There are few things I think are a greater gift than the joy of a good meal with friends. The plates are full with deliciousness, wine starts flowing and the tempo of the conversation picks up. Food is often also a love that can be shared amongst strangers or friends - I’m even convinced if you put the world’s most adversarial countries together with a great plate of pasta and a chianti, world peace would soon follow.
Unfortunately, in these challenging times there are those that need a little bit of extra help. Our society is only as strong as our weakest links and the amazing restauranteurs below have made it their job to make those links as strong as possible. As we all give thanks this holiday season, give an extra thank you to the folks below; and don’t forget to tip your servers too.
Every small town/city seems to have that one nicer place to go when you have family in town and you want to step things up just a little bit. In Naples, that honor goes to the timeless Ridgway’s on 3rd St. in Naples. The inside is a classic country club feel with a wonderful wrap-around patio that makes for delightful al fresco dining, weather permitting. My go to is the shrimp and grits - buttery and decadent with the classic bite of the freshest Gulf shrimp…and for years, I’ve thought on the legend of their Crispy Fish! For dessert, one of the best in town is the snowball - dark chocolate surrounded by fresh and flaky coconut cream icing! Yes, Ridgway’s is a wonderful place for a great meal, but what makes Tony Ridgway’s place even more special is the FORTY-ONE different local organizations to which they have donated.
Over on Marco, there’s the unassuming, unpretentious and utterly awesome Italian Deli & Market. The high quality Italian food is as straight ahead as the name. The only surprises you’re going to find is how surprisingly delicious all the Italian classics can be. As someone who measures red-sauce Italian by the Chicken Parm and and the classic sub, I can confirm that both of these pass with flying colors, the colors being Red, White and Green! Besides blessing us with their food, they also do a great chunk of charitable giving. Our Daily Bread and Meals of Hope are just a few organizations which Italian Deli & Market gives.
Finally, The Aielli Group, owners of Barbatella, Grappino, and Sea Salt, have been giving back to the community for many years, to organizations as diverse as Youth Haven, The Shelter for Abused Women and Children, and The Naples Botanical Garden. To me, the sharpest arrow in their quiver is Barbatella. Delicious crisp pizzas, great octopus and a modest-in-size, but enormous-in-quality pasta list all hit the mark. The bullseye for me, when it’s on the menu, is their seafood pasta - it’s savory, but not too salty to allow the flavor of the briny sweet delicious sea creatures to shine through with a broth/sauce that aims to please and never fails.
When you’re enjoying the holiday season, please follow the lead of these wonderful establishments and give back to local charities that become the lifeline to so many in our community…and when you’re giving back, your time is worth as much, if not more, than your money.
Yours in deliciousness,
Mr. Bites.