Video: Mastello Ristorante & Steakhouse in Fort Myers
This longtime restaurant off Cypress Lake Drive keeps getting better and better
The Cacciatore brothers took over and relaunched Mastello ristorante and steakhouse in Fort Myers in 2023.After being closed for a year due to Hurricane Ian, the brothers remodeled the space for a more modern and open concept.Mastello serves a variety of prime, American wagyu, and fine-aged steaks, alongside handmade Italian and seafood dishes.
Mastello is in very good hands.
Well, make that six very good hands to be exact.
The Cacciatore brothers took over and relaunched the longtime ristorante and steakhouse off Cypress Lake Drive in Fort Myers in 2023.
And they have done wonders with it ever since.
So much, in fact, it was recently named one of the best steakhouses in Florida by the USA TODAY Network Florida Dining & Entertainment team.
“We make sure everything is top-notch,” Vincenzo Cacciatore said.
That statement applies to everything here, from the meticulously aged steaks and outstanding Italian dishes to the creative cocktails and extensive wine list.
But it wasn’t easy getting to this level.
“It took off slowly,” Vincenzo said. “But we’ve been growing. It’s been great.”
Remodeled and renovated
Vincenzo and his brothers Pietro and Giuseppe — who took over Terra Nostra in Iona eight years ago — bought Mastello, a local staple for 20 years, in 2022.
“And then (Hurricane) Ian hit,” Vincenzo said. “We were closed for a full year before we opened in June 2023.”
They took that time to get it up to their standards.
“We gave it some love and care,” he said. “We tore down some walls to open it up. We remodeled to make it a more modern and open concept.”
A sea of white tablecloths with warm, glowing candles sets the tone of the main dining room, while a small and intimate bar beckons from the back of the space. A second dining room to the left of the entry, which quickly fills on busy nights, can be used for private parties and events.
It’s all welcoming, comfortable and filled with an exceptionally friendly and knowledgeable staff.
“It’s fine dining, but the way we do this, it appeals to everyone,” Vincenzo said. “We do get a younger crowd, too.”
Many quickly become regulars.
And for good reason.
One bite is all it takes
It took just one bite into our delightfully flavorful 14-ounce prime New York strip before we were planning our next visit.
Prime, American Wagyu and fine-aged are served here. Three strips are on the menu — an 18-ounce dry-aged bone in prime Kansas City, a 10-ounce American Wagyu and our best-selling prime N.Y. — in addition to an 8-ounce filet mignon (another top seller) and a top sirloin American Wagyu. The large cuts and shareables come next, featuring cowboy cut bone-in ribeye (28 ounces), prime porterhouse for the best of both worlds (34 ounces) and chateaubriand tenderloin (18-20 ounces).
Italian food stands out too
Mastello separates itself from the pack with the other side of the menu — carefully crafted Italian and seafood dishes, from spicy crab spaghetti and rigatoni Bolognese topped with fresh burrata cheese to braised short rib ravioli and risotto di mare, served with a whole lobster tail.
“We do just about everything by hand, all from scratch,” Vincenzo said.
The veal is hand-cut. Tomatoes are crushed and the eggplant parmigiana is carefully layered “like lasagna.”
“The tomahawk braised short rib is braised for hours in red wine,” Vincenzo added. “It’s spectacular.”
Add in a craft cocktail list that has five versions each of espresso martinis and old fashioneds, two Wine Spectator awards in the last two years and a couple of OpenTable Diners’ Choice awards, and you’re just scratching the surface of this culinary wonder.
“When you order something here, you know it’s going to be good,” Vincenzo said.
Mastello Ristorante & Steakhouse, 7890 Summerlin Lakes Drive, Unit 101, Fort Myers; (239) 936-3660; mastello.com and on Facebook
Robyn George is a food and dining reporter for The News-Press. Connect at rhgeorge@fortmyer.gannett.com
Dining and Cooking