Restaurant, bar in Estero finds its groove and we're in — JLB

At first, it was home to one of our favorite pizzas.

Then it caught our attention for its outstanding burger.

Now we love what it’s become.

But let’s start at the beginning.

Michael Franzino opened Zino Neighborhood Restaurant (Zino Ristorante back then) in Estero on Aug. 1, 2019, with Vinny Ricigliano right by his side. It opened in the former Cancun Bar & Grill space in the Rusty’s Raw Bar-anchored Estero Ridge Plaza on South. Tamiami Trail.

“I worked with him, guided him when we opened it up,” said Ricigliano, who originally met Franzino while working at Divieto in Estero. “When he bought it, the plan was to open a neighborhood Italian restaurant.”

It took about three months to figure out what was working and what wasn’t, Ricigliano said.

“From January to the second week of March we were packed,” he said. “Then COVID hit. After that, it always seemed we were behind the 8-ball. After COVID, a lot of places called it quits.”

While Zino didn’t, the restaurant struggled to find its identity over the next few years.

“We went through phases,” Ricigliano said. “We were a neighborhood restaurant, then we offered high-end food. We were fine dining, white tablecloths.”

After the second year, they decided to build out the pizzeria next door and capitalize on the surging popularity of takeout.

Eight months later, Zino Pizzeria opened.

While searching for the best pizza in Lee County , readers of The News-Press raved about it.

And we were won over by their white pizza with homemade ricotta and cheese on a crispy, crunchy magical crust. Readers were right, it was one of the best around. (The pizzeria would last 18 months before selling to Pezzo Pizza + Bar )

Things were going well once again.

“We transitioned again and started to bring in tribute bands and live music,” Ricigliano said. “For two years it was really good. In 2022, we got through season OK. Then Hurricane Ian came.”

More than half of their clientele were affected.

“It was too much for Michael,” Ricigliano said. “I took it over, changed some things up. I went more casual.”

And that’s the second time News-Press readers stepped up.

During our search for the best burger in Lee County this past March, votes poured in for Zino’s caprese burger .

We were under the impression it was still a fine-dining Italian restaurant. Oh, were we wrong.

It had swung back (and was officially renamed Zino Neighborhood Restaurant from Zino Ristorante) to a neighbor joint with homemade American dishes and “much better music than most places.”

“We want people to come, hang out, be comfortable,” Ricigliano said. “I invented old school. Everybody knows everybody here.”

Tribute bands and live music are again big draws.

“People come for the entertainment,” Ricigliano said. “They don’t want a full meal. They want to split appetizers.”

And they want that burger.

So do we. The 8-ounce gem comes with fresh mozzarella and prosciutto on a perfectly toasted bun. Served with steak fries, it was juicy and joyful — seriously one of the best burgers around.

But that’s not all it's known for.

“The pan-seared walleye,” Ricigliano said. “And people love the chicken marsala and picata. You don’t need a knife.”

The menu now is a balanced mix of Zino’s phases, from casual classics (flatbreads and burgers) and favorites (spaghetti, ravioli and chicken parm, alfredo, cordon bleu) to the finer things (roast duck, rack of lamb, cold water lobster, filet mignon).

And it has three of the best deals around.

Two dinners (think ravioli, parmesans, baked sole cordon bleu and more) and a bottle of wine are $39. We easily got two meals out of our massive pork cutlet parmesan over spaghetti.

Happy hour just kicked in from 4:30-6 p.m. with three $10 appetizers, including the usually $17 pepperoni flatbread, and 50 percent off drinks.

Lastly, the $15 Friday parmesan night (eggplant, chicken, sausage, pork cutlet) is a steal.

Hidden gem: Cookies, cannoli and cheesecakes: Italian bakery in Cape Coral has so much to love

Its wildly popular dinner shows — including live music, tribute bands and a special performance by world-renowned tenor Michael Amante — kick off with dueling pianos Oct. 12.

“The shows are some of the best around,” Ricigliano said. “We have a nice following.”

Which is a testament to what Ricigliano and Franzino have created here.

They’re always there — Ricigliano in the kitchen and Franzino out front.

“Both of us have been here every day since we opened,” Franzino said. “Except once for three days during COVID. So many people are part of this family.”

“I missed one day,” Ricigliano added. “It was the first in 30 years.”

And once you go, you’ll want to return to this welcoming neighborhood joint like we did.

And when you do, make sure you try the burger.

Jean Le Boeuf is the brand under which our restaurant critics have written for more than 40 years. This article came from staff writer Robyn George. Connect: rhgeorge@gannett.com

Zino Neighborhood Restaurant

20041 S. Tamiami Trail, No. 19, Estero

Price: $$$

Call: (239) 948-9466

Hours: 4:30-9 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday; hours will change in December

Web: zinoswfl.com or follow on Facebook

Sample menu

Margherita flatbread, $17

Burger Caprese Style, $17

Spinach Mandarin walnut salad, $12

Eggplant parmesan, $24

Short rib ravioli, $24

12-ounce bone-in veal chop, $49

*Hours and prices subject to change

What the symbols mean

$: Average entree is less than $15

$$: $15-$25

$$$: $25-$35

$$$$: $35-$45

$$$$$: $45 and up

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Restaurant, bar in Estero finds its groove and we're in — JLB