{"id":404576,"date":"2026-09-19T12:48:26","date_gmt":"2026-09-19T12:48:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/404576\/"},"modified":"2026-09-19T12:48:26","modified_gmt":"2026-09-19T12:48:26","slug":"now-is-the-best-time-to-try-southwest-florida-restaurants","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/404576\/","title":{"rendered":"Now is the best time to try Southwest Florida restaurants"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Branzino<\/p>\n

Branzino A La Talla is on Bellini’s Sizzle Dining menu.<\/p>\n

Provided by Bellini’s<\/p>\n

USA TODAY Network, Reuters<\/p>\n

It’s such a good deal.<\/p>\n

If you haven’t experienced Bellini’s in Fort Myers, now’s a good time.<\/p>\n

The best-selling Branzino A La Talla is a $40 entr\u00e9e.<\/p>\n

But through the end of September, you can get this gorgeous European sea bass dish, served with peppers adobo, mashed potatoes, green beans and poblano, plus two other courses for $39.<\/p>\n

Then there’s Sage on 47th in Cape Coral, which is another of our favorites.<\/p>\n

Order the pork cheeks (braised in a red wine veal gravy for hours), bluefin tuna tataki and peanut butter pie by the end of the month, and you’ll save $19 off regular menu prices. That’s nearly enough for two of Sage’s outstanding espresso martinis, which are $10 each as part of the deal. <\/p>\n

These are just two of the hundreds of limited-time Sizzle Dining 2026 discounts available through Sept. 30.<\/p>\n

“Sizzle Dining is the largest discount dining program in Southwest Florida,” Guy Clarke, the event’s co-founder, said. “These are the best deals. You can’t find a better time of year to dine out and get discounts.”<\/p>\n

In case you don’t know, Sizzle Dining is a month-long event (all of September) when local restaurants create prix-fixe breakfast, lunch and\/or dinner menus (starting at $19) showcasing a variety of palate-pleasing items. Two-, three-, and four-course menus are available at a delightfully delicious discount. <\/p>\n

“One strict rule that we have is that (Sizzle menu items) must be 25 to 30 percent off regular prices,” Clarke said. “We want to make sure you’re getting a deal.”<\/p>\n

And there’s more.<\/p>\n

For each meal purchased during Sizzle, $1 is donated to Blessings in a Backpack, a local nonprofit that provides elementary students with food and nourishment during the school year.<\/p>\n

“It’s for a very good cause,” said Andrea Mucciga, the owner of Bellini’s, who is participating in the event for the second year. “I give the Sizzle menu to everybody who comes in. It helps the kids. And it helps me show my restaurant so people keep coming back.”<\/p>\n

His is one of nearly 140 Lee and Collier county restaurants participating in Sizzle Dining’s 10th year.<\/p>\n

Last year, $87,483 was raised with 127 restaurants participating. Overall, $240,621 has gone to Blessings in a Backpack since 2021, when it became the event’s charity of choice.<\/p>\n

“This year we would like to raise $100,000,” Clarke said. “We were just shy of $50,000 at the halfway mark (on Sept. 15). If we rally, we can hit the $100,000 mark.”<\/p>\n

And that’s where you come in.<\/p>\n

Last call for Sizzle Dining 2026<\/p>\n

“If everyone could go out just one extra time, we can more than likely hit that number,” Clarke said.<\/p>\n

And like we said, there are nearly 140 restaurants and hundreds of dishes to choose from.<\/p>\n

Last week, we had a wonderful time and Sizzle Dining experience at Blanc in Fort Myers.<\/p>\n

We loved the toasted French brioche Jenga tower, grilled Caesar salad and braised lamb shank deal for $39. And for the same price, we ordered the equally lovely Blanc Brussels sprouts, signature French onion soup and grilled Scottish salmon. Nearly full before the entrees even arrived, we gladly saved room, as you should, for the cr\u00e8me brulee and chocolate mousse (not on the Sizzle menu).<\/p>\n

We were also thrilled to find the fish stew at Sweet Melissa’s on her Sizzle dinner menu. It’s ordinarily $42. During Sizzle, though, you can enjoy it plus a starter (like cornmeal-crusted cod bites) and dessert (oh, the Key lime white chocolate bread pudding) for $13 more.<\/p>\n

“These deals aren’t going to be around much longer,” Clarke said. “Season is right around the corner. The 25 to 30 percent off won’t last.”<\/p>\n

