EAT+DRINK RISE & DINE
Brunch ROUNDUP
While it’s possible to have brunch any day of the week at Jane’s Café on Third or EJ’s Bayfront Café, the weekend version is becoming a more elaborate affair in Naples. Read on for some restaurants attempting to take the breakfast-lunch fusion to the next level. —M.S.
COURTESY OF DEL MAR NAPLES
A panorama of Mediterranean flavors is on display at the newly opened Del Mar. Begin with Turkish flatbreads and assorted Middle Eastern dips before moving on to shellfish platters, a lamb burger, or lobster scramble. (Saturdays and Sundays from 11:30 a.m.; delmarnaplesres taurant.com)
Chef Jeff Mitchell pioneered organic, farm-to-table cuisine in Naples at The Local, and his brunch menu is filled with healthy dishes like Vegan Superfood Hash and Vanilla Chia Seed Pudding, along with more conventional burgers, burritos, and French toast. (Saturdays and Sundays from 10:30 a.m.; thelocalnaples.com)
NIXON MAE PHOTOGRAPHY
LAPLAYA BEACH & GOLF RESORT
Does brunch taste better with a Gulf view? To find out, put your toes in the sand at Baleen at LaPlaya Beach & Golf Resort. Its “serious food with a whimsical mood” includes classic egg dishes as well as oysters, salads, crispy calamari, and tropical ceviche. (Saturdays and Sundays, 12 to 2:30 p.m.; laplayaresort.com)
You may not be able to sample all alleged 48,000 combinations available from the Bottomless Mimosa & Bloody Mary Bar, but The Catch of the Pelican at the Naples Grande Beach Resort provides a dazzling array of choices. Pair your cocktails with unlimited brunch selections from the raw bar, chef’s carving cuts, and homemade pastries. (Sundays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; naplesgrande.com)
JUAN NERIS
MICHAEL CARONCHI
Tony Ridgway, the dean of Naples chefs, brings five decades of experience to Ridgway Bar & Grill. Try the crab cake Benedict, Grafton Vermont Cheddar Omelet, or Hanger Steak & Eggs. (Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m.; ridgwaybarandgrill.com)
Mixologist Barry Larkin and chef Jay Schrednitz collaborate on a range of cutting-edge dishes and cocktails at Seventh South Craft Food + Drink. Start with the white asparagus soup or roasted oysters and feast on prime burgers or brown butter lobster rolls. (Sundays, 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.; seventh south.com)
130 NAPLES ILLUSTRATED
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