Bruno’s of Brooklyn

My hosts were Italian, so the bona fides of this place were unassailable, even before arrival. I had the fiocchi: imported Italian pillows of soft pasta filled with cheese and pear. Plated with small peas and white sauce. Chicken or shrimp can be added, but that is just not necessary. Add a Chianti. Follow up with a berry torte and decaf coffee, and you are transported to a private dining room in culinary heaven. The Chef and his wife are fantastic, greeting people and remembering not just orders for the evening, but orders from the last visit. Impressive.

Excellent service. Phenomenal food. The only person who makes better Italian is my Aunt May. If you’re in Fort Myers, you have to go here! I will definitely return.

This place is INCREDIBLE! Some of the best Italian food I have EVER had! Staff is outstanding. Environment is very charming. You can sit at the counter and overlook the open kitchen. Homemade pasta is out of this world!

Absolutely wonderful food, the best and most unusual Italian food I’ve ever had and I was born in Brooklyn. I had lobster ravioli, my friends had Dover sole and the little purses with pears inside, which were scrumptious, also one had lasagne. Everyone loved their entrees and the choice of desserts was incredible. they make everything fresh, so it takes a little longer. the staff was terrific, we even two visitors from NY helping the family out. Every one must try Bruno’s of Brooklyn.

Wow. Just came into fort Myers for work and looked up local spots for lunch. Bruno’s had high reviews so we decided to give it a try. Well let me tell you if your in the area you must check this place out. Owner is behind the counter cooking everything fresh. Sandwich meats are sliced right in front of you. Had a meatball Parmesan. My partner had the Brooklyn bridge hero. All I can say is that this isn’t your local Italian wanna be spot. Their bread comes from New York. A must if ur in the area.

Have had the pleasure of dining here several times now (and expect to be back many times more!). I’m somewhat reluctant to give too effusive a review because this restaurant is so good and so small, I worry I may diminish my ability to get a reservation! The breakdown: small, family operation; husband cooks, wife handles the front of the house — reservations, seating, service; and a couple of friendly, competent front and back support staff and including, on occasion, their beautiful daughter. The food and service is OUTSTANDING! All of the staples you would expect in an Italian restaurant and truly inspired specials every night. One of the very best!

Great little getaway. A little expensive but the owner or manager will take good care of you.

The food is fantastic, but I think it’s a little over-​priced.

Best meal, hands down, since I returned from Italy 2 years ago. Authentic. Locals patronize, which says alot. Shared ravioli with meatball and Fiocchi al a Bianca. Latter is as good as a desert. But we had desert amyway. Lemonchello with marscapon. Oh my. Excellent service. Just go if you are on Ft. Myers.

The name says it all. If you know good Italian, go here. If not, go and find out. And sit at the bar so you can watch them cook. You’ll learn something useful.

The BEST Food in the Fort Myers area! Traditional Brooklyn feel– small location, make reservations! The food is amazing, and ambiance creates a familia atmosphere. The owner and his wife make this place feel like you’ve been going for years and will go above and beyond to make sure you get something that you’ll love. The Egg-​plant rollitini is a MUST!

This is a great little restaurant. Parking is on street and can be a little difficult to find, however that effort is worth it. The antipasto plate was very nice and generously sized. My friend ordered the lasagna and said it was the best she had ever eaten. My salad was fresh and delicious. We
Enjoyed the friendliness of the staff. I took home red pepper salad, broccoli rabb, meatballs and bread for dinner that night. It all was wonderful. We will definitely go back again.

My sister & I {we’re 100% Italian and know how to cook} found this place via Unilocal when we were staying in Ft. Myers and had an amazeballs dinner there! Speaking of balls, they’re meatballs really are as great as they say! I’m going to try and mimic them in my cooking. Thank you Bruno and Genevieve for your genuine hospitality and for such a wonderful ‘home cooked’ dinner! You just better be there still when we come back :)

Best Italian food I’ve had in the past 3 years since I left NY! It’s a family-​owned business and reservations are recommended even on weekdays since this place is very popular. Lots of repeat customers, so that’s always a good sign. The eggplant parm was to die for … Flavorful, well-​cooked, everything it should be! It rivaled my mom’s, probably the best praise you can get from an Italian girl! Would definitely look forward to coming back here!

