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NOW OPEN: New area restaurants in 2012

Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream & Yogurt opened in April in Bonita Springs at 3440 Renaissance Blvd., located on the west side of U.S. 41 near the Bonita-Estero border.

Photo by TIM ATEN

Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream & Yogurt opened in April in Bonita Springs at 3440 Renaissance Blvd., located on the west side of U.S. 41 near the Bonita-Estero border.

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  • Masa, an upscale Mexican restaurant, opened Tuesday, Nov. 27, 2012, in Mercato in North Naples. Even before entering Masa, one can’t help but notice how it sets itself apart with its living wall of plants reaching outside.
  • The Chapel Grill opened Nov. 5, 2012, at 811 Seventh Ave. S., across from Cambier Park and next to Naples City Hall in the former First Baptist Church.
  • Fish Restaurant opened in early December on the northern side of the Village on Venetian Bay, off Gulf Shore Boulevard North in Naples.
  • Bha! Bha! Persian Bis­tro opened Nov. 5, 2012, in its new downtown location in the historic Parks Building at 865 Fifth Ave. S., Naples.
  • Barbatella opened in mid-January at 1290 Third St. S. in downtown Naples.
  • Three60 Market opened March 5 at 2891 Bayview Drive in the former location of the Tipsy Seagull Bar & Grill along Haldeman Creek and off Bayshore Drive in East Naples.
  • Alberto's on Fifth opened in January 2012 at 868 Fifth Ave. S., between Mangrove Café and Aqua Seafood & Steaks, in downtown Naples.
  • Augustina's Bistro A Taste of Chicago, 3300 Davis Blvd., opened March 13 on the southeast corner of Airport-Pulling Road and Davis Boulevard in East Naples.
  • Sweet Home Chicago Pub & Grab opened June 23 in the former Naples home of Aurelio's Is Pizza.
  • Aurelio’s Pizza opened Dec. 10 in the former location of Ted’s Montana Grill and Pate’s House of Prime Rib at Coastland Center mall in Naples.
  • Capers Kitchen & Bar opened Oct. 29, 2012, in the former North Naples location of Sam Snead's Tavern in the Naples Walk shopping center, 2460 Vanderbilt Beach Drive.
  • Bond Restaurant and Lounge is set to open June 28 in the former North Naples location of Latitude, Cafe Italia and Paul Sturkey's Encore in Naples Walk.
  • Café Alfredo opened in the spring of 2012 in the former home of Pizzaiolis in the Galleria Shoppes at Vanderbilt at Airport-Pulling and Vanderbilt Beach roads.
  • Parmesan Pete’s Italian Kitchen relocated in November to North Naples in the former location of Anthony’s Trattoria in Fountain Park, 7935 Airport-Pulling Road.
  • Trattoria Abruzzo Cucina Italiana opened Sept. 4, 2012, in The Pavilion shopping center in the former location of the Heidelberg Bistro and Bohemian Schnitzelhouse next to the movie cinema in North Naples.
  • Patio Café is set to open this week in the former home of L'Etoile, a French restaurant that closed in early May after operating for only six months at 10711 U.S. 41 N. in North Naples.
  • Cloyde and Nate Pate opened Scallywags Steak and Burger House on Dec. 5 at 3560 U.S. 41 E. in East Naples.
  • The Basin opened Friday, Oct. 26, in the former location of Absinthe in the Galleria Shoppes at Vanderbilt, 2355 Vanderbilt Beach Road, suite 200, North Naples.
  • Maguro Japanese Steakhouse & Sushi opened July 10 in the Gateway Shoppes at North Bay on the corner of Wiggins Pass Road and U.S. 41 North in North Naples.
  • L'Orient, a local family owned Asian restaurant, opened Feb. 29 at Naples Bay Resort, 1490 Fifth Ave. S., in the former location of Olio on Naples Bay.
  • EJ's Bayfront Café opened March 19 in the former restaurant location of Chrissy's at Bayfront, 469 Bayfront Place. The cafe, open 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily, offers a breakfast and lunch menu with breakfast served all day.
  • Refresh, a fast-casual lunch and dinner venue serving sandwiches, salads, wraps and smoothies, opened July 9, 2012, next to Pei Wei Asian Diner in the Galleria Shoppes at Vanderbilt in North Naples.
