And that’s a wrap! After four weeks of delicious food and the community coming out to support Blessings in a Backpack, the final numbers are in! This September’s Sizzle Dining Event raised $87,483! Since Blessings can make a dollar stretch, $175 feeds a child every weekend of the school year. So that means nearly 500 kids in the SWFL area will have something extra in their backpacks every weekend. Another benefit to Sizzle Dining is the boost our local restaurants experience during one of the slowest times of year. So, no matter what way you look at it, it’s a great community event. We’ve already talked about the details of the events, so let’s talk about some of the restaurants we tried for Sizzle Dining.
Great lunch options –
- Hogfish Harry’s – It’s a must try if you’re in the Naples area! Great food & drinks, fabulous atmosphere, and a little wildlife (We had a friendly iguana and duck stop by, but we loved the food too much to share) So many great options on the Sizzle menu, but some of our favorites are the Fried Green Tomatoes, Shaved Brussels & Kale Salad, Blackened Triggerfish Sandwich, and Fish Tacos. And even though it’s not on the special menu, don’t leave without a piece of Key Lime Pie. They offer a 2 course lunch menu for $29.
- Bicyclette Cookshop – They offer lunch and dinner, but since we’ve never been before we decided lunch was the way to go. Creative, delicious, familiar, yet different. Nothing we say will do it justice, so just go try it! We tried the Caviar with Bugles (+$12), Chorizo Potatoes, Chicken Flautas, and the Porchetta Gyro. We also added the Fancy Soft Serve (+$8), because who doesn’t love good soft serve ice cream? It’s a wonderful place to get a few things and share. They also offer a 2 course lunch menu for $29, but some options had an additional charge.
Plenty of dinner options –
- Black Forest German Restaurant – Perfect German comfort food! From the moment we walked in we loved everything about this restaurant. It’s cozy, welcoming, and the kind of place that you immediately know the food is going to be great. We tried a bunch of German classics. Crispy potato pancakes, the Black Forest platter with Wiener Schitzel, sausages, sauerkraut, & red cabbage, Jagerschnitzel, Apple Strudel, and of course, Black Forest Cake. Every bite was delicious! They might have the best deal around with lots of options for their 3 course meals at $29 and $39.
- Limoncello – This has been one of our local favorites for years. Wonderful Italian food with amazing, welcoming, service. So many options to pick from on their Sizzle menu – Arancini, Arugula Salad, Braised Short Ribs with Cacio-Pepe roasted potatoes, and Branzino Mediterraneo. They also always have a fun, special Sizzle Cocktail (+$12) that you can add on. They offer a 3 course dinner for $49.
- Roy’s Restaurant – With their amazing food and fabulous service, this is another great choice! A delicious combo of Asian flavors and a bit of a Hawaiian vibe. Even though their Sizzle menu was one of the smallest, it still offered yummy options. We tried Roy’s House Salad with Dean Okimoto’s creamy herb dressing, Braised Beef Short Rib (+$10), Chicken Adobo, Grilled Salmon, and of course we had to end with Roy’s Melting Hot Chocolate Soufflé. It was also hard to pass up their Sizzle Cocktail – a Hawaiian Martini (+$10).
As you can see, there is a wide range of restaurants, cuisines, and prices, so there’s something for everyone. And this is just our small sample of the over 100 restaurants participating this year. If you want to join in next year, make sure to visit their website to sign up for their newsletter and follow them on Instagram all the latest info.