Hidden treasure of Downtown Ft Myers. Took me forever to find it. They prepare everything with love. From preparation to presentation top notch! Closest thing to Home I have found since being here in Florida. Never had a bad experience with availability, service, or food. You don’t need to sit at the counter to see the artistry and to see the unashamed love that gets poured into each step of making each plate. Real Brooklyn. Real people. Serious food. You don’t want to miss this experience!

This was the best Italian food we’ve ever had! Dover sole was excellent! The service was great and we loved watching the chefs prepare the food. It was great entertainment! The staff was very friendly and our server, Sara, was exceptionally great! Our #1 restaurant we’ve come across in the U.S.

Great little find in downtown Ft Myers! Limited seating in a small, intimate setting, so I’d definitely plan on reservations. Top-​notch service, amazing food and adequate wine list. Go with the recommendations of your server. You’ll be happy you did!

This place is a hidden gem! Certainly the best Italian in Fort Myers.
What makes a restaurant special is the people. The owners have a passion for food and service. I knew from the second they picked up the phone when making the reservation that I was going to love this place. They instantly make you feel comfortable and at home.
Pasta made fresh on site and the Lemon Mascarpone desert is to die for!
Great ambiance and just an absolutely perfect choice whether on a date, on your own, or with the family.
(Hint)
Get a seat at the bar/​counter for a great show!

Look over the menu, but pay attention to the specials on the chalkboard. Then pay attention to the secret specials that aren’t on the chalkboard. Then… well, you get the point.
A hole in the wall, family run Italian restaurant that could be found most places NYC has found its way to downtown Fort Myers, and… it’s delicious. In the land of Olive Garden, generic breadsticks, and $ 12.99 chicken parmigiana, finding authentic Italian around here used to be close to impossible. It’s nice to see a small, 7 (or so) table place with an open kitchen that serves what is very obviously homemade food.
Despite quickly locating things on the menu that we wanted, we ended up going with one on the board special and one off the board special. Both meals (veal with artichokes and a classic white wine sauce and a wild boar ragout) were served over fresh, house made pasta, and we completely destroyed them.
I also noticed the trays of lasagna and meatballs, which were staring me in the face the whole time begging to be ordered. If I had additional stomachs to utilize, I would have gotten chicken parm and the meatball appetizer.
And for dessert? Despite the many delicious sounding homemade options, I opted for the always classic Italian cookie plate, flown straight here from NYC. Gone in 120 seconds.
Delicious.

While visiting Fort Meyers with my family from NY we were on the hunt for dinner near our hotel. Unilocal didn’t disappoint on Bruno’s of Brooklyn. I called to make sure they had gluten free pasta and they did so we walked over to eat.
*It is important to note that the restaurant has only high top tables inside and some patio seating in a courtyard setting outside with low tables (2 seaters), and no high chairs. This could have posed a problem as we arrived with an infant in a stroller, 2 toddlers and my 94 year old grandma. Crisis averted as our server made some room for the stroller and we hoisted my grandma up onto a bar stool.
We sat at the bar area which was very cool as we got to watch the chef prepare all the food at the stove (think italian hibachi)!
Onto the food: They were so accommodating with allowing us to create our own dishes off menu (maybe bc it was still early in the evening). My mother turned a side pasta into a penne with vodka sauce-​should be a menu option and they made a baked ziti (no baking) for me. The rest of our party ordered off the menu and everything was so delicious! As we were finishing up our dinner Bruno was cutting homemade pasta for the night to come and he was kind enough to allow us a taste of that as well. (Sitting at the bar had its perks) While I have to eat gluten free I had to have a teeny tiny bite-​HOMEMADE PASTA! I have a weakness. My taste was not regretful. We ended with some bakery cookies flown in from NY. That’s the way to do it Bruno! If I ever find myself back in Fort Meyers I will definitely return!