Sizzle Dining features special menus for good cause
An annual food extravaganza is underway across Fort Myers Beach and Lee County with special two-course lunches and three-course dinners at select restaurants to benefit Blessings in a Backpack, a local nonprofit that addresses child hunger.
Sizzle Dining runs from Sept. 3 to 30 and features 127 restaurants throughout Lee County and Collier County.
Four restaurants on Fort Myers Beach are participating in the event: Fresh Catch Bistro, Junkanoo Below Deck, JWB Grill and Pinchers.
All four of the restaurants are offering menus tied to the event, with the prices ranging from $29 to $49 per person, depending on the restaurant.
Fresh Catch Bistro is offering a high-end, seafood-heavy three-course dinner menu for $49 topped off with a choice of limoncello cake or chocolate overload cake.
At Junkanoo Below Deck, a two-course lunch for $29 will get you your choice of either fried calamari, firecracker shrimp or grouper bites for the first course, and either fried shrimp, teriyaki salmon, white fish Rockefeller or black and blue skirt steak for the second course.
JWB Grill offers diners a large variety of options for their three dinner courses priced at $49, from seafood to salads, filet mignon, chicken, Italian food for the first and second courses, and finishing with dessert choices of chocolate cake, key lime pie and raspberry sorbet.
At Pinchers, there will be several seafood options for a three-course dinner menu priced at $29, starting with soup or salad for the first course, five different choices of seafood entrees for the main course and topped off with key lime pie.
For every Sizzle Dining meal purchased, $1 is donated for Blessings in a Backpack of Southwest Florida, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that feeds local elementary school children who face food insecurity on weekends.
“We’re very excited to be able to finally kind of see what this could turn into for our community,” said Sizzle Dining Founder Guy Clarke of the longest-length event yet. “At this level — this isn’t just a weekend event anymore, it’s really taken on the essence of what a true community event could be at this level. It’s great to help the community out, and it’s great to see it will help the children out.”
In 2024, the event sold more than 62,000 meals in its three-week run.
“It’s not just a dining experience,” Clarke said. “It’s an opportunity to dine with purpose, supporting the hospitality industry while directly impacting the lives of children in our community.”
There are no passes or tickets required to participate. Diners simply browse the list of participating restaurants online, make their reservations, and go enjoy their meals, knowing that every bite supports a great cause.
Clarke said dining in the month of September also provides a boost during the slow time of the year, and has a ripple effect beyond just the restaurants.
“This is probably one of the worst summers that I’ve seen since the 2008 crash,” Clarke said. “We’re hoping that enough people come out. Out of all the times we’ve asked for support and for people to participate, this year truly, really matters. Restaurants need the help this year.
“The trickle-down effect not many people realize. The dishwasher gets extra hours, the servers make extra money, the uniform company has to clean more uniforms, the linen company has to rent more linen for the tables because they’re being turned quicker. Even the boutiques benefit, because when you’re going out to dinner, you have to go out and get that dress. I don’t think a lot of people realize how much this helps the community beyond the surface.”
Each participating location will offer special Sizzle Dining menus, so customers can try different types of food may normally be outside their comfort zone price-wise.
Sizzle Dining was founded in Naples in 2016 by Clarke, who also is the creator of BaconFest Naples along with his wife Erin Clarke, a culinary school-trained chef and restaurant management consultant. The promotional event originally launched with 26 restaurants as dinner-only.
“Between the restaurants saying they’re going to extend their menu, and the consumer saying they need more time to go try all of these places, and us getting more restaurants on board, it was just a natural growth,” Clarke said. “It’s really amazing to see the balance of growth between the consumers and restaurants.”
Clarke said teaming up with Blessings in a Backpack is a no-brainer, and something that he resonates with from his youth.
“They’re fed during the week with a free lunch program, but what happens when they go home and have to make it through the weekend?” he said. “That’s where Blessings jumps in and says, ‘hey, we’re here to help you.’ The more money we give Blessings, the more kids we can feed.
“If you’re going to go out and indulge, and we’re blessed to be able to eat at these restaurants, it’s nice to know while we’re helping these places and people, that we’re helping the children, too.”
Beyond the obvious charitable component and discounted menus, Sizzle Dining is a great way to explore new spots and possibly find a new favorite restaurant.
“You’ve got all of these restaurants fighting for your attention and they’re coming out with the best of the best on their menu,” Clarke said. “They’re putting their best foot forward to shine and show off a little bit. The consumer gets to benefit because if they’ve never been to a place, more than likely this is going to be one of their better menus that they’re trying to put out there. That makes it exciting as a foodie. What a great time to experiment.”
To see the full list of 127 participating restaurants throughout the region, visit sizzledining.org and make your reservation directly with each restaurant.
For more information on Blessings in a Backpack, visit swfl.blessingsinabackpack.org.