Here is one delicious Collier County runner-up. (Remember to keep watching for remaining runners-up in both counties, culminating with the top picks in Collier and Lee!)
Lamoraga
3936 Tamiami Trail N., Naples; 331-3669, lamoragarestaurant.com
When the first U.S. outpost of a small, ultra-modern Spanish tapas chain sprang up this summer on a nondescript tract of Tamiami Trail just south of Pine Ridge Road, you could have been forgiven for thinking they were giving away food. That’s how packed it was. Alas, no one was getting a free lunch, and actually, the prices are somewhat steep for small plates. Be forewarned, or consider yourself happily informed, depending on how you like your Iberian cuisine: These are not your garden-variety gambas—although there is a traditional piquant ajillo version served in a cast iron skillet. Tread lightly in the “classics” section of the menu to get the most out of the experience. In Spain, as it is here, it’s in vogue to experiment with eclecticism, and at Lamoraga you can find sushi mingling with sliders, in addition to delicately crafted salads alongside three different types of gazpacho.
