Dining

Just slightly out of the way, on Gladiolus Drive in South Fort Myers, is where you'll find the attractive building housing il Pomodoro Cucina Italiana -- a family owned restaurant specializing in home cooked Italian cuisine.  Opened and operated by the former proprietors of Pasta & Pizza on Metro Parkway (mind you, we're going back a couple years now); Il Pomodoro is poised to take advantage of an area certain to see a growth spurt once our Southwest Florida economy revs itself up again. Attractive landscaping leads you behind the restaurant, where there's plenty of available parking.  You'll pass a gurgling fountain and tropical foliage on your way to the entrance.  The outdoor setting of this restaurant is sure to put you in a Florida frame of mind.

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Perhaps it's the Sunday morning Soprano reruns I've been watching for the past few weeks. Or maybe it's those flashy commercials I've been seeing pop-up on the local cable stations. Whatever it was, I found myself heading out to St. James City on Pine Island to sample some of the food and service at Vesuvio Italian Grille.

Operated by Chef/Owner Giorgio Lanese, who previously owned Giorgio's Italian Ristorante in the Santa Barbara Center plaza in Cape Coral, Vesuvio Italian Grille has been plating up delicious dishes on Pine Island for over four years.

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So many new restaurants open up in the trendy Southwest Florida lifestyle centers with colorful signage, opulent interiors, mood lighting, service staff in colorful costumes, and gimmicky menus -- only to close down a few months later when the expected business fails to appear.  The owners don't understand what went wrong.  The location was right.  Their staff was friendly.  Their restaurant was attractive.  They placed colorful advertisements in all the right magazines.  They even had a frequently updated Fan Page on Facebook.  They were focused on the details...just not the right ones.  In the end, independent restaurant success and longevity is all about two things...consistently great food and perceived value.  Get those two ducks in a row and everything else becomes icing on the cake.

Read more: Siam Hut Thai Restaurant in Cape Coral

Hidden away in the posh Promenade shopping center in Bonita Springs is Roy's Hawaiian Fusion restaurant.  For over eight years Roy's restaurant has been one of the premier destinations for special event dining in Southwest Florida.  Birthdays.  Engagements.  Anniversaries.  Graduations.  Promotions.  Whether you're welcoming someone home, sending someone off, celebrating your last day of a Florida vacation, or just want an all-around exceptional meal...Roy's in Bonita Springs has cultivated an enduring legacy as the ultimate place to enjoy vibrant food and celebrate special moments.

I decided to pay a visit to see if they were still rightfully honoring their longstanding traditions of carefully honed hospitality and cutting edge cuisine.

Read more: Bonita Springs - Roy's Hawaiian Fusion