Arts & Eats Café in Fort Myers has our full attention after upping its game in a wonderfully delicious way.
The creative café on the Alliance for the Arts site has been a visual feast since its opening in May 2021.
The ground floor of the Edwards Building at the intersection of McGregor and Colonial Boulevard is home to countless rooms and spaces filled with local art, crafts, and even the odd resident artist.
“Almost all of the art is created by the artists at Union Artist Studios,” said David Acevedo, founder and co-owner of the studios and DAAS CO-OP Art Gallery & Gifts and Cafe. “That’s what you’ll find here.”
At Arts & Eats you will also find the works of another artist – a culinary artist.
“We’ve added Tony (Clark’s) desserts to our menu,” said Acevedo, who co-owns the cafe with Jamie Burnette. “We now sell his cakes and cookies and although he’s not directly part of the team, he works behind the scenes.”
Fan of the meeting place
Clark was a creative force, a friendly face and co-owner of Shawn & Tony’s Kitchen and The Gathering Place with Shawn Leiva. It wasn’t long after Shawn and Tony closed their Fort Myers restaurant on May 31 that Clark started baking again.
In early June, Tony’s Bunch of Deliciousness was launched, selling cakes, cookies, pastries and pies at four locations – Arts & Eats, Metro Diner, Farmers Market Restaurant and Skip One Seafood. Since then, Eastwood 77, Café Blue and Michela’s Pizzeria – all in Fort Myers – have also been added.
“I’ve wanted to work with him for some time,” Acevedo said. “We’ve always had a great relationship. I’ve known him for 20 years. Who wasn’t a fan of The Gathering Place?”
Their collaboration lasted for years.
“We approached him in 2021 when we had plans to open, but he was too busy,” Acevedo said. “He always offered us support and advice. After he (Shawn & Tony’s) closed, we approached him again and the time was right.”
This is great news for all of us.
Slices, pieces of perfection
Clark has free rein as to what he bakes and delivers fresh from the oven.
“He’s never missed a shot,” Acevedo said. “He’s doing really good things.”
The German chocolate cake we had on our last visit was a piece of perfection.
And that also applied to the cookie. And the sales.
Arts & Eats also offers a variety of breakfast and lunch dishes as well as coffee made to order.
Bestsellers include the Chicken Pesto Panini, the Saucy Chicken Wrap, the Chicken Salad Croissant and the Peanut Veggie.
“Everything is made to order,” Acevedo said. “We don’t have room for a huge kitchen, but we cook everything to order. We buy produce weekly and don’t freeze anything. It’s all quality produce, the eggs come from Alva and the coffee is roasted in Lehigh.”
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And now you have more time to enjoy everything.
“We have extended our hours,” Acevedo said. “We are now open Wednesday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.”
A great time to visit the Arts & Eats Café
Acevedo wasn’t sure if the two extra days – Wednesday and Thursday – would work.
When it opened in 2021, the extra days were not permanent. This time, however, it is a different story.
“We were very scared when we did it in the middle of summer,” Acevedo said. “It’s not ideal. But it works. We didn’t realize how popular we had become.”
And with Clark’s desserts available, now is a great time to try it.
“People come to us all the time, almost every weekend, and say, ‘I didn’t know you were here,'” Acevedo said. “It’s nice to then hear them say they’ll come back.”
See you soon, David.
Arts & Eats Café, 10051 McGregor Blvd., Suite 101, Fort Myers; (239) 955-0405; follow us on Facebook and Instagram
Tony’s Bunch of Deliciousness; tonysdelicious.com or follow us on Facebook
Robyn George is a food and dining reporter for The News-Press. Reach us at [email protected]
