Green Zones
Fast food (minus the fryer) at these fresh cafés
In Collier County, we’ve been lucky when it comes to eating well on the go—Delicious Raw, Food & Thought and the can’t-come-fast-enough QFO (Quick Fresh Organic) from Charles Mereday. But two game changers have entered the fray in Lee County to save the juice-fueled day.
What We're Drinking
With summer upon us, what better time to pop open a chilled, effervescent beauty than at your next dinner party? Turn heads not just with a refreshing rosé or Premier Cru, but also with what you pour it in. Flutes and retro coupes may look pretty, but form trumps fashion when it comes to taste. “A simple white wine glass versus a flute makes a world of difference,” says Antonio Galloni, founder of Vinous Media, a fast-growing online wine resource and go-to for oenophiles planning our wine festivals. “At the end of the day, Champagne is wine. If you go to Champagne, it’s always served in a bigger glass—you want exposure but not too much space.”
Nibbles
• We’re confident Joey D’s will reverse the string of bad luck that’s haunted a space on the corner of Airport-Pulling Road and Davis Boulevard. There are now three Naples locations of the upscale-casual pizzeria dishing out New York-style pies.
• Wyld’s Café—not exactly easy to find on Bonita Beach Road but worth the wild goose chase for some of the best, most inventive and consistently delicious food in Southwest Florida—is celebrating its 10th anniversary.
• In the latest round of chef chess, William Murray, who held fort at Fort Myers’ stalwart The Veranda for more than a decade, was recently poached by The Firestone (this magazine’s 2014 best new Lee County restaurant). We’re also curious to see what young upstart Ryan Cook will have under his toque for The Veranda as he settles in as executive chef.
