A new entrant into the Naples restaurant scene debuted last week. Adoré Bar and Cucina, an Italian fine dining establishment owned and operated by an Albanian family, opened for business in the space on Davis Blvd. formerly occupied by Pelican Larry’s.
Owner Albana Hoxha went Italian despite being Albanian herself.
Photo by Lance Shearer
The location, just east of Santa Barbara Blvd., is just a few doors down from GG Brunch Haus, a breakfast and lunch eatery owned by the same family. So the family will be able to work full-time, seven days a week, with Adoré open every night for dinner.
“I love what I do,” said Albana Hoxha, the family matriarch. “I don’t see the hours. I adore everybody. I just walk down the sidewalk” from one restaurant to the other. Her husband, Jimmy, sons Julian and Geraldo, and daughter Angelina also work in the family business, although Albana said that apart from family members, the two establishments have separate staff.
The executive chef at Adoré, Livio Leone, comes from the Lake Como region of northern Italy, and much of the conversation in the kitchen was conducted in Italian when a reporter poked in to get some photos on opening night. This was billed as a “soft opening,” with no date specified for a more formal introduction. The menus, said Albana, are still preliminary, with not every dish available, but there is a critical mass of Italian specialties already on offer, and a commitment to quality, starting with the ingredients.
Executive Chef Livio Leone is from northern Italy.
Photo by Lance Shearer
“The beef, the cheese, Parmigiano, and burrata, it all comes from Italy. Also, the beef, the carpaccio, and the truffles – we’re bringing black truffles to shave onto the dishes,” she said. Asked what should be considered the restaurant’s signature dishes, Hoxha demurred, saying “let the customers choose” and “it’s all good,” before naming a couple
of favorites, including lobster ravioli and osso buco, along with her daughter’s number one choice, “Angelina’s favorite,” a concoction of pistachio and pasta.
“We have the best veal chop in town,” she added. “We make our own pasta, our own sauce.”
The restaurant is in the space of the old Pelican Larry’s, whose signage still sat on the ground as Adoré celebrated its opening.
Photo by Lance Shearer
“We both had the (tagliatelle) Bolognese,” said Kevin Grimes, as he and his wife Lisa departed, “and it was absolutely delicious.”
“We love her other restaurant,” John McGrath said of Albana. “We’ve been waiting for this one to open.”
The timing of the opening, just as the last gasp of the season occurs, and the long hot summer takes hold, will put the staying power of Adoré to the test, but also give them the chance to fine-tune and have everything humming when the snowbirds return, said Albana.
“Better to open now. Season is too busy. I think people will find us. We want to be a neighborhood place,” she said, but also noted that their location makes them convenient for diners coming up from Marco Island.
While the restaurant is clearly an Italian-themed establishment, the wine list leans heavily on California vintages, specifically Napa Valley bottles, such as Il Barone Cabernet Sauvignon and Mer Soleil Chardonnay. Adoré also features a full bar, with signature cocktails such as Julian’s Reserve and Amalfi Margarita.
The restaurant’s name, Adoré, reflects the love and adoration she feels in her heart, said Albana.
“The name is so everybody can feel loved,” she said. “I adore everybody. I adore you. It has to come from your heart.” The family spent over 20 years in Ann Arbor, Michigan, before coming to Southwest Florida on a quick trip and – you guessed it – falling in love.
They’re still working out all the details, but, like GG Brunch Haus, Adoré is open seven days a week. The restaurant is located at 7785 Davis Blvd. in Naples. The phone number is 239-331-7941.
Dining and Cooking