Many local restaurants have come and gone during the first six months of the year. Our annual halftime report provides a quick recap with a look back at the comings and goings during the first half of 2025, already knowing that we can expect a lot more noteworthy action in the second half. Down and Out Before we review the heavy-hitting roster of new players, here’s a nod to those who retired. In Naples, we recently lost Bahama Breeze Island Grille, Bambusa Bar & Grill, Bodega Ole, Divine Naples Coffee & Wine Bar, Dorona, Duck Donuts, HobNob Kitchen & Bar and Lamoraga. In North Naples, closings included Boutique Sweet Couple, The Cave, The Warehouse Cuisine & Cocktails, 16 Handles, and the Five Guys in the Gateway Shoppes at North Bay. In East Naples, we lost 21 Spices, Charlena’s Pizza, Dominick Pizzeria, La Sorpresa Latina Cuban Café, Naples Tiki Bar and Grill, Pelican Larry’s Raw Bar & Grill, Simit Fresh Mediterranean and Z’s Music Kitchen. In Bonita Springs, closings included Jimmy P’s Charred, Industry Standard Kitchen + Bar and Napoli Pizza. Cantina 109 Mexican restaurant, The Keys Bar & Grille and Moe’s Southwest Grill all closed at Gulf Coast Town Center. Also closing in Lee County were Bonita Bill’s on San Carlos Island, El Nido Modern Mexican and Perkins Restaurant & Bakery in Estero, Joe’s Crab Shack and Voodoo Brewing Co. in Fort Myers, and Divine Donuts in Cape Coral. Sweet Floret Cakery closed its brick-and-mortar store in Matlacha. Changeup Some places closed an original location in order to open in a new space. Those included Seventh South Craft Food + Drink and Yacht Club Subs in Naples, Palace Pub & Wine Bar in Cape Coral and Take Two Coffee in Fort Myers. The owners of L’Olivo Ristorante and Roma Italian Bistro & Pizzeria closed in downtown Naples to create new concepts. The owner of Off the Bone BBQ in Logan Landings totally changed concepts with the introduction of Dough Daddyz Kick’n Italian Kitch’n. Island restaurants that reopened after being shuttered for years after damage from Hurricane Ian included Blue Giraffe and Lazy Flamingo on Sanibel, and Keylime Bistro on Captiva. Some businesses changed hands. KC American Bistro in North Naples became Amber Cove under new ownership; a new owner morphed Zookie’s Sports Bar & Grill into Sonny’s Pizzeria & Sports Bar in North Naples; Sawgrass Grill in Golden Gate closed but was added to the lineup at nearby Cracklin’ Jack’s; new owners turned Thai Thai Sushi Bowl into Maipi Thai Sushi Bar in Naples Coastal Shoppes on Collier Boulevard; and Larry’s Lunch Box continues to operate in East Naples under new ownership and without the longtime “Soup Nazi.” Some places – such as The Bevy and Bice in downtown Naples – temporarily closed for months with plans to reopen this fall. Naples Newcomers The highly anticipated Blackbird Modern Asian flew into the former space of Bonefish Grill at Naples Bay Resort to become the one to watch so far this year. Other dining spots attracting deserved a...