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🔥 Naples’ Most Creative Restaurant (And the Local Spot Everyone’s Worried About) | 🎭 Top Events This Week | 🗳️ Food Poll You’ll Want to Answer

🔥 Naples’ Most Creative Restaurant (And the Local Spot Everyone’s Worried About) | 🎭 Top Events This Week | 🗳️ Food Poll You’ll Want to Answer

Naples' Boldest Bites Are Here 🔥

Carolyn Cervoni
April 01, 2025

Sponsored by

Friends & Neighbors,

This week’s edition might ruffle a few feathers—and I’m okay with that.

I finally made it to FUSE Gastrobar, and let’s just say: the secret’s out. I know some of you were hoping I’d keep this one off the radar, but after the wild culinary ride I had (kangaroo, octopus, scallops-on-plantains madness), there’s just no keeping it to myself. You’ll find the full review below—complete with photos, flair, and a dessert that left me googling how to make my own beignets at home (spoiler: I probably won’t).

We’re also digging into some big news on the local dining front: the beloved Hogfish Harry’s—one of my all-time Naples favorites—has officially been purchased by Phelan Family Brands. If you’re a Naples foodie, you probably have thoughts. So do I. I spoke to Grant Phelan in person and checked in with staff, and I’m sharing all the details (and some hopes) in the story below.

As always, we’ve got your Top 6 Events for the week ahead, last week’s poll results (spoiler: nobody wants more pier design meetings), and a fresh new food-themed poll that asks: where won’t you eat in Naples?

👉 Want to weigh in, vent, rave, or suggest a place I need to try next? Drop a comment or email me anytime at [email protected]—I really do read and reply.

And if you missed an issue or want to dig through past favorites, you can always browse the full archive here.

Thanks for being here. And thanks for keeping it local.

🍴 Get off Fifth Avenue and Over to FUSE
🍽️ Hogfish Harry’s: A Hidden Gem in Transition
📆 Top 6 Events This Week (April 1–7, 2025)
🗣️ Foodie Feedback: Pier Redesign Fatigue
This Week’s Poll: Where won’t you eat in Naples?

🍴 Get off Fifth Avenue and Over to FUSE

Whenever I’ve mentioned covering FUSE Gastrobar in The Naples Florida Review, I’m usually met with the same long, lingering stares from my fellow year-round local food lovers. The look says it all:
“Shhhhhhh.”
Or more bluntly:

“Just don’t.”

Well… sorry, friends. That silence ends this week because I finally made it to FUSE for dinner, and it’s an experience I have to share—even if it draws some local ire. This isn’t just another “off Fifth” dining spot. It’s a wild culinary ride unlike anything else in Naples.

👨‍🍳 Meet the Dream Team Behind FUSE

FUSE is owned by Chef Gregory Scarlatos and his wife—and expert bartender—Monika Czechowska. When they opened in 2013, they were engaged. Ten years later, they’re still in business and still together—which tells you everything you need to know about their shared vision (and probably their patience).

FUSE started as a dinner-only global cuisine restaurant, but in 2018, they opened FUSE BBQ next door. Eventually, the two concepts merged, and now you can enjoy a barbecue-forward lunch (Tues–Sat, 11–2) and a globally inventive dinner (Tues-Sat, 5–9) that feels like something out of a travel show hosted by a culinary mad scientist.

🦘 Appetizers: Kangaroo, Bao, and One Epic Octopus

We kicked things off with three appetizers—some of the boldest flavor combinations I’ve had in town:

Kangaroo Carpaccio
With huckleberry gastrique, shaved onion, Australian feta, crispy capers, and crostinis.

Kangaroo? Yes. Surprisingly delicate, not too gamey, and beautifully balanced thanks to the tangy gastrique and creamy feta. A true “I can’t believe I’m eating this…but I’m not stopping” moment.

BBQ Bao Buns
Smoked pork belly, kimchee, pequin aioli, hoisin, and roasted cashew-peanut purée in a steamed bun.

Grilled Octopus with Char Siu Pork Belly
With sun-dried tomato coulis, crispy potato, chile oil, and yuzu aioli.

The buns and octopus were standouts. The incredibly fluffy bao buns did not last long on the table before being devoured, and the octopus was a work of art and easily one of the best grilled octopus dishes I’ve ever had.

🐖 Entrées: One Safe Bet, One Wild Ride

For our mains, we chose:

Iberico Pork Presa
With lyonnaise potatoes, brie crema, chimichurri rojo, roasted peach chutney, and broccolini.

Flavor-wise? Solid. But I would’ve loved to see the pork sliced a bit thinner for better texture and plating.

• Scallops & Smoked Pork Belly

U-8 day boat diver scallops, black bean ragout, roasted maduros, goat’s milk crema, tomato-avocado relish.

