Restaurant openings, closings from Cape Coral to Sanibel, including a waterfront return
Highly anticipated restaurant openings are about to hit Southwest Florida. Here’s a quick look at this week’s foodie news, including recent openings, closings and a change of ownership.
Cheeburger Cheeburger
Elvis is back in the building at this Sanibel Island favorite that reopened on Thursday, April 11.
RLR purchased and closed the beloved family-friendly restaurant in Tahitian Gardens plaza for renovation just before Hurricane Ian hit 18 months ago.
With its Elvis statue, ’59 Corvette and vintage Indian motorcycle firmly stationed near the front door, the space has been completely redone and upgraded with a retro-vibe dinery dining room, new sundae bar and new sports bar.
The burger-heavy menu is back with some new items (think fresh grouper sandwiches, tacos, fish & chips, hot chicken sandwich and a ramped-up bar menu).
Also returning are the customer-favorite milkshakes (with about 100 different varieties!) and the burger challenge (only in a new 2.0 form).
Cheeburger Cheeburger, which opens at 11 a.m. Tuesday to Sunday, is ready and waiting to welcome you back. 1975 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel; (239) 748-1150; cheeburger.com or follow on Facebook
Mellow Mushroom
This quirky pizza joint will make its Cape Coral debut off Pine Island Road on June 3. Construction began next to Gator Mike’s Family Fun Park in October.
The 5,800-square-foot restaurant, known for its fun pizzas and cool, funky vibe, will seat 126 inside and 60 outside. Expect Cape Coral-themed décor, complete with historical photos of the city, murals and owl-shaped door handles (we’re looking at you burrowing owls).
Learn more in my colleague Charles Runnells’ story or go to mellowmushroom.com.
Yucatan Waterfront Bar & Grill
Matlacha is getting closer to the return of this local and visitor-favorite waterfront restaurant. Funky, friendly and laid-back, this rebuilt-from-Hurricane-Ian restaurant is expected to open soon. Kitchen interviews began in March and front-of-house interviews earlier this month.
While we haven’t looked inside yet, the exterior looks lush and inviting with new landscape and tiki huts in place.
We’re excited to eat island-inspired cuisine and sip cold cocktails while looking at sunsets over Matlacha Pass soon. Stay tuned. 4875 Pine Island Road, Matlacha; (239) 283-0113; yucatanwaterfront.com or follow on Facebook
Voodoo Brewing Co.
This new downtown Fort Myers gastropub opened on April 6. On our first trip, we met franchise owners Kevin and Mashelle Towles who are as laid-back and fun as their new endeavor.
Voodoo has plenty of signature beers on tap with some local ones too. Foodwise, you can expect elevated pub food including burgers, wings, pizza, salads and more from scratch or signature items.
It’s open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday to Thursday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday.
More: Who has the best burger in the Fort Myers, Cape Coral area? A champion has been crowned
“We’re really excited to finally be open,” Mashelle said. “We’re open to any criticism as we work our way through this. I want to welcome everyone with open arms.” 2400 First St., Unit 100, Fort Myers; (239) 789-1391; ftmyers.voodoobrewery.com or follow on Facebook and Instagram
Wickies Lighthouse Restaurant
The owners of Island Cow and Mad Hatter joined forces and opened this breakfast, lunch and dinner spot at the beginning of the month. It comes a month after the couples — Brian and Elke Podlasek of Island Cow and Max and Bridget Kolshak of Mad Hatter — opened The Magic Bus ice cream and coffee shop a few doors down in Seahorse Shops plaza on the east end of the island.
Wickies — which held a ribbon-cutting on April 11 — has a full bar and fresh menu of signature eggs Benedicts and classic breakfast fare, plus burgers, flatbreads and salads for lunch and steaks, seafood and more for dinner. It combines the casual feel of Island Cow and the elegance of the Mad Hatter. Check it out at 362 Periwinkle Way, Suite 2, Sanibel; open 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily; (239) 472-0011; wickieslighthouserestaurant.com or follow on Facebook and Instagram
Gregory’s Fusion Restaurant
A new owner has taken over this Cape Coral restaurant at 1242 SW Pine Island Road, Unit 35. While Gregory’s menu of Mexican and Italian favorites is still being served, things are about to change. For the next week or so, customers will get their last taste of that menu before it changes over to Latin food and is rebranded as Old Cuban Restaurant and Bar. Details to come.
DJ Chinese Restaurant
This popular Chinese food joint in the Pinebrook Park plaza near Bell Tower is closed. A handwritten sign on the door states, “Permanently closed, out of business.” All furnishings have been removed and the restaurant remains vacant at 12995 S Cleveland Ave., Fort Myers.
Palace Pub & Wine Bar
In case you missed it, this bar and wine shop will close the doors of its current 3,000-square-foot location in Big John’s Plaza on April 20. The good news is it’s moving to a new location in the same neighborhood by the end of the year.
“It will be the same, except in a 900-square-foot space,” said Naomi Biber who co-owns the business with her partner Ryan Lay. “We want to focus on wine and the wine shop and not so much on the music. It’ll be smaller, cozier.”
Early plans for the noon to midnight closing day bash include award-winning burgers from Only Doubles beginning at 5 p.m., music by Hopper1000 from 6-9 p.m. and DJ Dre from 9 p.m. to midnight.
Stay tuned to Palace Pub’s Instagram and Facebook pages for more announcements. 1317 Cape Coral Parkway E, Cape Coral; (239) 691-6500; palacepubandwine.com
Robyn George is a food and dining reporter for The News-Press. Connect at [email protected]
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Latest restaurant news from Cheeburger Cheeburger to Mellow Mushroom
