Somewhat obscured by palm trees and a stucco façade whose color blends in with most buildings in Florida, exceptionally Vine Dining awaits for you at the Naples Tomato in Naples, Florida. Once you leave the strip-mall and enter the building, drying noodles and a mozzarella-style salad bar should be the first clues you are about to experience Italian cooking straight from the old country.

Experiencing the meal from a kid’s point-of-view, we managed to spill two glasses of water right away. Sweeping in with extra napkins and dry bread, our waiter clearly had done the drill before. Items from the kid’s menu include choices like fettuccini bolognese, cheese ravioli, Aunt Doris’ mac n cheese, and even a veggie plate. A smaller portion of the award-winning lasagna was the hit of the table—with 20 layers of fresh-ingredients; this dish alone would make you plan an entire vacation around a meal.

Perhaps not the most exciting experience for a toddler or a pre-schooler, Naples Tomato is the kind of place you’d take a child once the diapers are gone (but just in case, the changing table in the women’s bathroom is quite clean…I peeked). It is, however, a perfect place for a grandma, mom, and daughter to come at the same time—a memorable lunch for a “girls-only” kind of day. Special events, on-site cooking classes, and feature-items are all available on the website (click the Blog link for daily deals).

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