  • Gallo Fino Café, a Cuban sub shop, opened March 12 at 318 9th St. N., next to Grouper & Chips in Trinity Plaza in downtown Naples.
  • Grace & Shelly’s Cupcakes opened its fifth location June 15 next to Chipotle Mexican Grill on Mercato’s main street off U.S. 41 in North Naples.
  • Naples Flatbread & Wine Bar opened its third area location June 5 in Mercato in North Naples.
  • L'Appetito Pizza and Deli III opened Oct. 22, 2012, in the Sweetbay shopping center at Vanderbilt Beach Road and Collier Boulevard.
  • Pizzeria PiccoBello opened Jan. 12 in the former North Naples location of Gatsby's Pizza, 13510 U.S. 41 N., behind Walgreens off Wiggins Pass Road in the back tier of Wiggins Pass Crossing shopping center.
  • Gustitos Bakery - Peruvian Café opened Sept. 13 in the Bed Bath & Beyond Plaza on the northwest corner of Airport-Pulling and Pine Ridge roads in North Naples.
  • IIWII Beach Bar & Grille opened Aug. 31, 2012, at 13510 U.S. 41 N. in Wiggins Pass Crossing in North Naples.
  • The Keys Bar & Grille opened Feb. 20, 2012, in Gulf Coast Town Center off Interstate 75 in San Carlos Park.
  • Cgrape Chef, an Asian-American restaurant, opened Sept. 11, 2012, in Imperial Square, 975 Imperial Golf Course Blvd., off U.S. 41 in North Naples.
  • Senor Tequila's Fine Mexican Grill opened its third location May 29 in Marquesa Plaza, on the corner of Livingston and Pine Ridge roads in Naples.
  • La Bamba Mexican Restaurant moved across the street Feb. 3 in North Naples from the Bed Bath and Beyond Plaza to this location near Target in Pine Ridge Crossing shopping center. The new location was the longtime home of China Tokyo, which closed in March 2011.
  • Larry's Lunchbox Delicatessen opened its second location Aug. 29, 2012, in the Neapolitan Way shopping center off U.S. 41 in Naples.
  • Caffe Portofino artisan Italian bakery opened June 6 in the Neapolitan Way shopping center off U.S. 41 in Naples.
  • Whisk! Treats and Eats opened April 6 at 935 Third Ave. N., next to Richie's Restaurant, just off U.S. 41 across from NCH Hospital in downtown Naples.
  • Jason Chang opened Truly Organic Pizza in March in Granada Shoppes in North Naples. The pizzeria features New York-style pizzas, calzones and appetizers made exclusively from USDA-certified organic ingredients.
  • Frozen Yogurt Cloud opened Oct. 5, 2012, near Moe's Southwest Grill and Truly Organic Pizza in the Granada Shoppes on the southeast corner of Immokalee Road and U.S. 41 in North Naples.
  • Jack and Rita's Homemade Ice Cream was opened on Black Friday, Nov. 23, by Jack and Rita Taylor in Green Tree Center in North Naples.
  • Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream & Yogurt opened in April in Bonita Springs at 3440 Renaissance Blvd., located on the west side of U.S. 41 near the Bonita-Estero border.
  • Dairy Queen closed its longtime, red-roofed store in downtown Naples and opened this new DQ Grill & Chill this year three blocks north at 694 Ninth St. N.
  • Artisan Gelato by Norman Love
  • SweetFrog self-serve frozen yogurt café opened its first Naples-area store June 15 next to Sunburst Café in Pine Ridge Crossing on the corner of Airport-Pulling and Pine Ridge roads.
  • Orange Leaf Frozen Yogurt opened three area locations in 2012. The first opened in early May in Miromar Outlets in Estero, followed by another, above, in early June in the Village on Venetian Bay, 4200 Gulf Shore Blvd. N., Naples. Another location opened Dec. 19 next to the Lani Kai Island Resort in Fort Myers Beach.
  • Let's Yo! yogurt shop is expected to open this weekend in the Galleria Shoppes at Vanderbilt, 2355 Vanderbilt Beach Road #186, North Naples.
  • Tropical Sno, serving finely shaved Hawaiian ice in a wide variety of flavors and creations, opened in March in the heart of Coconut Point in Estero.
  • The Counter Custom Built Burgers opened in August 2012 in Mercato in North Naples.
  • Elevation Burger opened Oct. 12 in North Naples at 6434 Naples Blvd.
