Caiman Cantina Debuts in North Naples

Casual, fresh, and festive, stirred with a measure of Florida sunshine—that’s the vibe Grant Phelan envisioned when he decided to replace Two Fillets in North Naples with his new concept: “Caiman Cantina isn’t trying to be your typical Tex-Mex restaurant,” says the CEO of Phelan Family Brands. The restaurant’s executive chef, Rafael Elisea, grew up near Jalisco, Mexico. He brings his culture and family background to the kitchen, where everything is made from scratch. Phelan says, “We built this place around the kind of food families in Mexico have been making forever, [including] recipes passed down and perfected through time—not in a boardroom.”

This eatery is the latest from the company known for Deep Lagoon Seafood, Chops City Grill, and The Bay House, among others. Phelan believes in giving diners a variety of concepts, offering different experiences for various occasions. The menus at Caiman Cantina include both traditional options and several less familiar dishes. For example, fresh guacamole crujiente comes topped with crispy pork rinds and cotija. Camarones a la Nayarita combines shrimp in dried chile sauce with chorizo and vegetables. Pollo en mole, the famed Oaxacan chicken dish, is served, too, as are assorted burritos, enchiladas, tamales, fajitas, and tacos. Cocktails are also well-crafted, with options like mojitos, palomas, and daiquiris concocted with house-made tamarind syrup.

“What we hear most is how much [the food] reminds [customers] of real Mexican cooking, the kind that tastes homemade,” says Phelan, who notes he’s got his eye on a location for a second Caiman Cantina.

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