Our trip to Naples would not have been complete without trying all the best local eats! There are a surprising amount of Naples, Florida restaurants in this 16 square mile area, and I had a hard time narrowing down the choices.
I have found seafood and Italian food to be the main specialties here, but you can find cuisine of any kind. There’s no shortage of five star restaurants, but I made sure to find some cheap eats that are almost as good. For a weekend stay like ours, this list will give you many delicious tastes of what Naples has to offer.
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Naples, Florida Restaurants to Splurge At
I recommend having at least one high-end meal during your trip to Naples if you can. They take fine dining seriously here and we felt quite pampered. If you happen to be here in the off season (May-October), most of these spots have discounts and prix-fixe menus to choose from. Regardless of when you go, the food will be outstanding, but make sure to make a reservation. Here’s a few restaurant choices to splurge at.
Sea Salt
This surf and turf spot was the highlight of our trip. Set on Third Street, there is a gorgeous porch perfect for an al fresco meal and with an inventive menu to match.
We loved the big eye tuna and compressed watermelon salad, as well as the black angus sirloin. If you go during the off-season, I recommend getting the prix-fixe menu. You get to try a variety of dishes for only $38 per person this way. Although the portions are a lot smaller.
Vergina
Vergina is the perfect restaurant for an upscale Italian meal. There’s plenty of indoor and outdoor seating here. I would argue it’s more of a romantic setting than other spots on this list.
We enjoyed rose off the fantastic wine list as well as the burrata and the tagliatelli carbonara. They even split our pasta dish into two which I prefer since the portions can be so large. Brunch and lunch are served here, but I think it’s best to go for the evening atmosphere.
Bar Tulia
Calling Bar Tulia a splurge is a bit of a stretch, as the next door Osteria Tulia is actually the spot more known for fine dining. However, they share a kitchen and you do pay a slight premium for the high quality co*cktails and dishes here. Either spot is a great spot for an impressive Mediterranean meal. Personally, we were drawn into the lively Bar Tulia on the first night of our trip.
The co*cktails are the best we found in Naples and I highly recommend ordering one, or an imported wine for your meal. For food, you can get a pizza, pasta or a special dish from an always changing menu. They even have delectable appetizers like Gorgonzola Mussels discounted during happy hour. We went with the BT Caesar and the Modena pizza for a delicious and garlicky meal! We are now convinced that garlic chips are a game changing pizza topping ever since.
Bha! Bha! Persian Bistro
The one place we didn’t make it to on our list was Bha! Bha! Persian Bistro. Along with its quirky name, it’s serves some of the most unique food in town. I have not had a ton of experience with Persian food, but I heard this is one of the best places to try it in Florida.
It’s only open for dinner and you are definitely going to want a reservation for this intimate spot. The menu includes some classics like kebabs and plum lamb. However, there’s also a lot of seafood on the menu, including the beloved Persian paella. Duck is another specialty, but they offer pretty much every type of meat and even some vegetarian dishes for this Persian experience.
Brunch and Lunch Restaurants
Though the demographics of Naples is a bit older, they still love brunch just as much as millennials like me! We found so many of the fancy Naples, Florida restaurants hosting delicious sounding brunches with crazy Bloody Mary’s and all the Eggs Benedicts you can imagine. The views and the people watching make this area the perfect place for a relaxing midday meal.
Jane’s Cafe on 3rd
Pretty much every Naples, Florida restaurant guide recommends going to Jane’s Cafe on 3rd and I wholeheartedly agree. This pink cafe is tucked away in a garden area with a large patio and some indoor seating as well. It is open until 3 PM every day and serves breakfast and lunch options, along with wine, beer and co*cktails.
Andrew and I went with breakfast and split the Sweet Lisa Berry Blintz crepes and the Ultimate Breakfast Sandwich. Both were so tasty and the perfect sweet and savory combination. There are plenty of other options to choose from for whatever you are in the mood for. Make sure to get the crepes, even if you count them as dessert!
The Cafe on 5th
We stumbled across another cafe for lunch one day that was also worth a visit. We sat outside, this time with Charlie and they accommodated him with a water bowl and some treats. You can get breakfast or lunch here, but we were in a lunch mood. However, I could not resist a Bloody Mary, which was so refreshing.
