Whether you’re a gourmet cook looking for as close to a one-stop shop as possible for everything artisanal—or you’re a snowbird whose oven collects dust most weeks—Whole Foods Market has got you covered.
Gone are the days of people driving more than 20 miles to the nearest location of the cult-favorite organic grocer in Naples. As of Nov. 7, 2018, Fort Myers has its own. It was just built in the new Daniels Marketplace at the intersection of Daniels and 6 Mile Cypress.
Like most of the 470-plus branches of the Amazon-owned chain that came before it (for the uninitiated, give them your telephone number associated with a Prime account at checkout and see a stream of discounts magically filter through), this store will have an extensive selection of hand-picked regional products. Those include beer from Cigar City, Funky Buddha and Fort Myers Brewing Company; Besty’s Best Nut & Seed Butters; Kombucha 221 B.C.; and Sunset Salsa. It also has full-service seafood and meat departments with locally caught whole fish and beef raised on Florida’s grassy plains. And no time to cook, no problem, as the hot bar will feature 20 soups daily, along with the entrées and traditional pizzas as well as thick rectangular Detroit-style pies (a big nod to the Michiganders who call our neck of the woods home or second home). Of course, there will be plenty of refreshers, like sushi and salads to balance the heat—plus fresh-pressed juices and a build-your-own açai bowl bar.
But perhaps the most interesting feature, at least from a local standpoint, is the full-fledged Norman Love-branded café. The unique partnership between the nationally acclaimed chocolatier and the company is part of the Friends of Whole Foods Market initiative that has brought chef-driven eateries to stores. Here, it has resulted in him supplying a line of chocolates exclusively available there, in addition to an all-day menu of baked goods, waffles, pancakes, quiches, salads and more (Tampa’s Kahwa Coffee will be served).
To plan a visit:
Whole Foods Market
6891 Daniels Parkway, Fort Myers
(239) 935-6550
wholefoodsmarket.com
Open every day, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