This dish was pure genius—or madness—or maybe both. When I first saw the ingredients listed together on the menu, and then again when the dish actually arrived, my immediate thought was that whoever came up with the concept was either a mental patient or smoking something really good.

You’ll be surprised to learn, however, that giant scallops atop crispy pork belly, balanced on black beans and sweet plantains, and then sandwiched between generous helpings of what I can only call upscale guacamole… actually works! I managed to get a bite with all of the components (not an easy task), and somehow all the flavors come together. The scallops were the real deal—if you’ve ever been served cut-in-half scallops at a restaurant, you know exactly what I mean.

🍩 Sweet Finish: Beignets & Chocolate Martinis

We wrapped things up with:

Fresh Beignets
Pillowy, warm, and smothered in powdered sugar.
Dubai Chocolate Martinis
Crafted by Monika—sweet, boozy perfection with a golden touch.

Monika’s cocktail menu is reason enough to sit at the bar. I’m telling you: pull up a stool, order a drink, and talk to the regulars—they might even warm up to you by the end of the night.

🎢 Final Thoughts: An Inspired Shakeup

FUSE is a fantastical, sometimes delirious culinary ride that you won’t find anywhere else in Naples. Lately, so many menus around town are starting to feel the same. But this? This was the shakeup I didn’t know I needed.

FUSE doesn’t take the easy way out—and that’s exactly why it’s worth the trip.

🍽️ Hogfish Harry’s: A Hidden Gem in Transition

Phelan Family Brands acquires one of Naples’ most beloved local spots—what happens next?

"Why are you sad I bought it? I don’t plan on changing a single thing."
—Grant Phelan, in response to a skeptical commenter on Facebook’s Naples Restaurant Word of Mouth

🐟 A Local Favorite, Hidden in Plain Sight

While Hogfish Harry’s might still be a “hidden gem” to many in Naples beyond the die-hard local set, I’ve never made a secret of the fact that it’s one of my favorite places in town. With a vibe that transports you straight to Key West—without the drive—this cozy, off-the-beaten-path restaurant is tucked inside the dated but charming (in its own, quirky, old-school way) Park Shore Resort.

Parking and arriving at Hogfish Harry’s is an adventure in itself. I usually park at the rear of the Park Shore Resort in a spot that hasn’t been reserved for owners/guests. Then navigate your way to the entrance sign, cross a red Asian-inspired bridge, and make your way into the inner sanctum of Hogfish Harry’s. You can sit outside on the deck, inside at low tables, or belly up to the laid-back, Key West-style bar. The food is consistently great, it’s extremely kid-friendly, the service is warm, and the happy hour is one of the best in town, no question. No frills. No fuss. Just a wonderful local spot.

The bridge to Hogfish Harry’s!

👀 The Rumor Mill—and a Chance Encounter

So, like many Naples locals, I was more than a little concerned when I heard whispers that Hogfish Harry’s had been sold to a major restaurant group—Phelan Family Brands.

Naturally, I wanted to confirm the news for myself. At the grand opening of The Perry Hotel, I happened to meet Grant Phelan and didn’t hesitate to ask him directly: had his group purchased Hogfish Harry’s?

Without hesitation, he confirmed it. I told him how much I loved the place, and he replied that he thought it was wonderful too—and that he had no intention of changing it.

🍹 What the Staff Had to Say

Still, I needed more than the owner’s own words. So after another recent event, my husband and I dropped into the bar at Hogfish Harry’s to get a read on the vibe. We chatted with both a bartender and a server—two people who would know best if things were shifting behind the scenes.

Their enthusiasm for the transition seemed sincere. They didn’t just echo a corporate script. Instead, they said the changes that had happened were behind the scenes—administrative, operational—and overwhelmingly positive. In the days since, I’ve heard rumors that the chef and some staff have left. I’ve found that those things often happen in these kinds of transitions and I wish everyone involved the best.

🧾 Who Are the Phelans?

Founded in 1997, Phelan Family Brands is a family-owned and operated hospitality group based in Naples. Today, they operate more than 25 restaurants across Florida, including familiar names like Pinchers, Texas Tony’s Rib & Brewhouse, and Deep Lagoon Seafood.

The post-Covid era has been one of rapid expansion for the Phelans. Following the purchase of the beloved Bay House from Peter Tierney in May 2021 and the opening of Phuzzy’s Boat Shack on Pine Island the same month. In 2022 Phelan went on to purchase CJ’s on the Bay from the Koons and launch a new concept Two Filets in 2022 in collaboration with Jimmy P’s Butcher Shop. Plowing straight on ahead, they made their entrée onto 5^th Avenue in 2023 through the acquisition of four restaurants belonging to Skip Quillen’s Culinary Concepts Group: Yabba, Chops City Grill (two locations, one on 5^th Ave), and Pazzo Cucina Italiana. Phelan then renovated Yabba and relaunched it as Keewaydin’s in 2024.

