Get out and try Collier County's remaining runner-up:
The Cider Press Cafe
1201 Piper Blvd., Naples; 631-2500, ciderpresscafe.com
As people have gone bananas for juicing, mixing kale and carrots with apples and oranges has never been more popular. But asking a meat lover to go vegan for a day—or even just a meal— can still be a hard sell. Enter this tiny, adorable, light-filled spot that we have high hopes can sway even the most stalwart omnivores through its refreshing and absolutely delicious raw cuisine. Yep, that’s right. This place not only eschews meat and dairy, but nothing is cooked above 120 degrees. A “lasagna” layered with paper-thin veggies, creamy pulverized cashews (you’ll do a double take to check it really isn’t ricotta!), a sundried tomato spread and pesto is all at once zingy, smooth, a tad crunchy and anything but bland. It, along with the other dishes on offer, doesn’t make you think of what you’re missing, and we challenge you to free your mind and your palate for the New Year.
