Naples restaurant news: 5 fun foodie & sometimes boozy events for February

Diana Biederman, Naples Daily News
Updated ·4 min read

From Valentine’s Day lunches to family fun, February’s foodie calendar runs a gamut of ideas and budgets.

Think of it as a Naples staycation.

Love is in the air

Are you among the 45 Valentine’s Day couples renewing your vows on Feb. 14 at Baker Park? Ta da! Restaurant ideas for nearby celebratory lunches.

No reservations needed for lunch at Riverwalk at Tin City.
No reservations needed for lunch at Riverwalk at Tin City.

  • On a sunny day, Bayfront offers honeymoon vibes. Four are open for lunch: Bambu Tropical Grill, EJ’s Bayfront Café, K Rico, and Tavern on the Bay. (bayfrontnaples.com)

  • Limon: The recently open rooftop bar (seating is first-come, first-served) and reservations-only restaurant is ultra-convenient. (455 12th Street, Naples; 239-944-3755; limonrooftop.com)

  • Tin City: Walk-ins are welcomed at Pinchers and Riverwalk. (1200 Fifth Ave. S., Naples; tincityofnaples.com)

  • Yacht Club Subs: Fantastic sandwiches made to order. (1200 Central Ave., Naples; 239-913-9230; yachtclubsubs.com)

Assorted sandwiches from Yacht Club Subs.
Assorted sandwiches from Yacht Club Subs.

Afternoon delights: Romance is on the menu for Valentine's Day in SWFL ― 14 critics' favorites

'Fun dining, not fine dining'

Impact Philanthropy's CEO Melissa C. Phillips is the force behind bringing Le Petit Chef, the globally known art and culinary experience, to Naples. Running from February through July with seatings at 5:30 and 8 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings, think of it as a mash-up of food from award-winning chef Amber Phillips at her new Sage Supper Club with an assist from a teeny 3D digitally-animated chef.

Le Petit Chef runs through July at Sage Supper Club in East Naples.
Le Petit Chef runs through July at Sage Supper Club in East Naples.

Tickets are allocated in three-month blocks and priced at $225 for adults and $150 for kids 6 to 12. Prices do not include beverages, tax or service. Wine, beer, low-ABV cocktails, and soft drinks are available. The experience runs about 90 minutes and reservations are required.

“We want people to know that this is fun dining, not fine dining. We want people to relax, decompress, and just enjoy the show,” Phillips said.

February’s charitable component is directed to the Marco Island Center of the Arts. In March, it's Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Suncoast.

“Fine dining, philanthropy and entertainment have never been combined in such a unique and awe-inspiring way. We are thrilled to bring the magic of Le Petit Chef to Naples and to showcase how special events don't have to follow the traditional model,” she added.

Le Petit Chef is also available for private events.

(7785 Davis Blvd., Naples; 239-537-8355; lepetitchef.com)

Knocking on Heaven's Door

Bob Dylan's Heaven's Door whiskeys are featured at Catch of the Pelican on Feb. 23.
Bob Dylan's Heaven's Door whiskeys are featured at Catch of the Pelican on Feb. 23.

On Feb. 23 at 6:30 p.m., Naples Grande’s Catch of the Pelican restaurant hosts a five-course whiskey-pairing dinner with food from Executive Chef Jim O'Connor, who’s creating the dinner around Heaven’s Door, Bob Dylan’s award-winning collection of American whiskeys. On the menu: an “Old Fashioned” foie tartlette, sea scallops, smoked duck breast, Japanese A5 Wagyu, and pineapple upside-down cake. Tickets are $165 per person payable via OpenTable. Reservations are a must.

If you didn’t get tickets to Dylan’s March 7 show in Fort Myers, a pair will be raffled at dinner, as will a rare Heaven's Door Bootleg Series Limited Release Bottle, valued at $500 and the label’s Decade Series Bottle, valued at $100.

(475 Seagate Drive, Naples; 239-594-6325; naplesgrande.com)

Dutch treat at The French

On Feb. 27, Alliance Française de Naples hosts “La Table Française” at The French Brasserie Rustique. Reservations must be made with the restaurant; specify the event when you call. Everyone gets separate checks. Doors open at 11:30 a.m.; lunch is served at noon. For more information, email Alliance Française de Naples at afnaples@comcast.net or call 239-276-4125.

Alliance Française de Naples hosts “La Table Française” at The French.
Alliance Française de Naples hosts “La Table Française” at The French.

(365 Fifth Ave. S., Naples; 239-315-4019; thefrenchnaples.com)

Mixing it up

Inside Dusk at The Ritz-Carlton.
Inside Dusk at The Ritz-Carlton.

On Feb. 27 at 8 p.m., mixologists from The Ritz-Carlton, Naples, and Edition Tampa’s Punch Room are taking over the resort’s Dusk restaurant for a boozy one-night-only pop-up event when Punch Room’s pros present a selection of next-gen cocktails. On hand: two DJs and Punch Room Director Tural Hasanov, author of "DISTILLED: My Encyclopedia of Beverages." Tickets are free via Eventbrite.com; booze and food are priced a la carte.

(100 Vanderbilt Beach Road, North Naples; 239-598-6644; ritzcarlton.com)

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This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: February's top 5 fun foodie & boozy events in Naples