The Southwest Florida dining scene has been sizzling since Sept. 5.
That’s when the Sizzle Dining program kicked in with more than 100 restaurants offering two- to four-course lunches and dinners for $19, $29, $39 or $49 through Sept. 25. Participating restaurants contribute $1 per meal sold during the promotion to Blessings in a Backpack.
Sizzle (go to sizzledining.com to see all the menus) is a win-win for the nonprofit, diners and restaurants.
“Everyone is usually standing around during the offseason,” Gather and Next Door chef John Hill said. “People forget about local restaurants. Offer a deal like this and people come out.”
It’s a perfect time to hit old favorites. We had leftovers from our $29 dinner at Two Meatballs in the Kitchen in Cape Coral. And we’ll be thinking about the affogato flambe from Next Door in Cape Coral for weeks.
Sizzle days are also ideal for discovering new wonders as we and many others have at La Fontanella Ristorante in Fort Myers.
“Sizzle, for us, turned by far the slowest month into the busiest month this summer,” general manager Ismael Sauceda Jr. said.