Best of The Gulfshore 2010

In this land of plenty, gulfshore life wants to help you make the best choices possible.
Our editors, with the help of a panel of blue-ribbon experts, got the scoop on the crème de la crème of the Gulfshore’s restaurants, shops, spas, attractions, entertainment and more. The result: a list of 34 must-haves, must-sees and must-dos that will benefit brand-new visitors as well as longtime residents who are always seeking to rediscover the paradise that is Southwest Florida.

After you check out our picks, turn to p. 56 for the results of the Readers’ Choices poll and p. 22 for our editors’ personal favorites.

DINING
Best Overall Restaurant
Chef Fabrizio Aielli marries tradition with innovation at Sea Salt in Naples, where wild-caught seafood dishes are the mainstay, the produce is local and organic, and the poultry and beef are naturally raised. Sea Salt earned a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence in 2009 and was named one of Esquire’s 23 Best New Restaurants.
Finalists: Veranda (Fort Myers), Truluck’s (Naples)

Best New Restaurant Accolades for KC American Bistro in Naples from our experts: “Wonderful, small, delicious, cozy.” Chef and owner Keith Casey developed a cuisine based on five American regions, using indigenous ingredients and ethnic cooking techniques. Think smoked pepper and molasses-lacquered duck with heirloom bean picadillo, fried plantains and julienned jicama salad.
Finalists: Bravo! Cucina Italiana (Naples), AZN Azian Cuizine (Naples)

Best Wine List
Not sure which wine would be the perfect match for your aged steak or to sip by the fireplace at The Grill at The Ritz-Carlton, Naples? Three trained sommeliers will help you choose from a wine list of unsurpassed variety and quality to make the night a hit. The Grill earned Wine Spectator magazine’s Best Award of Excellence from
2001–2008.
Finalists: Bleu Provence (Naples), The Capital Grille (Naples)

Best Mexican
Maria’s in Naples has character to spare. This restaurant is authentic, not Americanized. The food is reasonable, the salsas fresh and homemade. Tacos al pastor (pork soft tacos) and queso fundido (a bowl of melted cheese with Mexican sausage) are highly recommended.
Finalists: Cantina Laredo (Fort Myers), Flaco’s (Naples)

Best French
Ah, delicious, classical French cuisine with a wonderful atmosphere and great service can be found at Bleu Provence in Naples. The hosts, Jacques and Lysielle Cariot, pair an incomparable ambiance with a list of more than 1,700 different wines—and escargot to die for.  Did we mention crispy duck leg confit with potato gratin and mango fries?
Finalists: Escargot 41 (Naples), Bamboo Café (Naples)

Best Italian         
Reap the benefits of authentic, Tuscan-style cooking perfected over several generations at Bice Ristorante in Naples. The first Bice was opened in Milan in 1926 by Beatrice Mungai Ruggeri, known as “BiCE” to family and friends. Now the rest of the world knows Bice for homemade specialties like ravioli stuffed with braised beef, veal and spinach in a sauce of mushrooms and marsala wine.
Finalists: Ristorante Farfalla (Estero), Il Tesoro (Sanibel)

Best Seafood  
Elegant and fresh. Florida stone crabs come from Truluck’s fisheries on the Isle of Capri near Naples. Try grilled Scottish salmon or miso-glazed sea bass. The chef updates the fresh-catch seafood menu daily, so there’s always a scrumptious surprise.
Finalists: USS Nemo (Naples), Swan River Seafood Restaurant and Fish Market (Naples)

Best Sushi             
Blu Sushi in Fort Myers offers up a hip setting, fantastic martinis, fresh sushi, and interesting and delicious rolls, including “Bahama,” featuring conch finely chopped with spicy mayo, cucumber and lemon, topped with a touch of smelt roe. Or try “Find What Baby” and “Lava Drops.”
Finalists: Sushi Thai (Naples), Origami (Fort Myers)

Best Thai
A favorite at Sushi Thai in Naples is tom yum soup, full of veggies and spice, with choice of shrimp or seafood. Red curry chicken or duck gets lots of kudos. Top it off with Thai iced tea and Thai donuts.
Finalists: Thai Gardens (Fort Myers), Asia (Fort Myers)

Best Pizza
Crunch your way to heaven at Cosmos Café & Pizzeria in Naples. The crust is thin and crispy, the flavor outstanding. Build your own calzone or sample the specialty pizza margherita with fresh mozzarella, fresh basil and “special grandma sauce.”
Finalists: Pizza Fusion (Fort Myers), Aurelio’s Is Pizza (Fort Myers, Naples)

Best Burger
“Kobe beef burger cooked to order in the middle of a butcher shop; top that!” crows one expert about Jimmy P’s Butcher Shop & Deli in Naples. The burgers come in a just-right size for your appetite: One pound, a half-pound, a third-pound. Or try Kobe beef sliders, the Kobe Cajun bleu cheese burger or Kobe patty melt, with sautéed onions and Swiss
on rye.
Finalists: Cheeseburger in Paradise (Fort Myers), Five Guys Burger and Fries (Naples)

Best Steakhouse
The Capital Grille in Naples features great food, great ambiance, a great wine list and superb steak quality. The dark mahogany paneling and one-of-a-kind Art Deco chandeliers are reminiscent of a private club, yet warm and welcoming. The bone-in, Kona-crusted, dry-aged sirloin with caramelized shallot butter is the stuff legends are made of.
Finalists: Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar (Naples), Preston’s Steakhouse (Naples)