Eight New Restaurants Pop Up Across Southwest Florida in Month-Long Stretch

A wave of new dining spots hit Southwest Florida from mid-March to early April 2025. The fresh batch of eateries brings new flavors to Fort Myers, Cape Coral, and Estero.

The Cape Brazilian Grill opened on March 14, 2025, serving prime cuts of lamb, beef, and fresh sea catches. Yonutz, where doughnuts meet ice cream in wild combinations, opened in Cape Coral on March 24, 2025.

In south Fort Myers, Sweet Melissa's Restaurant marks a fresh start for 2019 James Beard Award nominee Melissa Donahue. Her March 28, 2025, opening writes a new chapter after Hurricane Ian destroyed her Sanibel location in 2022.

Chef Sam Chaniyil brought his skills to Indian Breeze, which started serving on March 22, 2025, and Hacienda Jalisco started serving authentic Mexican dishes on April 1, 2025, in South Cape.

At Miromar Outlets in Estero, Rush Inn Bar and Grille started serving on March 23, 2025. This Cleveland transplant mixes shareable plates with live tunes, burgers, and wings.

A 1950s church found new life as Swamp Cat Brewing on March 26, 2025. The downtown Fort Myers spot boasts 12 craft beers, a trio of food stands, and a massive outdoor beer garden stretching 5,000 square feet.

"You can't just open a brewery and have decent beer nowadays. You have to have more. People have been waiting a long time for this. Everything has to be fantastic to keep people coming back," said Chris Gutierrez to The News-Press.

These spots breathe new life into old spaces. Sweet Melissa's took over where Uva's Vino & Tapas once stood. Indian Breeze transformed a former Subway, and The Cape Brazilian Grill now fills Pi Theory Pizza's old spot.