Fort Myers Downtown House of Pizza to expand, add craft beer bar

The heavily-frequented downtown pizza parlor is known for it's good eats, but also tight space. The long standing Downtown House of Pizza plans to double in size this fall.

"The goal is to give people more space to dine," says owner Jason Kohn. "we're also adding a second oven, that's a huge component of this."

Kohn wants to debut the expanded property in September or October, depending on permits and construction speed. They plan to remain open during most of the renovation, but will have to close for a few days when the kitchen is expanded.

The most notable news is the addition of craft beer. "We're going to put in a craft beer bar for customers to enjoy. That'll be kind of in the middle between the new dining room and the current location," Kohn said. "We want to be more accessible all-around."

Kohn opened Downtown House of Pizza in August 2005. Sold as whole pies or by the slice, the restaurant is known for its scratch-made, hand-tossed, New York-style pizzas.

Kohn states that the small restaurant can turn out close to 1,000 pizzas on busy days. With a second oven and expanded area, the business will be able to improve on their previous success.

"This has been a long time coming," he said. "We've needed this."

Downtown House of Pizza is at 1520 Hendry St.; call 337-3467 or visit http://downtownhouseofpizza.com for more info.

The News-Press

26 restaurants in Fort Myers, Naples earned awards for best wine lists

Lee and Collier County wine lovers have some new additions to make to their favorite restaurant list. The New-Press reports on Wine Spectator Magazine's winners of the Restaurant Awards. This annual competition honors restaurants with the best wine lists, internationally.

Twenty six restaurants in Lee and Collier Counties (18 in Naples) earned recognition. That's an outstanding accomplishment considering more than 3,700 dining destinations in the U.S. and more than 75 countries made the list of winners.

Sale E Pepe Restaurant on Marco Island was awarded a Best of Award of Excellence this year from Wine spectator Magazine. (Photo: Corey Perrine/Naples Daily News)

Each year, panel. comprised of expert judges considers variables like location and quality of wine producers, price, style, menu pairings, service and number of selections.

Naples Bleu Provence earns the Grand Award for the fourth consecutive year in a row. This select distinction (only belongs to 91 restaurants worldwide) honors the best wine programs including top producers, harmony with the menu, and superior presentation.

The French and Mediterranean restaurant opened near downtown Naples in the year 1999 by Jacques and Lysielle Cariot.

"We are thrilled to be included in this select group," Bleu Provence states via news release. "Celebrating our fourteenth year of being recognized and awarded by Wine Spectator is something we once dreamed of."

More: Search all of the 2018 Restaurant Award winners

See the list of Southwest Florida restaurants honored in wine Spectator's 2018 Restaurant Awards here.

Bacardi Rum Heiress Sells $19 Million Coral Gables Mansion

Hilda Maria Bacardi, whose family owns the Bacardi Rum franchise, sold her Coral Gables mansion Thursday for $19 million. That figure is $8 million less than it was first asking, according to listing records. 

The great, great granddaughter of Bacardi Rum founder, Facundo Bacardí Massó, listed the property in 2016 for $27 million and then re-listed it for $25 million in 2017.

Ms. Bacardi, 49, purchased the property in 1994 for $3.9 million, according to property records.

After an eight-year renovation was completed in 2016, the property was expanded into a 12-bedroom, 14-bath mansion. Miami-based architecture firm Portuondo Perotti designed the estate. They incorporated Honduran mahogany doors and handmade copper exterior lighting.

The “Casa Costanera,” located on 300 Costanera Road is a Mediterranean-style estate boasting over 20,000 square feet of livable space. Located in the southeast corner of the exclusive Cocoplum Island in South Coral Gables, it is situated on a 1.3-acre plot of land and backs up to the canals of Lago Maggiore connecting to the Biscayne Bay. With 480 feet of water frontage, the property borders a stone pier on its southern end, just past the property’s multi-lane lap pool.

Barbara Estela and Hilda Jacobson of Douglas Elliman Real Estate, the listing agents associated with the property, declined to comment.

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