Late Night Bites: The Pub at Mercato a British delight
With the massive red-white-and blue Union Jack overhead, and large dark wooden bar below, the Pub at Mercato appears as British as the Rolling Stones.
Yet few pubs in London and other parts of Great Britain could match the food selection found at this popular North Naples bar-restaurant. Sure, there's bangers and mash, Scotch eggs, fish and chips and shepherd's pie ($12.95), filled with beef, lamb, peas, carrots, whipped potatoes and topped with cheese.
And Van Morrison singing about a "Wild Night" through the soundsystem helps create a United Kingdom vibe along with the black-and-white checkered floor and framed photos of famous Brits the likes of William Shakespeare among others.
The menu expands to flash fried calamari, flatbreads, a Cuban sandwich, salads, burgers and more. Give credit to the Pub for acknowledging that this is not true to its "ancestors" across the pond. Its website says as much, calling the Pub a "unique combination of British hospitality and American flair."
A poster of Sting rests on one wall, with framed soccer jerseys and chalkboard with beers written in various colors. The Pub also fills up for British soccer matches.
TRY THIS
The flash fried calamari ($11.50) may not be very British but it's better than any calamari I've ever tried. Servers bring the steak-cut calamari and sweet chili or yellow curry sauces for dipping.
THIRSTY?
Dozens of beer options means you must try a 5-ounce pour for $1.85. Combine four beers to create a flight, which is served on what looks like a wooden paddle.
DETAILS
The Pub, 9118 Strada Place, Naples
Hours: 11 a.m.-midnight, Sunday-Wednesday; 11 a.m.-2 a.m. Thursday-Saturday
Information: 239-594-2748 or experiencethepub.com
OTHER BITE NIGHT OPTIONS
Bar Tulia, 462 Fifth Ave. S., Naples
Hours: 4 p.m.-1 a.m. Monday-Saturday; 4 p.m.-midnight
Information: 239-228-7606 or osteriatulia.com
Blue Monkey Bar & Grille, 7550 Mission Hills Drive, North Naples (northwest corner of Collier Boulevard and Vanderbilt Beach Road, in Winn-Dixie Plaza)
Hours: 11 a.m. daily to 10 p.m.
Sunday-Monday, to midnight Tuesday-Thursday and to
2 a.m. Friday-Saturday
Information: 239-597-2583 or bluemonkeybar@hotmail.com
Bokamper’s, 8990 Fontana Del Sol Way, North Naples, or 8001 Plaza Del Lago Drive, Estero
Hours: 11:30 a.m.- 2 a.m. daily
Information: bokampers.com or 239-431-7611 for North Naples and 239-992-7611 for Estero.
Dylan’s Drafthouse, 1258 Airport-Pulling Road, Naples
Hours: 10 a.m.-2 a.m. daily
Information: dylansdrafthouse.com or 239-300-0192
North Naples Country Club, 10095 U.S. 41 N., North Naples
Hours: 10 a.m.-2 a.m. daily; food served until 11 p.m.
Information: 239-594-0555
Pelican Larry’s Raw Bar & Grill, 1046 Pine Ridge Road, Naples; 7885 Davis Road, East Naples; 8855 Immokalee Road, North Naples
Hours: 11 a.m.-2 a.m. daily
Information: pelicanlarrys.com; 239-649-0800 on Pine Ridge; 239-793-2004 on Davis; 239-330-1300 on Immokalee Road
Rusty’s Raw Bar & Grill — Naples, 2700 Immokalee Road, North Naples
Hours: 11 a.m.-2 a.m. daily
Information: 239-263-9464
Rusty Bucket, 9110 Strada Place (at Mercato), North Naples
Hours: Opens 11 a.m. daily; to
11 p.m. Monday-Thursday; to midnight Friday-Saturday; 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday
Information: 239-260-4152 or myrustybucket.com
South Street Bar & Grille, 1410 Pine Ridge Road, Naples
Hours: 11 a.m.-2 a.m. daily
Information: southstreet naples.com or 239-435-9333
Weekend Willie’s, 5310 Shirley Street, North Naples
Hours: 11 a.m.-1 a.m. daily
Information: 239-597-3333 or weekendwillies.com
Whiskey Park, 3380 Mercantile Ave, Naples
Hours: 11 a.m. to 2 a.m.
Information: 239-263-6777 or whiskeypark-naples.com
You don’t see your favorite late-night bite stop in Southwest Florida? Email it to dosborn@gannett and we will include it in this list next week.