  • Thomas S. Monaghan, well-known founder of Domino’s Pizza, Ave Ma­ria University and most recently Gyrene Burger, opened his second Gyrene Burger unit on Aug. 8 in North Naples, at 9331 U.S. 41 N. just north of Vander­bilt Beach Road.
  • Jaegerhaus recently relocated to Green Tree Center of North Naples from its previous location on U.S. 41 in Naples. The German restaurant reopened Dec. 5 in the former home of Taste of Chicago, between Naples Olive Oil Co. and Em-On’s Thai Café.
  • PoBoys Shrimp Shack opened Feb. 3 at U.S. 41 and 108th Avenue North in the former North Naples home of Cilantro Tamales and Mother Cluckerz.
  • The third area location of Toast opened Nov. 1 at 24600 U.S. 41 S. in the Shoppes at Pelican Landing in Bonita Springs.
  • Manhattan Steakhouse opened in February in Burnt Pine Plaza, 24940 U.S. 41 S., formerly the home of Bella Vita Ristorante, in Bonita Springs.
  • The Hot Caboose Island Grille, a Caribbean-themed restaurant, opened in May at the original Dixie Moon Cafe location, 27755 Old 41 Road, on the corner of Dean Street.
  • Just A Nibble sandwich and pastry shop opened Aug. 6 at 635 Eighth St. S., across from Cambier Park in downtown Naples.
  • Ristorante La Piazza opened Nov. 12 on Marco Island in the former loca­tion of Casa Mia, 1000 N. Collier Blvd., No. 5-6.
  • Fin Bistro opened Oct. 18 in the former location of Maxime’s Bistrot, 317 N. Collier Blvd., on Marco Island.
  • Ron Dao’s Piri Piri Flame Grilled Chicken & Salad opened Oct. 15 at 18767 U.S. 41 S. in the former Fitzgerald’s location in San Carlos Park.
  • Bellissimo Ristorante opened July 27 in the former Bonita Springs home of Brooklyn Oven Pizza, 26251 U.S. 41 S, in Bay Crossings plaza.
  • Famous Dave’s opened Dec. 3 in the former space of space of Vapiano in Gulf Coast Town Center, 9924 Gulf Coast Main St., Unit 130, south Fort Myers.
  • Tipsy Tarpon Seafood Shack opened Sept. 24 at Miromar Outlets in Estero.
  • The Big Red Food Cart opened Nov. 5, 2012, at 1225 Airport-Pulling Road on the corner of Estey Avenue in East Naples.
  • Jet’s Pizza opened its North Naples location Dec. 3 next to AAA Coney Island on U.S. 41 North between 98th and 99th avenues north.
  • Dunkin’ Donuts opened in July at 4800 Golden Gate Parkway, the former Golden Gate location of Saltwater Cowboys Raw Bar & Grill.
  • The Dunkin' Donuts in Bonita Springs reopened Jan. 5 in Springs Plaza, located on the southeast corner of U.S. 41 and Bonita Beach Road, in the former location of Jimmy's Roadhouse.
  • Collier County's first Jimmy John's Gourmet Sandwiches opened Jan. 10 in Piper's Crossing, where Airport-Pulling Road meets Immokalee Road in North Naples.
  • Jimmy John's Gourmet Sandwiches opened its second North Naples location May 15 at 6434 Naples Blvd., next to Vitamin Shoppe in Promenade at Naples Centre.
  • Alpine Restaurant, right, opened July 10, 2012, next to Toast in the former location of Bajio Mexican Grill in the Galleria Shoppes at Vanderbilt, 2355 Vanderbilt Beach Road #158, North Naples.
  • Chinatown Restaurant is scheduled to open this month at 2059 Pine Ridge Road, the former North Naples home of Saffron Indian Restaurant.
  • Shula’s Bar & Grill had its grand opening Jan. 17 in the former location of Chili’s Too in the main terminal’s upper level public area at Southwest Florida International Airport in Fort Myers.
  • Gordon's on the River opened Jan. 4, 2012, in the Naples Harbour location above Jack's River Bar. The Gordon River yacht club is located at 475 North Road, behind Naples Municipal Airport.
  • La Piñata Mexican Restaurant opened Oct. 20 at 3367 Bayshore Drive in East Naples.
  • Sabor Colombiano opened in late March in the former location of Delicias Bakery & Pastries II, 4724 Golden Gate Parkway, Golden Gate.
  • Dickey’s Barbecue Pit opened Oct. 25 in the Bell Tower Shops, 13499 U.S. 41 S., on the northeast corner of Daniels Parkway in Fort Myers.
  • Rossopomodoro, 800 Fifth Ave. S., is now L'Angolo 5th Ave, a local independent restaurant in downtown Naples.
  • Photo

Naples-area restaurants that opened in 2012.

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