The 5 Most Underrated Restaurants in Naples You’ve Probably Never Tried

SEO Keyphrase: underrated restaurants in Naples
Meta Description (under 160 chars):
Five local-loved Naples restaurants with great food, real accolades, and almost no tourist hype — discover your next favorite meal.

Naples is an incredible food city. On any given night, you can find rooftop sushi, waterfront seafood towers, wood-fired pizza, and serious steakhouse culture. But ask long-time locals where they actually eat — the spots they quietly recommend to friends while hoping the lines don’t get longer — and you’ll uncover a different list entirely.

These are the underrated restaurants: places doing thoughtful, consistent, memorable food without nonstop Instagram attention or two-hour OpenTable waits. To build this roundup, we looked at Google ratings, review volumes, local chatter, media mentions, and a simple question:

Let’s get into five places worth putting on your must-try list.

🥘 1. Bicyclette Cookshop — Vanderbilt Beach

⭐ 4.6 | 500+ Google reviews
Average check: $45–$80 per person

Why it’s underrated:
Bicyclette Cookshop is quietly one of Naples’ strongest new arrivals. Opening in 2023, it flew under the radar at first, but quickly earned national attention for its seasonal small plates and inventive flavor combinations. Think: Miami or Brooklyn culinary creativity — minus the attitude.

Notable accolade:

• Named one of USA Today’s “Restaurants of the Year 2025.”

• Led by chef Kayla Pfeiffer, previously featured on Food Network’s “Chopped.”

What to order:

• Zucchini blossoms

• Rotating house pastas

• Sourdough + cultured butter (trust)

Insider tip:
Bar seating is the play — best energy, best service, and a front-row look at the open kitchen.

🍽️ 2. Ridgway Bar & Grill — Third Street South

⭐ 4.3 | 700+ Google reviews
Average check: $35–$60 per person

Why it’s underrated:
Ridgway is a Naples institution that somehow remains overlooked. While new openings grab headlines, Ridgway just quietly keeps doing what it does best: comforting, well-executed American fare in one of the most relaxing courtyards in Old Naples.

Best dishes:

• French onion soup

• Pork schnitzel

• Key Lime Pie (locals swear by it)

Insider tip:
Go early and get a courtyard seat around sunset. Zero noise, just palm trees and perfect lighting.

🍝 3. MiraMare — Venetian Village

⭐ 4.5+ across major review platforms
Average check: $30–$70 per person

Why it’s underrated:
Venetian Village doesn’t get the same hype as Fifth Avenue or Mercato, and that’s exactly why MiraMare makes this list. You get waterfront dining, quality Italian staples, and a far more relaxed atmosphere than the downtown hotspots.

What to order:

• Lobster ravioli

• Branzino

• Burrata salad

Insider tip:
Lunch here is a cheat code: same views, better prices, and a quieter dining room.

🌿 4. The Local — Airport-Pulling & Pine Ridge

⭐ 4.5 | 700+ Google reviews
Average check: $18–$40 per person

Why it’s underrated:
Naples has plenty of upscale dining, but very few places doing farm-to-table and sea-to-table without a white-tablecloth vibe. The Local serves clean, seasonal, locally sourced dishes at everyday prices.

Notable recognition:

• Frequently promoted as Naples’ first farm and sea-to-table restaurant.

• Listed on multiple “must-visit” lists and connected to Guy Fieri’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives restaurant discovery sites.

What to order:

• Wood-fired pizza (a sleeper hit)

• Roasted cauliflower steak

• Seasonal citrus vinaigrette salad

Insider tip:
Weekend breakfast is low-key one of the best value meals in the city.

🇮🇷 5. BHA! BHA! Persian Bistro — Fifth Avenue South

⭐ 4.7 | 800+ reviews
Average check: $35–$70 per person

Why it’s underrated:
In a city dominated by Italian and seafood, BHA! BHA! stands alone with vibrant Persian spices, saffron-rich dishes, and plating that actually looks like artwork. It’s upscale without being stuffy — a rare balance on Fifth Avenue.

What to order:

• Lamb Shank Tajine

• Chicken kebabs with jeweled rice

• Persian ice cream (yes, get dessert)

Insider tip:
Request patio seating for peak people-watching. Fifth Avenue without the fuss.

🧾 Final Bite

Naples is full of big-name restaurants, but great meals still hide in plain sight. Bicyclette brings national recognition without the hype. Ridgway delivers decades of consistency. MiraMare offers water views without tourist pricing. The Local gives Naples a healthy, seasonal option that still tastes indulgent. And BHA! BHA! brings flavors you won’t find anywhere else in Southwest Florida.

If you want to enjoy Naples like a true local, start here — and don’t tell everyone. Let’s keep the lines short.