Piola opens at The Mercato

Naples, Fla. The Lutgert Cos. said Tuesday that Italian pizzeria Piola has opened at The Mercato in Naples, Fla., the latest of several new restaurants and retailers to open in the new lifestyle center.

Founded in Treviso, Italy in 1986, Piola currently operates five U.S. pizzeria locations — in New York City, Miami, Miami Beach and Hallandale Beach, Fla., and Washington, D.C. — in addition to locations in Italy, Brazil, Argentina, Chile and Mexico. There are plans to open future locations in the midtown section of Atlanta and in Istanbul, Turkey.

“We are very happy to open our first location on the Gulf Coast of Florida,” said Dante Carniato, one of the two founding brothers of the Piola concept. “We look forward to serving our new customers in Southwest Florida with the same attention to quality and service that we have provided now for many years at our other international locations.”

Located on 53 acres at the intersection of U.S. 41 North and Vanderbilt Beach Road, The Mercato is a premier lifestyle community that will combine condominium living with shopping, dining and entertainment.  

The project is a joint venture of Lutgert and the Barron Collier Cos.

When completed, The Mercato will provide nearly 330,000 sq. ft. of Main Street-style retail and restaurants, 140,000 sq. ft. of Class A office space and 175 luxury residential units.

Among the major tenants at The Mercato are Whole Foods Market, Books-A-Million, Coldwater Creek, Jos. A. Bank Clothiers, Sur La Table, Signatures, Z Gallerie, Swim ’n Sport and Gigi’s Children’s Boutique.