Inside Soluna, new at Bayfront and chef led by a Golden Gate HS alum
Step inside Soluna, a new restaurant at Bayfront that’s chef-led by a Golden Gate HS alum.
- This is not the first Naples restaurant to be featured on the show; five others have been previously.
- The 239 Naples opened in May 2022 and focuses on locally sourced ingredients and gluten-free options.
Another Naples restaurant will co-star on a popular Food Network show.
Guy Fieri filmed a segment for his Food Network show “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” at The 239 Naples in The Mercato outdoor shopping venue.
It will air at 9 p.m. Friday, May 23.
More than a cool name
The 239 Naples, 9108 Strada Place, opened in The Mercato on May 2022.
The bright space, formerly Zoës Kitchen, offers a breezy vibe in the popular outdoor shopping venue.
In the October 2024 story, the Naples Daily News identified The 239 Naples as a place that would succeed anywhere.
Reunited colleagues who first worked together in Fort Myers early in their culinary careers a decade ago joined forces to open The 239 Naples.
Owner Steve Sinchek, general manager Scott Kanerva and executive chef Richard Holdridge officially opened The 239.
It was Kanerva who hired Holdridge in 2012 as his line cook when he was top toque at Paseo Fort Myers. Holdridge eventually succeeded Kinerva there as executive chef.
Holdridge in 20216 went to Fort Myers Beach’s Bayfront Bistro as front-of-house manager; and Kanerva headed to the Verandah Golf Club in Fort Myers, where he worked as food and beverage director until October 2021.
“We are very excited that our locally sourced concept with many gluten-free options and no seed oils is being featured on Triple D,” said Ray Corallino, The 239 Naples’ general manager/beverage director, referring to the nickname of Fieri’s show.
Guy Fieri knows Naples
It seems Guy Fieri can’t get enough of Naples. The Food Network chef and TV personality already has featured five Naples restaurants on Triple D.
They are The Local; The Rooster Food + Drink; Molto Trattoria; Cracklin’ Jacks; and Mykonos Kuzina.
Fieri visited The Rooster last November, and while he was in town, attended an event at Total Wine & More in North Naples in support of his and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Sammy Hagar’s Santo Spirits brand.
Dave Osborn is the regional features editor of the Naples Daily News and The News-Press. Contact him at dosborn@gannett.com and follow him on Instagram @lacrossewriter.
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