🎶 Naples' Hidden Café + Ultimate Guide to Live Music Downtown + Your Dock & Dine Favorites

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Friends and neighbors,

Days are bleeding together, so there’s no better time to discover a hidden café or chase the sound of live music across town. This week I visited Saigon to Paris, a Vietnamese-French fusion spot tucked off Airport Pulling Road. It’s low-key, family-run, and completely off the radar: the kind of place that reminds me what this newsletter is all about. 

And if you’re looking for a little more rhythm in your week, I’ve pulled together a guide to live music in Downtown Naples if you want to jazz up an evening. 

Inside this issue:
• Where to Hear Live Music in Naples – a curated guide
• Saigon to Paris – a quiet café doing bold things
• Dock & Dine Poll – tell me your favorite spot to boat in for dinner

Hope this gives you something to chew on this morning. And I have to shout out our sponsor, Naples Florida Rentals, who makes this newsletter possible. Thank you for your support. 

Talk soon,

The other day I scoped out a casual fusion spot off Airport Pulling Road just north of the Naples Airport whose locale is as disarming as the menu. Tucked into one of those low-slung commercial strips off Airport Pulling Road is Saigon to Paris, a quiet Vietnamese-French café that’s been open for a few years. Owner Danny Tham was born in Vietnam but raised in France, so you’ll find French pastries and a large lunch menu of both Vietnamese and French specialties. 

It’s a small, bare-bones space with close seating, good enough for a quick, casual lunch. To the left, there’s an impressive case of pastries gleaming with sugar, with fresh croissants and baguettes, as well as mini tarts, éclairs, and layered pastries. Pair your pastries with espresso or boba tea—both are on the menu. 

I was seated at a small table, and I ordered the crispy pork bánh mì and a cappuccino. You can tell it’s a family-run place and they make sure that you are well taken care of. The cappuccino (Lavazza) arrived exactly as I wanted, with a heap of foam, and the sandwich came out in its own large trough. Warm, with slices of pork, crunchy pickled carrots and daikon, a little jalapeño, and cilantro all stacked inside a house-baked roll that had some crackle to it. The pork was crispy and a little fatty and hit the spot after a busy morning. I was full by half, and they gladly gave me a take-home box. 

Other regulars’ favorites include spring rolls, fried pork egg rolls, vermicelli bowls, pho (though it needs some spice added), and bao buns. Almost every table was ordering from the Vietnamese side, so I would have to return to review their French specialties, but I couldn’t resist a dessert from the case. 

I asked what was popular from the pastries and was pointed to the Napoleon. Now, I’ve been disappointed by many a Napoleon (also known as a mille-feuille), but this one was an absolute delight of puff pastry and pastry cream.

While it’s not winning any design awards, Saigon to Paris is a bold concept outside of the typical Naples dining scene and does a handful of options very well. It feels like a local spot you don’t find unless someone tells you about it. So I’m telling you. 

Even if you’re not craving Vietnamese food – you’ll be glad you stopped in for a coffee and a pastry.

Saigon to Paris
📍 3915 Arnold Ave, Naples
Open daily 9AM–5PM, closed Sundays

Website 

Some of you have your favorite live music spots – Blue Martini, Whisky Park, Dogtooth, and Sugar Shack—but in Naples there is live music almost everywhere. And I know it can be hard to keep track of. Here’s a guide you can refer to any night of the week if you’re searching for dinner and some music downtown. Even if it’s just an excuse to get outside the house, it’s a great one.

THIRD STREET SOUTH
Best for jazz, courtyard cocktails, and neighborhood charm

📍 Ridgway Bar & Grill (1300 Third St S)
• Live music every Friday and Saturday at 6 PM in the courtyard
Vibe: Catch some smooth jazz while sipping a cocktail in their quiet courtyard. Perfect for unwinding.

📍 Tommy Bahama Restaurant & Bar (1220 Third St S)
•Island-style acoustic sets Sunday–Thursday, 6–10 PM; Friday–Saturday, 6:30–10:30 PM
Vibe: Island-style acoustic tunes Sunday through Thursday evenings, and a bit later on weekends. Think laid-back, tropical sounds to help you chill out.

