{"id":381348,"date":"2026-08-26T05:10:12","date_gmt":"2026-08-26T05:10:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/381348\/"},"modified":"2026-08-26T05:10:12","modified_gmt":"2026-08-26T05:10:12","slug":"south-beach-grille-reopens-on-fort-myers-beach-fort-myers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/381348\/","title":{"rendered":"South Beach Grille reopens on Fort Myers Beach – FORT MYERS"},"content":{"rendered":"


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South Beach Grille owners Brad and Susan Phillips have reopened the popular South Beach Grille at Santini Marina Plaza on Fort Myers Beach. Photo by Nathan Mayberg<\/p>\n

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The Estero Bayside Association group of Jill Vos, Marianne Sheely, Craig Sheely and Johanna Farley were happy to have the South Beach Grille a short walk away from their building.
\nPhoto by Nathan Mayberg<\/p>\n

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Brooke Morell (from left), Leah Williams, Emily Ramsey and Reese Klestinski enjoy a meal and some drinks together at the grand reopening of the South Beach Grille at Santini Marina Plaza.<\/p>\n

Photo by Nathan Mayberg<\/p>\n

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South Beach Grille head chef Cory Morin is back, one of many veteran employees of the restaurant who have returned.<\/p>\n

Photo by Nathan Mayberg<\/p>\n

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Paul Budil (left) and Michelle Feldheimer (right) enjoy the full bar at the grand reopening of the South Beach Grille.<\/p>\n

Photo by Nathan Mayberg<\/p>\n

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A Fort Myers Beach favorite is back on the fine dining menu at Santini Marina Plaza. The South Beach Grille, one of the island\u2019s most popular restaurants and a recipient of many Fort Myers Beach Observer Best of the Beach Awards, since opening its doors two decades ago, is back in business for the first time since Hurricane Ian.<\/p>\n

Like all of the tenants at Santini Marina Plaza, the restaurant was flooded during Hurricane Ian in 2022. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt was tough,\u201d owner Dennis Phillips said. \u201cWe really weren\u2019t sure until a year and a half ago that we would come back out here with the way the beach was,\u201d Phillips said.<\/p>\n

The devastation to Fort Myers Beach made Phillips wait before signing a lease with Santini Marina Plaza owner Yariv Shaked to return. <\/p>\n

Asked what had changed on the menu, Phillips gave the answers that South Beach Grille\u2019s fans will be glad to hear. Just about nothing that he can think of.<\/p>\n

Longtime customer Johanna Farley, who was at the grand opening with friends, asked Phillips if her favorite dish, the seafood chowder was still on the menu. \u201cIt\u2019s still on the menu and the same chef is cooking it,\u201d Phillips replied.<\/p>\n

The head chef, Cory Morin, worked for many years at South Beach Grille before Hurricane Ian hit. He was very busy in the kitchen when we arrived, preparing meals for the diners who had assembled for the grand opening.<\/p>\n

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South Beach Grille head chef Cory Morin is back, one of many veteran employees of the restaurant who have returned.<\/p>\n

Photo by Nathan Mayberg<\/p>\n

Morin\u2019s return is one of many who are backed, who used to work at the South Beach Grille and the other restaurant at the plaza previously owned by Phillips \u2013 Oliver\u2019s.<\/p>\n

Having those employees back four years later makes the restaurant\u2019s return that more special for Phillips, his wife Susan, and all their loyal customers. The bar was full early Monday evening, just a few hours after they had reopened. The South Beach Grille celebrates happy our every day from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. The restaurant has an extensive wine list.<\/p>\n

Phillips moved the restaurant from one side of the plaza to the other, where there is more space. The new dining room has 20 more seats than the old one. <\/p>\n

The South Beach Grille is known for their large menu of fine dining favorites like their rack of lamb, filet mignon, Alaskan king crab legs, Florida lobster tail, grouper Americano with parmeasean and spinach and baby bella mushrooms, their grilled salmon, angus meatloaf, shrimp scampi, oysters, seafood pasta, Danish baby back ribs, pan-seared sea scallops, and pan-seared jumbo lump crab cakes.<\/p>\n

For Craig Sheely, his favorite item on the menu is the burger.<\/p>\n

Farley, who was quite happy to learn the seafood chowder was on the menu, was also marking the two-year anniversary of the death of her husband Jim Farley, and made a toast with Sheely and his wife Narianne and their friend Jill Vos. Mr. Farley was the president of the Estero Bayside Association, and led the association into being one of the very first condo buildings to reopen after Hurricane Ian. Mrs. Farley discovered the newly-opened South Beach Grille two decades ago when she was staying across the street at the former Wyndham Garden Inn and searching for the new condo she and her husband, a former vice president of NBC Radio News, would move into. \u201cI was here when they first opened,\u201d Farley said. \u201cWe ate a lot here,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s so friendly.\u201d<\/p>\n

Vos said it was nice to have another restaurant back on the \u201csouth side\u201d of Fort Myers Beach again. \u201cAnd we can walk here,\u201d Marianne Sheely said. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe are so glad to have them back,\u201d Farley said. \u201cWe really missed it.\u201d<\/p>\n

The South Beach Grille first opened its doors in 2004, started by Brad\u2019s father Dennis. \u201cHe pulled me into it,\u201d Brad said. Phillips and his wife Susan both grew up in Naples and now live in Bonita Springs.<\/p>\n

The restaurant had a soft opening on Friday and Saturday by invite, before opening to the public on Monday. Many told the owners how much they missed the restaurant.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am so happy that they are back,\u201d Michelle Feldheimer said. \u201cWe have missed them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt feels good,\u201d Mr. Phillips said of the reopening. \u201cI missed Fort Myers Beach. I missed the drive from Bonita Springs. I am looking forward to life getting back to normal.\u201d <\/p>\n


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