Where to Eat This Week: 7 Summer Lunch Deals + The Bay House's Riverfront Menu + Poll

Friends and neighbors, 

One of the nice things about living in Naples is that you'll never run out of places to eat. The downside is that deciding where to go can feel almost impossible.

This week, I have two sources of inspiration for you. First, I went looking for the best summer lunch specials around town and was surprised by how many restaurants are putting together genuinely good deals for locals. They range from a $16.95 pizza and a glass of wine at Barbatella to three-course meals, blackened fish tacos, and even a lunch that comes with a complimentary margarita (or other choice cocktail).

Then we're heading to The Bay House, where the river views are as much a reason to go as the food. Their summer menu runs until 9 p.m., which means you can actually enjoy dinner at dinner time instead of racing to make an early seating.

Warmly,

Summer dining specials tend to steal the spotlight, so this week I turned my attention to lunch. If you've been looking for a reason to stop making sandwiches at home, here are the specials worth knowing about.

Rebecca’s offers a dignified lunch in an airy setting. For $24, you'll get an entrée and a glass of wine—Prosecco, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir or Rosé. The grilled chicken with burrata is perfect when it's pushing ninety degrees, while the flat iron steak with fingerling potatoes is there if you're hungrier than you expected. If lobster rolls are your summer weakness, theirs comes on a buttered bun with house-made potato chips for an extra $12.

2955 Bayshore Dr. • Daily 11 a.m.–3 p.m. • $24 entrée + wine • rebeccasnaples.com

Barbatella's lunch special is served at the bar, which is exactly where I'd want to sit anyway. For $16.95, you get an entrée and a glass of house wine or a soft drink. The Wagyu Bolognese is the obvious comfort order, but the Diavola pizza with spicy salami and the crispy calamari Caesar deserve equal consideration. Third Street has a different personality in July, and lunch is a good excuse to enjoy it.

1290 3rd St. S. • Daily 11:30 a.m.–3 p.m. (bar) • $16.95 • barbatellanaples.com

Sea Salt has offered this lunch special for years, yet it still seems to surprise people. For $19.95, lunch at the bar includes an entrée and a glass of house red or white wine. You'll find just a few choices, like chicken Milanese or their signature burger. If you're downtown and want something nicer than a sandwich without committing to a long lunch, it's an easy choice.

1186 3rd St. S. • Daily 11:30 a.m.–3 p.m. • $19.95 + wine • seasaltnaples.com

Only The 239 would decide lunch ends at exactly 2:39.

The $19.95 menu includes three courses, which feels increasingly rare. Start with a Little Gem Caesar, local farm salad or shrimp cocktail, then choose from a sustainable salmon sandwich, short rib-brisket burger, ginger teriyaki bowl or harvest bowl. There's even a chocolate mousse to finish.

9108 Strada Pl. • Mon–Fri 11:30 a.m.–2:39 p.m. • Three courses $19.95 • the239naples.com

The Local keeps things straightforward. For $19.50, you'll get to choose a salad followed by any sandwich, burger or taco on the lunch menu. The blackened fish tacos remain one of my favorite orders there, though the Pig & Fig and house-smoked turkey sandwich have earned plenty of loyal fans too. It's a menu with enough options for repeat visits.

5323 Airport-Pulling Rd. N. • Daily 11:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m. • Two courses $19.50 • thelocalnaples.com

Campiello's lunch special lets you mix and match two courses for $20. Maybe that's cacio e pepe fries followed by a grilled chicken panini. Maybe chopped salad before radiatori pasta. If you're willing to spend a few dollars more, you can upgrade to dishes like the Wagyu burger, pappardelle with veal or fresh snapper.

1177 3rd St. S. • Daily • Choose two courses for $20 • campiellonaples.com

Keewaydin's includes something most lunch specials don't: a mixed drink.

The $25 menu comes with a cocktail or mocktail, then your choice of a grouper sandwich, crispy chicken sandwich with cilantro aioli, shrimp tacos, cheeseburger, or soup-and-salad combination. Add a slice of Key lime pie with mile-high meringue or passionfruit cheesecake for another $5 if you're in no hurry to get back to work.

711 5th Ave. S. • Mon–Fri 11:30 a.m.–3 p.m. • $25 includes cocktail • keewaydins.com

Know another lunch special that deserves a spot on this list? Send it my way.

Summer prix-fixe menus usually ask you to make one compromise: eat dinner before most people have left work.

The Bay House offers a summer special that allows you to dine at a normal hour. Their two-course chef's menu is served until 9 p.m., which means you can make a normal dinner reservation, stay for a drink, and enjoy summer dusk settling into the Cocohatchee River.

The restaurant has been part of North Naples for more than 30 years, along the river off of Walkerbilt Road. It's easy to overlook because it sits outside the downtown orbit, but the setting has always been a draw. Boats idle past the dining room, the river catches the evening light, and one can forget U.S. 41 just a few minutes away.

The other part of the appeal is that The Bay House gives you more to work with when it comes to their summer dining menu. Start with creamy corn and crab bisque, tuna and watermelon poke, or baked oysters. Then comes the difficult part: Scottish salmon with dill beurre blanc and lemon-glazed sweet potatoes, churrasco steak with chimichurri and salt-and-pepper fries, a porterhouse pork chop with roasted Brussels sprouts and whiskey sauce, braised lamb shank, or the Sea BLT—a chilled combination of lobster, shrimp and crab with fried green tomatoes, smoked bacon, roasted corn and smoked tomato vinaigrette. If you've been looking for an excuse to order lobster, add $10 for lobster tail and frites with herb butter and Béarnaise.

It’s not the cheapest around town, but its menu is compelling, and the fact that you can sit down at 7 PM is perfect for a spontaneous date night. 

The Bay House
799 Walkerbilt Rd. • Two-course summer menu $44 • Served through 9 p.m. • Reservations recommended • bayhousenaples.com 

Last week we asked: Which elevated spot would you choose for drinks?

Here’s where you landed: 

Tesoro took the lead with 29% of the vote, followed closely by Limon Rooftop. Readers also enjoy Bayside Seafood Bar & Grill and Prime Social Reserve. 

Summer is when Naples feels a little more like ours again. The reservations are easier, the specials are better, and the places we usually save for visitors become a little more tempting on an ordinary weekday.

So whether you are trying a lunch deal, booking a riverfront dinner, or simply looking for a reason to get out of the house, I hope this issue gives you somewhere good to start.

Warmly,

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

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