This is actually one of the more healthy restaurants I saw here. They have a lovely selection of salads and grain bowls and even some paleo options. There’s plenty of sandwiches and sweet tooth breakfast options too though. Both the bowl I got and the sandwich Andrew got were made with fresh ingredients and had a moderately large portion size. All of the menu items are over $10, but it’s high quality food for sure.
Kunjani
For a local cup of coffee and a small breakfast, Kunjani is the favorite cafe in town. The coffee and the decor is African inspired which lends itself to being such a creative and relaxing spot to hang out. We came one morning for two strong cups of nitro cold brew.
There’s a variety of coffee and tea options for any type of pick me up. For food, there are some quiches and scones to choose from, as well as a few breakfast sandwich options. They even have cookies and cakes for those in a sweet mood! Make sure to come here if you are a coffee lover!
Latitude 26
If you are looking for a deal, especially in the afternoon, Latitude 26 is a good option. This restaurant was at our hotel, the Hyatt House Naples and was open for lunch and dinner. They’ve got your typical bar food options, with choices like wings, tacos and more.
Happy hour is when you can get a really cheap meal here. They have a bunch of appetizers available for less than $7 and a whole sampler for $13. We opted for the sampler one day, but I think sticking to the wings and crab fondue is the best way to go. Afterward, you can take a walk along the tranquil dock while you are here!
Where to Eat in Naples, Florida for a Casual Meal
If you want a cheaper more casual meal, I recommend staying away from the downtown Naples, Florida restaurants. I found some great options closer to our hotel, including in the Bayfront area. Tin City also has some more affordable dining, but it was too touristy for me. Here’s where I recommend for a casual experience.
Celebration Food Truck Park
This is definitely a must visit spot for your trip to Naples. It’s basically a large outdoor market by the water with half a dozen food trucks. There’s also a large bar with all sorts of craft beer and fun co*cktails, like rum buckets. This makes for quite the enjoyable atmosphere!
I love parks like this because you get to try a variety. I had a hot buttered lobster roll and Andrew had Al Pastor tacos. Both were delicious options and cheaper than going to a sit down restaurant. They are open day and night and you can even just go for the waterfront bar if you prefer!
K-Rick Mexican Grill
Out of the many restaurants in the bayfront, K-Rico sounded the best to us with its Mexican cuisine. They have a spacious patio as well as colorful theming inside. This Naples, Florida restaurant is open for lunch and dinner and has happy hour specials.
Here you ca get a variety of crafted tacos, but we opted for a burritos that day that were super flavorful. Make sure to get either the guacamole or the queso, or both like we did! We shockingly didn’t get margaritas, but should have because their tequila menu is one of the most extensive I have seen. This is a great place for a laid back and authentic meal.
Gelato & Co.
If you are just looking for dessert, there are tons of gelato places in Naples! We tried a couple and even got turned away from a cash only spot, but Gelato & Co. was definitely the best. Here you can get gelato, sorbet, Italian pastries and more!
They have all sorts of intriguing flavors, but we opted for classics like tiramisu and dulce de leche. It was almost as creamy as the kind we had in Italy! Unfortunately, we did not get gelato in Napoli, so we can’t say that we’ve had some in both Naples, but I think it is close enough 😉
Know Before You Go: Naples, Florida Restaurants
If you are going to Naples, Florida, you have to experience the food! It is one of the things this vacation town prides itself on. We were impressed by the quality and flavor of most of our meals. I hope this list made your mouth water as much as mine did writing it! Here’s some things to keep in mind before dining in Naples.
- If you are going to a restaurant in the 5th Avenue or nearby area of Naples, make sure to have a reservation. Most have options on their website or you can make one at Open Table.
- One thing we had issues with at a few places was service. I am not sure if it was because of the off season or what, but we had a couple of rude servers. I have read this is not uncommon for the area.
- Almost every restaurant has indoor and outdoor dining and most accommodate dogs. This even includes some of the upscale places!
- I recommend at least one Italian restaurant one seafood spot for your visit. These are definitely the Naples specialties!
Have you been here before? Let me know your favorite of all the Naples, Florida restaurants if you have! For more about our trip to Naples, read all about or hotel and our brewery visit.