Clarke has been on quite a Sizzle run himself. In the first 15 days, he’s gone out 12 times, including to Bonita Bistro and Waffle Monkey twice (“once for a meal and once for a quick bite”).<\/p>\n

“I think I found my new favorite burger,” he said of the Bonito Bistro’s lamb smashburger ($39 for it, a starter and dessert). “It’s double lamb patties, smashed, with tzatziki. I want one now.”<\/p>\n

He’s also been to Oise (“such a cool space”), Tap 42 (“that’s a great one”), and Leonis Pizzeria (“it’s nothing fancy but a good mom-and-pop with food like grandma made”).<\/p>\n

“I loved the ribs at Bubba’s (Roadhouse in Cape Coral) too,” he said. “The drink (with Wicked Dolphin coconut rum, blue cura\u00e7ao, pineapple and lime juices) was great. It was fun cracking peanuts on the table. The place was packed. The food portions are good. And the double chocolate layer cake – oh my.”<\/p>\n

So many more Sizzle restaurants and menus to choose from<\/p>\n

Menus run the gamut, from waffles at Waffle Monkey to lobster tail at Roy’s.<\/p>\n

Want to try a new restaurant? Check out Vybe in Fort Myers, Acqua Bistecca in Bonita Springs, Oar & Iron in Babcock Ranch or Bimini Basin or El Jardin in Cape Coral.<\/p>\n

We’re hoping to hit a couple of our old favorites, like Unico in Fort Myers, Next Door and\/or Gather in Cape Coral, Phuzzy’s on Pine Island, Pezzo in Estero, and of course, Bellini’s, Sweet Melissa’s and Sage on 47th. And these are just in Lee County alone. Go to sizzledining.org for a complete list of participating Lee and Collier restaurants and all the menus.<\/p>\n

“(Sizzle) is a wonderful opportunity to try something new and have a great time with friends and family – all while supporting a truly great cause,” Sage owner Ralph Centalonza said. “We’re proud to be part of Sizzle Dining. Come hungry, have some fun and help us finish Sizzle Dining strong.”<\/p>\n

Clarke couldn’t agree more.<\/p>\n

“Save money, have a great meal, find a new restaurant and help kids,” he said. “You can’t go wrong with that.”<\/p>\n

Visit sizzledining.org for more.<\/p>\n

Robyn George is a food and dining reporter for The News-Press. Connect at rhgeorge@fortmyer.gannett.com<\/p>\n

Please support local community journalism and stay informed about Southwest Florida news by subscribing to The News-Press and Naples Daily News; download the free News-Press or Naples Daily News app, and sign up for daily briefing email newsletter, food & dining and growth & development newsletters here and here.<\/p>\n

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Now is the best time to try Southwest Florida restaurants<\/p>\n

Reporting by Robyn George, Fort Myers News-Press & Naples Daily News \/ Fort Myers News-Press<\/p>\n

USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect<\/p>\n

\"James James Beard-award nominated chef Melissa Donahue is the force behind Sweet Melissa’s in Fort Myers. Robyn George \/ Fort Myers News-P USA TODAY Network, Reuters \"Blanc Blanc in Fort Myers one of nearly 140 restaurants participating in Sizzle Dining 2026. Robyn George \/ Fort Myers News-P USA TODAY Network, Reuters \"If If you’ve never been to OISE in downtown Fort Myers, try it during Sizzle Dining 2026. Robyn George \/ Fort Myers News-P USA TODAY Network, Reuters \"Bubba's Bubba’s award-winning BBQ back ribs are on the Sizzle Dining menu. Robyn George \/ Fort Myers News-P USA TODAY Network, Reuters \"We're We’re hoping to get by Pezzo Pizza + Bar in Estero for the lasagna before Sizzle Dining ends on Sept. 30. Provided by Pezzo Pizza + Bar USA TODAY Network, Reuters <\/p>\n

Copyright Reuters or USA Today Network via Reuters Connect<\/p>\n

This story was originally published September 18, 2026 at 6:55 AM.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Branzino A La Talla is on Bellini’s Sizzle Dining menu. Provided by Bellini’s USA TODAY Network, Reuters It’s…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":404577,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[209,211,210],"class_list":["post-404576","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-cape-coral","tag-cape-coral","tag-cape-coral-headlines","tag-cape-coral-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/404576","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=404576"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/404576\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/404577"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=404576"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=404576"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=404576"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}