How have those acquisitions gone? Let’s just say that Grant Phelan has had to deal with some skepticism before. The Bay House was another locally-loved restaurant and Phelan took great pains during the purchase to emphasize that he would not be changing the menu and would be keeping the entire staff. Interviewed by Gulfshore Business in May of 2021, Grant said “Not a single change has been made”. We have kept the entire staff and kept the menu and everything the same. No need to fix perfection.”

The news about Hogfish Harry’s is just starting to get around, but I suspect that he will continue to give the same kind of response – both through social media and traditional media. It is the response that he gave me just a couple of weeks ago.

💬 Online Backlash—and Grant’s Response

Not everyone is convinced. Over on the Naples Restaurant Word of Mouth Facebook group (check it out here), some locals are worried the Phelans will corporatize or water down the quirky charm that makes Hogfish Harry’s special.

To his credit, Grant Phelan has met the skepticism head-on. When one commenter recently said they were “sad” about the acquisition, he jumped into the comments himself:

“Why are you sad I bought it? I don’t plan on changing a single thing.”
—Grant Phelan

Time will tell if those words hold true.

🙏 My Honest Hope (And a wish…)

From what I’ve seen, the Phelan Group handled the Bay House transition about as well as anyone could expect in the restaurant world. There will always be grumbling about any change, but I think that the essential character of the Bay House has remained intact.

So my honest hope? That Hogfish Harry’s stays just as it is:
A slightly quirky, genuinely local joint with an awesome vibe, an unbeatable Painkiller cocktail (ask your bartender), and a loyal Naples crowd that knows exactly why it’s worth seeking out.

Also, putting this here in the hope that I might manifest it: Hogfish Harry’s used to have incredible BBQ Shrimp (New Orleans Style). As we look to a new era of ownership, let’s resurrect a past favorite!

Do you have any thoughts on how the Phelan acquisitions of The Bay House, CJ’s on the Bay and Chop’s have gone? Feel free to drop your thoughts in the comments below or email me at [email protected].

📆 Top 6 Events This Week (April 1–7, 2025)

1. Rascal Flatts: Life Is A Highway Tour
📅 Thursday, April 3 | 7:00 PM
📍 Hertz Arena, Estero
🎶 Believe it or not, there are still tickets (starting at $130) available for Rascal Flatts “Life Is a Highway” reunion tour. Expect a nostalgic, high-energy performance packed with hits as the country trio celebrates 25 years.

Link for Tickets Here

2. Collier Mosquito Control District 75th Anniversary Open House
📅 Saturday, April 5 | 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM
📍 600 North Rd, Naples
🚁 I know, right? A Mosquito Control Festival? Is she crazy? Well, this is more than an open house for the department – it’s a celebration of community. This free, family-friendly event offers a behind-the-scenes look at the people and equipment that help keep Collier County livable. Enjoy helicopter and facility tours, police vehicles, firetrucks, children’s activities, and more.

🗣️ Foodie Feedback: Pier Redesign Fatigue

Last week, we asked for your thoughts on the Naples Pier redesign following the post-hurricane rebuild plans. And while there were some strong opinions on the aesthetics, the most popular response by far was:

🏗️ “Who cares? When does construction start?”

I can’t help but agree and hope that we can see our pier restored as soon as possible.

Reader Feedback

💬 L.M.
🚫 Hate it.
“MHK has brought Naples some really ugly McMansions and other work that will not stand the test of time well. The pier design is what you'd expect. I had hoped Naples instead would entrust the Pier project to an outstanding national firm that would give us something that would truly stand out.”

💬 S.M.
🏗️ Who cares? When does construction start?
“Looks pretty much the same. Don't know why they spend so much time and money planning it. It will just get blown/washed away again.”

💬 K.D.
🏗️ Who cares? When does construction start?
“Can't wait!”

💬 N.V.
🏗️ Who cares? When does construction start?
“Too expensive and here we are 2 years later still in design phase. Inappropriate spending, just replace what was there at a much-reduced cost.”

This Week’s Poll: Where won’t you eat in Naples?

Every local has their go-to spots… and their hard no’s. We want to know:

What’s off-limits for your taste buds?

👆Click above to vote, and we’ll share the results in next week’s edition!

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Why It Matters

Cities grow. Restaurants change hands. “Hidden gems” don’t stay hidden forever. But what never changes? The soul of a place—and the people who fight to preserve it. In a town where charm can sometimes be bought out or bulldozed, this newsletter is your radar for what’s still real.

We spotlight what matters before the hype takes over. Being first in the know isn’t just satisfying—it’s how you stay rooted while everything around you evolves.

See you out there,

Carolyn Cervoni
Editor-in-Chief
Naples, Florida
The Naples Florida Review

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