A great place to sit right out by the beach (or maybe even on it) and get good, but reasonably priced food. Very casual -- shorts-type place.

Over on US 41 are a couple of the better chains -- Macaroni Grill, and my real favorite P.F.Changs (why can't any other chain seem to get it right like Chang's can?).

Down in Naples itself there are a bunch of upscale places on Fifth, but in the Bayside Complex is one that has as much upscale atmosphere as the others with prices way below -- Il Bellagio. I think every waiter there is Italian, great service, and really good food. Catch22 in the same complex has excellent seafood and is also more reasonable than most of the other places.

One night or day, you must go to the market and get stone crab claws, maybe some coleslaw or potato salad and do your own picnic. Just make sure you get the claws cracked when you buy them (you don't have to do a thing to them, just keep them on ice until ready to eat them). Ordering crab claws in a restaurant requires taking out a second mortgage on your home. Even in the market they're not cheap, but a whole lot less and more fun than eating them in a fancy restaurant.

Another "secret" is to go to the Ritz and eat out on the beach at the casual beach bar -- sorry, I never remember what its actual name is. Go at sunset and get burgers or the chicken wings -- some of the best anywhere. This may sound "cheap", but to avoid the cost of valet parking at the Ritz and if you're really casual and don't want to parade through their very formal lobby, park at the public beach next door and walk on the beach to it.

PF Changs is great. If you don't have one in your area then try this one. The interior on this one is especially good and the service and presentation are spot on. I liked it so much when it opened in Orlando and later here, I bought the stock!

Buzz's Lighthouse definitely. You might end up there more than once.

LMF

If you have a hankering for pizza, go to Aurelio's... sorry I don't remember the exact location, but it is near the beaches. Aurelio's is a Chicago based pizza company and they are the best! Enjoy!

Here is the address for Aurelio's:

590 North Tamiami Trail

FYI, they are closed on Mondays. Have a great trip!

WOWIE! Thank you for the plethora of suggestions! What kind of restaurant is P.F.Chang's? Chinese? I had forgotten to mention that I needed ideas of wheelchair / walker accessible places....my mom has trouble walking. I love the stone crab from the market idea!! Thank you again!!!!!
~Lea

Yea, P. F. Chang's is essentially "contemporary" Chinese. Yesterday for lunch two of us split a seared tuna appetizer with a wonderful sauce and a sprout salad, a Moo Goo Gai Pan with huge hunks of chicken and shrimp and pea pods, and sliced beef with broccoli. Served with a big bowl of brown rice (you chose white or brown). We had iced teas (wonderful mango flavored). Our total bill was $28.00, plus tip. Their lettuce wraps are a must!! Full bar and good wine list also.

Naples is no problem for wheelchair access. I can't think of a single place where that is really an issue (although I guess that eliminates arriving at the Ritz beach bar by the beach).

And I guess the locals' secret is out. Aurelio's is the best for pizza.

Sorry to let the cat out of the bag, Patrick, ;) I'm no local- I'm originally from Chicago Heights, IL where the original Aurelio's is located... I just happened to find out that they had a place in Naples- now whenever my husband drives there for business, I make him pick up some frozen pizzas! Awesome!

When my parents lived in Naples their favorites were the Dock, for casual waterfront and Plums Cafe for italian.

http://www.dockcraytoncove.com

Plums Cafe
8920 Tamiami Trail N, Naples, Florida
(941) 597-8119

Rumrita, guess your parents haven't lived here for quite a while. Plums went out of business at least three years ago, I've lost track.
The Dock, and it's almost twin sister Riverwalk are still both fun, casual places. I find the food pretty disappointing at both, but they do good drinks and you can't beat the open or screened atmosphere right on the water. They also serve late at night -- till midnight.

Our family always enjoys a visit to The Watermark Grill. It is right
across the golf club of The Dunes... on the corner on Tamiami Trail
(US-41) at Immokalee Rd. It is a large, fun place with a nice menu,
service, and decent food. Dinners run an average of around $15.00 and
that would include your entree, starch, vegetable, and adding a salad was very
inexpensive (99-cents?).

Anyway... Mom always gets the lobster tail as she thinks it's very
inexpensive, I love their shrimp scampi - big fresh shrimp and loads
of garlic, and dad always orders the fresh catch of the day. He also
never complains about picking up the tab at The Watermark!

Have a terrific time. I'd also be curious to know what your
impression is of The Dunes. I looked at a unit for sale there in
December and think that it is a very unique property. I was looking
at one of the 'villas' (which is actually like a 4-plex home).

Paul

PS I second the motion of a visit to P.F. Changs! We all like that
place very much too.

Thank you again for the wonderful ideas and suggestions! Patrick, thank you for the reassurance that most places are handicap accessible, too! Paul, I will surely post my thoughts of the Dunes when I return. My parents will be there for the month, and I will only be there for two weeks....oh poor me!!! It truly looks beautiful from the pictures, but I'm wondering why you referred to it as "unique".....at this point, anything is better than 20? and snow!!!! Brrrrr! Thanks again, everyone!!
~Lea

The Dock is a wonderful casual place, and don't forget Tommy Bahama's, they have a good grouper sandwich that's not on the menu, just ask the waitress. By far our best dining experience came several years ago when I took our son out fishing on a boat. As we returned to the dock the Captain's assistant casually mentioned that we could take our "catch" to the Dock and leave it with them. We returned in the evening and they prepare the meal for you blackened, fried, or grilled with sides of fries and cole slaw. It was a great experience for the whole family.

Hi Patrick,
Would the restaurant at the Ritz you are referring to be Gumbo Limbo or The Beach Pavilion? The former serves Caribbean style cuisine and tropical drinks while the latter has New England style cuisine. Just trying to make my intinerary. And what would be a good time to go to catch the sunset anyway? Thank you!