Q: I was driving on the East Trail and noticed the “coming soon” sign that was in front of the former Mother Truckers Cafe is gone. Does that mean they have given up on the restaurant? Also, I see a new storefront in the Joe’s Diner strip mall on Airport for a restaurant named From Paris to Saigon. Curious to know what Tim knows. — Howard Ripps, East Naples
A: The owners of Que Chilero are not giving up. They are still working to open their new Latin restaurant at the former Mother Truckers Cafe site at 4811 Tamiami Trail E., but they just had to remove signs that were not properly permitted.
“It was a ‘coming soon’ sign and they didn’t get a permit from the county. They got a love letter for that saying take that down or go get a permit. So, they took it down for now,” said Rusty Russell. He and his wife, Belia, co-own that commercial building and property on the corner of U.S. 41 East and Catalina Drive in East Naples. The Marco Island couple also co-owns Mighty Fine Roofing.
Que Chilero, which means “that’s awesome!” in Spanish, is owned by sisters Ana and Lesly Ovalle. They have been working to get the local Latin restaurant open for many months and have invested a lot of money in their new family venture,
“They’re making progress,” Russell said. “They’ve applied for their CO [certificate of occupancy]. I think they have a couple of connections yet to get through.”
Because Mother Truckers Cafe mostly operated out of a food truck parked next to the restaurant, the Ovalles had to build a kitchen inside the small building, which has been vacant for a couple of years.
“They are putting in an actual hood with fire suppression which is sufficient for deep fryers and grills and griddles and all that stuff that they want to do,” Russell said.
The Ovalles hope to open Que Chilero by the end of this year, but it may not be able to launch until early 2026. The brick-and-mortar business builds upon their Ovalle’s Delicias lunch truck.
“We will have Latin food, but most of it will be Guatemalan,” Ana Ovalle said. “We will have kind of like hot dogs, but we call shucos, which are made with steak, sausage, cabbage and avocado. You will love it!”
Saigon To Paris Restaurant, Bar & Bakery is targeted to open in December on the southeast corner of Airport-Pulling Road and Estey Avenue in East Naples.
Saigon To Paris
Saigon To Paris
Saigon To Paris Restaurant, Bar & Bakery, a fusion of Vietnamese and French cuisines, is targeted to open during the second week in December in Promenade Plaza on the southeast corner of Airport-Pulling Road and Estey Avenue.
It’s the second helping of Saigon To Paris in East Naples from Danny Tham, a Saigon native who grew up in France. Tham launched his original local cafe in 2020 at 3915 Arnold Ave., on the northern edge of the industrial park behind Tamiami Ford off Mercantile Avenue. After briefly closing for a facelift, the first restaurant — Saigon To Paris Café — relaunched in September as Saigon To Paris Creperie & Bar with a new décor and menu.
The fresh concept features more than 20 varieties of savory and sweet crepes. The menu also has Vietnamese staples such as pho, banh mi sandwiches and spring rolls; and French specialties such as croque madame sandwiches, chicken cordon bleu and ratatouille. The bar’s beverages include creative cocktails, coffee and specialty teas.
The second location of Saigon To Paris will offer the same concept of French and Vietnamese cuisine with a French bakery, coffee shop and bar in a redeveloped 2,800-square-foot unit, Tham said. In addition to Joe’s Diner, Saigon To Paris joins a retail center that provides a smorgasbord of hospitality options, including Delicias Latina, D’Peru, Dragon Palace, Mr. Beef, Naples Ice Cream Shoppe, Papa John’s Pizza and Rumba Cuban Cafe.
A second location of Casa Cotzelli is coming soon to the former BurgerFi end unit in the Shops of Eagle Creek off U.S. 41 East.
Tim Aten
Casa Cotzelli too
Q: Is anything planned for the former location of BurgerFi by Lowe’s in East Naples? – Sheila Gustafson, East Naples
A: The owners of Casa Cotzelli plan a second location of their old-school Italian restaurant in the inline end unit that formerly was home to BurgerFi in the Lowe’s-anchored Shops at Eagle Creek near the southeast corner of U.S. 41 East and Collier Boulevard.
The local restaurant concept with a name that combines part of the last names of both of its co-owners, Gabriele Cotza and Filipo Butelli, has built a solid fan base since it launched in February 2023 in the Island Walk gated community at 6175 Towncenter Circle, Suite 201, off Vanderbilt Beach Road in North Naples. Their new home — or “casa” — in East Naples will give the local restaurateurs more visibility and deserved attention for their modern Italian dishes.
Casa Cotzelli’s dinner entrée Maiale in Crosta di Pistacchio features pork loin in a pistachio crust with gorgonzola and potatoes.
Casa Cotzelli
While they would like to open Casa Cotzelli’s second location in late December, Butelli said the new restaurant most likely will launch in January. They had to install all new kitchen equipment to convert the former fast-casual space into their upscale restaurant with a bar.
The new venue’s menu will have some different pasta dishes and main courses than the original, Butelli said. “We are working on the menu right now,” he said, noting that everything will still be house-made. “The concept is we always want to have fresh food made in the house.”
Casa Cotzelli’s Tiramisu al Pistacchio adds house-made pistachio mascarpone cream and coffee to a classic Italian dessert.
Casa Cotzelli
Cotza is the chef of the restaurant, while Butelli runs the front of the house. The Italian natives — Butelli from Florence and Cotza from Milan — met years ago when they both worked at BiCE Ristorante in downtown Naples. Cotza also was employed at Sails Restaurant, and they then both worked together at Molto Trattoria and Truluck’s. “We have years of Fifth Avenue experience,” Butelli said.
Gabriel Cotza, left, and Filippo Butelli co-own Casa Cotzelli Italian restaurant in North Naples and plan a second location in East Naples.
Casa Cotzelli
Their original location, which just reopened Oct. 1 with a refreshed space and new menu after a brief hiatus, will continue to operate in Island Walk. The hidden gem is open to the public for patrons who make reservations online and check in at the guardhouse at the community’s entrance off Vanderbilt Beach Road.
The new DQ Grill & Chill at 4535 Tamiami Trail E. is targeted to open in early December.
Jim Dolan
New DQ Grill & Chill
Q: Can you tell me when the Dairy Queen is going to open on East Tamiami Trail? – M.K., East Naples
A: The target opening is Dec. 8 for the new DQ Grill & Chill at 4535 Tamiami Trail E., said Marco Island resident Jim Dolan, who co-owns the fast-food franchise with his wife, Cathleen.
Clearing began this spring to build the new Dairy Queen drive-thru on the vacant commercial lot next to Texas Tony’s Rib & Brewhouse on U.S. 41 East between Lakewood Boulevard and Rattlesnake Hammock Road.
The Tim Aten Knows weekly column answers local questions from readers. Email Tim at Tim.Aten@NaplesPress.com.
Dining and Cooking