Why It's Time to Revisit Chez Boët + 3 Naples Classics That Never Went Out of Style

Friends and Neighbors,

This week is perhaps a love letter to a few of the Naples institutions that have managed to endure. 

Not because they're nostalgic, but because they've continued to give people a reason to come back. Sometimes that's a bowl of bouillabaisse that tastes the same year after year. Sometimes it's a grouper sandwich after a day at the beach, or a patio where it’s easy to lose track of time.

This week, we're thinking about Bastille Day with a refreshed look at Chez Boët, one of Naples' longest-running French restaurants, and revisiting three local institutions that still feel rooted in an Old Florida style and a warm, un-rushed hospitality.

Hope you find an excuse to revisit an old favorite, or finally try one you've been meaning to get to.

Warmly,

Every July 14, France celebrates Bastille Day, commemorating the storming of the Bastille prison that marked the beginning of the French Revolution. It's France's equivalent of the Fourth of July, celebrated with fireworks, parades, and, perhaps most importantly, long meals shared with family and friends.

In Naples, there's probably no restaurant better suited for the occasion than Chez Boët.

Philippe and Lisa Boët have owned the independent French bistro since 2003, and more than two decades later it remains one of the city's most enduring destinations for classic French cuisine. Philippe, who grew up in northeastern France, has built a menu that stays true to traditional techniques while incorporating seasonal ingredients from local growers and purveyors.

There are dishes that regulars return for year after year. The deeply caramelized French onion soup arrives beneath a bubbling cap of Gruyère, while the escargots are baked in garlic-parsley butter with a splash of Ricard. The bouillabaisse is among the restaurant's signatures, combining Maine lobster tail, Gulf shrimp, scallops, mussels, clams, and snapper in a saffron seafood broth. Other longtime favorites include the roasted duck à l'orange, herb-crusted New Zealand lamb rack, and slow-braised Wagyu beef bourguignon. If you're in the mood for something less traditional, the Moroccan-inspired lamb and seafood tagines have developed their own loyal following.

Dessert deserves equal consideration. The chocolate fondue for two is served with warm 56% Ecuadorian chocolate ganache, fresh berries, and mint, while the tarte Tatin and Napoleon are both made in-house.

What many diners don't realize is that the Boëts' connection to France extends far beyond the restaurant. Through Voyage Boët, Philippe and Lisa personally lead culinary tours through France. Their next journey, September 10–20, explores the Alsace wine region and Champagne, with stays at the five-star Maison des Têtes in Colmar and Les Crayères in Reims, plus visits to Grand Cru wineries, Michelin-starred restaurants, and villages most travelers would likely never discover on their own.

Chez Boët has always offered more than dinner. For more than twenty years, it's been one of the closest things Naples has had to a standing invitation to France.

Chez Boët
755 12th Ave. S., Naples • Dinner Wed.–Sat. 5–10 p.m., Sun. 5–9 p.m. • (239) 643-6177 • chezboet.com 

Some restaurants become popular because they're new. Others become institutions because they never stop giving people a reason to return.

These are the places that have outlasted trends, redevelopment, and more than a few hurricane seasons. They're woven into the fabric of Naples in a way that's hard to manufacture, and they still offer a glimpse of the Southwest Florida many longtime residents remember.

The drive to the Isle of Capri takes you past mangroves and marinas before opening onto a completely outdoor restaurant overlooking the docks. Boats come and go throughout lunch and dinner, pelicans wait patiently for dropped scraps, and by sunset it's hard to remember you were in Naples less than half an hour ago.

A meal at Island Gypsy almost always starts with the onion rings. They're enormous—closer to doughnuts than onion rings—and served with a spicy dipping sauce. The grouper sandwich is the signature order, while the lobster Reuben has inspired many repeated trips back. You also can’t go wrong ordering the coconut shrimp, grouper bites, and the lobster roll.

Then there's the carrot cake. A thick, four-layered masterpiece with candied walnuts and caramel that is plenty big enough to share. It has become almost customary to leave with a slice boxed up for the next day. Don’t skip it. 

Island Gypsy
292 Capri Blvd., Naples • Daily • Waterfront outdoor dining • islandgypsycapri.com

For many families, a beach day has always ended the same way: walk across the street to Buzz's. That routine has survived decades of change around Vanderbilt Beach.

The blackened grouper Reuben is the top order here, followed closely by the Thai shrimp. Burgers, wings, and fried calamari all have their regulars, but seafood still feels like the right move this close to the Gulf.

You can walk in sunburned, sandy, carrying a beach chair over your shoulder, and nobody thinks twice about it. There aren't many places left in Naples where that still feels completely normal.

Buzz's Lighthouse
9180 Gulf Shore Dr., Naples • Lunch & Dinner Daily • buzzslighthouse.com

Long before Bayshore became one of Naples' fastest-changing neighborhoods, there was The Real Macaw.

It opened in 1995, and nearly thirty years later it's still where a lot of locals send first-time visitors. Walk through the entrance and you're surrounded by palms, tropical gardens, and one of the prettiest patios in town. Live music fills many evenings, and once you're settled outside, it's hard not to stay for another drink. This is a place where time disappears. 

The menu borrows from Florida, the Caribbean, and Latin America. Fresh seafood is always the move, but if you're looking for advice, the braised short ribs or the whole branzino are favorites. 

The Real Macaw
3275 Bayshore Dr., Naples • Dinner Daily • Live music • therealmacaw.com

Last week we asked: When it comes to lunch, what's your usual plan?

Here’s where you landed: 

Pack my own lunch/Eat at home took the lead with 41%. But that also means the majority of our readers are grabbing lunch out - either a quick takeout or dining in! Thank you for all the feedback. I’ll be sure to look out for more lunch inspiration.  

Naples changes quickly, but the places that last tend to do something simple very well.

They give people a reason to return. A familiar dish. A patio that still feels like a discovery. A beach-day routine. A dinner that makes you slow down for a little longer than planned.

That is why restaurants like Chez Boët, Island Gypsy, Buzz’s Lighthouse, and The Real Macaw still matter. They are not just places to eat. They are part of how people remember Naples, one meal, one table, and one return visit at a time.

Hope this gives you a reason to revisit an old favorite this week.

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

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