The official USA TODAY Restaurants of the Year (ROTY) 2024 list features nearly 50 restaurants across America ranging from fancy fine dining and supper clubs to seafood shacks.
USA TODAY Network’s food journalists from across the country pooled their expertise to select the crème de la crème of restaurants they love and recommend.
This reporter nominated the winning Bicyclette Cookshop, led by “Chopped” champ, executive chef-partner Kayla Pfeiffer. It defies easy classification, but it’s hands-down Naples’ most original concept to open in years and the area’s sole restaurant to earn a spot on that national list.
But that doesn’t mean it’s the only restaurant I love in town.
Whether it’s one dish or an overall experience that creates an everlasting impression, any of these 10 independent locally-owned restaurants in Naples and Bonita Springs could merit a mention on USA Today’s list.
‘Chopped’ champ’s eclectic restaurant in a Naples strip mall named among best in U.S.
How many have you been to? Check out USA TODAY’s 2025 Restaurants of the Year.
How we did it: Inside look at how USA TODAY chose its Restaurants of the Year for 2025
9225 Gulf Shore Drive, North Naples; 239-592-6557; turtleclubnaples.com
Turtle Club’s shrimp & crab Napoleon.
Naples’ most notable comeback is The Turtle Club. It reopened its doors in May 2024 after Hurricane Ian shuttered it for 19 months of repairs. Sand issues from Hurricane Milton in October 2024 closed it again for two weeks. It’s boomeranged back, so put it on your list. Pro tip: It’s easier to get a table during lunch.
909 10th St. S.; 239-610-1559; syrenoysterbar.com
Inside Syren, the new dockside restaurant in Olde Naples.
The best new seafood spot? Don’t just take our word for it because Syren Oyster & Cocktail Bar earned an esteemed top 7 spot for oysters in Garden & Gun’s winter 2024 issue covering all Southern states. It’s also gorgeous inside and out.
Book your reservation now on OpenTable
Hyde N Chic
923 Creech Road, Naples; 239-399-5756; hydenchicrestaurant.com
Chef/proprietor Andy Hyde inside his Hyde N Chic restaurant in Naples.
September marked chef-proprietor Andy Hyde’s fifth year operating his tiny strip mall jewel that seats 30. This Alinea alum recently launched lunch service but is best known for monthly rotating menus of three and five-course prix-fixe suppers starring pristine ingredients presented artfully and sumptuously.
See last year’s list: Check out USA TODAY’s 2024 Restaurants of the Year.
2955 Bayshore Drive; 239-799-1801; rebeccasnaples.com
Rebecca’s beautiful presentation of summery sangria.
Don’t let the Three60 Wine exterior signs confuse you: Rebecca’s, originally a wine bar with elegant nibbles, has morphed into a full-fledged restaurant and it’s fantastic. Nestled in a comfortably gorgeous setting that feels like a wealthy friend’s home, culinary director Darren Veilleux’s crowd-pleasing luxe comfort food menu hits all the right notes. And while owner Rebecca Maddox is famous for wine pricing, I choose artfully crafted cocktails.
849 Seventh Ave. S.; 239-231-4553; seventhsouth.com
Seventh South’s exterior courtyard.
Think of this restaurant as Naples’ best-kept secret. What I love most? Fuss-free fine dining pairing with a fantastic cocktail program. Keep your eyes peeled for its new waterfront location on Bayshore Drive.
27975 Old 41 Road, Bonita Springs; 239-451-9619; thebohemianbonita.com
The Bohemian’s jarred shellfish is one of many luscious menu items.
When friends in Bonita Springs ask what’s good in their neck of the woods, I suggest The Bohemian because it reminds me of Seventh South in several ways, most notably rich food and finesse with cocktails. It’s among the few local restaurants that would thrive in a bigger, more cosmopolitan city. Cool décor lends a sexy vibe.
9105 Strada Place at Mercato Shops; 239-591-5351; oldvines.net
Stropharia Mushroom Farm in North Naples provides the funghi for a divine $16 sourdough toast at Old Vines Naples.
With every visit, something new on multi-hyphenate (chef/managing director/partner) Brooke Kravetz’s menu entices and becomes an obsession. Favorites from day one include mushroom toast, foie gras torchon and potato pave bites. Her seasonal spring pea pasta was a 2024 highlight of the best things I ever ate in Naples.
Best brunches
If brunch is your jam, Naples offers a slew of fantastic options. The big question: How much do you want to spend?
If you don’t want to endure waiting in line at the fabulous Jane’s, my top three recos that take resies alphabetically listed below.
The 239’s mushroom frittata features Care2Grow fungi and gruyere. The good for you hash is sweet potato and Brussels sprouts.
The 239: Environmentally conscious” is a buzzy term usually associated with architecture or fashion. It also applies here, where the premise is to minimize the restaurant’s carbon footprint by promoting local purveyors and creatively cooking their ingredients to perfection. This restaurant earned two USA Today nods in 2022, scoring one of Florida’s best new restaurants slots plus a 10Best for its lively nighttime scene. It’s still among my favorite places to go with workmates and friends during lunch. Book your reservation now on OpenTable. (9108 Strada Place at Mercato Shops; 239-631-1902; the239naples.com)
Bakery at Grappino: The “truffle shuffle skillet” loaded with interesting mushrooms is one of the 10 best egg dishes I ate during nine years in Naples. Take-home pastries are a must. And don’t forget bread. True story: I bought a batard, ate half and immediately froze the other half. When defrosting it a week later, it tasted as fresh as it did that first day, no toasting or re-heating necessary. A professional baker friend agreed. (80 Ninth St. N.; 239-331-4325; aielligroup.com)
Bakery at Grappino’s “truffle shuffle skillet” is one of the best things I’ve eaten in Naples.
Sails: After five years, Sunday at 11:30 a.m. remains one tough reservation. The exorbitant $165 per person price tag includes multiple courses and as much real Champagne or other boozy brunch beverages as you want within two hours. Pro tip: Saturday offers the same experience for $30 less. (301 Fifth Ave. S.; 239-360-2000; sailsrestaurants.com)
Acquerello risotto is among Sails’ multi-course brunch menu options.
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See the entire list of USA TODAY Restaurants of the Year 2025 here:
This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: 10 Naples dining spots we wish made USA TODAY Restaurants of the Year
