More locally owned restaurants, bars coming to downtown Bonita Springs despite pandemic setbacks

Downtown Bonita Springs will be home to four new food and drink venues, and city leaders are working to find a project for one of the most prominent properties on Old 41 Road.

An upscale restaurant, craft cocktail bar and craft brewery are set to open by summer with a food truck park planned for 2023.

Southwest Florida locals own all the businesses, which is a contrast to the franchises that line either side of the newer and busier U.S. 41. 

The grand openings downtown come as Bonita Springs City Council begins pushes to bring a perfect project to the city-owned Imperial Crossing, or Bamboo Village, Councilor Jesse Purdon said.

“(Imperial Crossing) can activate that corridor and give us a sense of place,” Purdon said. “Everyone stands to benefit up and down Old 41 Road.”

Here are the places Bonita residents and visitors to the area can look forward to grab a drink or bite to eat.

Chartreuse, a cocktail bar that harkens to a bygone era

Drink aficionados searching for a cocktail reminiscent of the 1930s will have a new venue on Old 41 Road to satisfy their unique tastes.

Chartreuse, named after a centuries-old French liqueur, takes inspiration from speakeasy bars with a Florida twist, co-owner Danielle Dyer said.

“We want it more open — more Southwest Florida,” Dyer said. “We want sunshine, openness and airiness, not dark and hidden.”

The idea of a craft cocktail bar comes from Dyer, who said she has dreamed of opening a bar since she was a teen. She’s owned Right at Home, a local home care business, for 18 years and is finally fulfilling her childhood desire by opening the new venue.

Chartreuse is based on a speakeasy — a bar that emulates the atmosphere and alcohol of the Prohibition era. The bar will serve unique craft cocktails such as The Last Word, based on a whiskey and chartreuse drink. Desserts also are on the menu.

Interior renovations are being finished in the building, formerly occupied by CGT Kayaks at 27313 Old 41 Road, Bonita Springs, Dyer said. The bar is slated to open in March.

Ceremony Brewing, a hot spot for beer enthusiasts

A new craft brewery is finishing renovations at the south end of downtown at 10441 Packinghouse Lane, Bonita Springs. The microbrewery will make and sell its own unique beers but has much more to offer future patrons.

Owner Zach Smith is a teacher and home-brew hobbyist /who is turning his passion into a business. He searched for a location to open a unique shop for more than three years, and his vision is nearing a reality as he plans to open this spring.

"I come from a home brewing background, and I want to open a microbrew in Bonita Springs that not only brews beer but also sells the supplies and equipment needed for home brewers," Smith said. 

A tap room will serve drinks from other local breweries, offering customers a large pick of drinks. Packaged beer and home brewing classes are also on the menu. Smith said he's turning to local restaurants to supply food for hungry patrons.

The Bohemian, an intimate restaurant courtesy of Downtown Coffee and Wine Co.

The owners of the popular downtown café are branching into the restaurant scene with The Bohemian at 27975 Old 41 Road, Bonita Springs. Brandon and Caitlin Schewe want to create an upscale and intimate restaurant with a menu of eclectic cuisine.

Brandon Schewe said he is keeping the menu a secret because he doesn't want a few dishes defining the restaurant.

"I don't want to tell you a menu item until day one," he said. "There are so many different things tied to a dish, and I don't want to put any thoughts in anyone's head."

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The restaurant will source local providers, the Schewes said. Patrons can expect to see the chefs cook in building's unique layout.

Brandon Schewe said he's proud to be one of the new establishments opening along Old 41 Road.

"Once we're established in another 5-10 years, I really see downtown Bonita Springs getting on the map," he said.

The restaurant will seat 44 people inside with an additional 30 seats on a deck, Brandon Schewe said. He plans to open the restaurant in summer.

The Rooftop at Riverside, bringing food trucks downtown

An eight-pad food truck park is planned for the corner of Old 41 Road and Reynolds Street in 2023.

The city will sell the lot to Magnus Family Investments, a local developer that has not ventured into the dining market, at a price of $425,000. The developer’s $3 million project includes two-story seating area and bar along with a playground for children.

Did you know?:Food truck park coming to downtown Bonita Springs

The Rooftop at Riverside's opening day is much farther out than the other venues, but the City Council has indicated it is ready to make the approvals necessary to build the park.

Celebration Park, a food truck park in East Naples, opened in 2018 with a similar model of food trucks based around a permanent bar.

The popular attraction in Collier County sparked talks of a similar design in Bonita Springs not long after opening, although the Rooftop at Riverside is the only such park approved in the city.

Thaddeus Mast is a south Lee County reporter for the Naples Daily News and The Banner. Support his work by subscribing to our local news organization. Find him on Twitter as @thaddeusmast.