📍 The Continental (1205 Third St S)
• Lively Friday–Saturday evenings, often featuring live bands and outdoor dancing
Vibe: Lively bands and outdoor dancing. It’s a fun, social spot where you can let loose a little.

📍 The London Club at Bellasera Resort (221 Ninth St S)
• Nightly piano, jazz, or vocal performances; reservations recommended.
Vibe: If you want something a little more upscale, this place offers nightly piano, jazz, and vocal performances. It’s intimate and perfect for a special night out.

FIFTH AVENUE SOUTH
This stretch is all about people-watching, piano lounges, and dance-friendly nights.

📍 Vergina Restaurant & Lounge (700 5th Ave S)
• Live music nightly at 8:30 PM, with weekend DJs in the bar
Vibe: Great for a stylish night with a modern, lounge vibe. 

📍 The French Brasserie Rustique (365 5th Ave S)
• Live jazz Thursday–Saturday from 7–10 PM, plus Sunday brunch music 10:30 AM–2:30 PM
Vibe: Sophisticated jazz and smooth brunch tunes; a slice of Europe that elevates the eggs benedict.

📍 Truluck’s
• Live piano Wednesday through Sunday—beginning at 4:30 PM on Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday, and at 5:30 PM on Friday and Saturday.
Vibe: Dinner accompanied by piano for elegant and relaxed background music.

📍 Evenings on Fifth
• An open-air festival on the second Thursday monthly, 6:30–9:30 PM
Vibe: Monthly live music where the community comes out to lounge on lively patios. 

OTHER LOCAL FAVORITES
A mix of waterfront vibes and hidden gems

📍 The Bay House (799 Walkerbilt Rd)
• Tavern bar music Sunday–Thursday, 6–9 PM; Friday–Saturday to 9:30 PM; rotating acts throughout the week
Vibe: Rustic tavern bar with rotating local acts; a comfortable hangout with waterfront.

📍 Bayside Seafood Grill & Bar (4270 Gulf Shore Blvd N)
• Upper Deck music seasonally Thursday–Saturday, 6–9 PM
Vibe: Seasonal upper deck music by the water; casual coastal chill.

📍 The Bevy (360 12th Ave S)
• Local musicians live Thursday–Sunday, 5–9 PM
Vibe: Intimate local music spot with a neighborhood bar vibe.

BONUS: MERCATO – NIGHTLY MUSIC + NIGHTLIFE VIBES
Not downtown, but a local favorite for lively evenings and great music. 

📍 Blue Martini

Vibe: High-energy nightlife with themed live bands nightly—from country to 80s dance—great for party seekers.

📍 Hampton Social, Tap 42, Bar Tulia, Cavo Lounge

• Frequent acoustic sets and DJs; check Mercato’s event calendar online.
Vibe: Frequent acoustic sets and DJs create a lively social atmosphere; check their schedules for the latest.

This summer, use music as an excuse to get out of the house: enjoy jazz in courtyards, lounge through piano sets, dance your way down Fifth, or have a time at Mercato any night of the week. Heard or seen a great local band recently? Let me know!

Last week's poll asked: Where do you like to go for live music?

Here’s where you landed:

Here’s what a few readers had to say:

We covered Sugar Shack earlier when it opened, and it is a unique venue that deserves some love, as many of you pointed out. Blue Martini–no matter the time of year–is always packed to the brim, so its popularity is no surprise! Thank you for your comments, and yes, Artis-Naples does have outstanding live music. 

I find one of the many great joys in Naples is getting to dinner (or lunch) by boat. From tiki bars to sunset seafood spots, we want to know:

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Why It Matters

Knowing your neighborhood—those charming cafés, inviting rhythms, and local traditions—makes Naples feel even more like home. It connects us to each other, brings energy to our local businesses, and gives us new reasons to love where we live.

Thanks for being part of this journey, and here's to many more local adventures together!

Elizabeth Bellotti
Editor-In-Chief
Naples, Florida
The Naples Florida Review

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