Bruno's of Brooklyn opened an Italian market and eatery along Second Street in downtown Fort Myers on September 18, returning to the storefront where the restaurant got its start 12 years ago. The market is at 2112 Second Street, the same building where the couple first launched their Italian concept.
A Homecoming for the Original Storefront
The market returns Bruno's of Brooklyn to the storefront where it began. As WGCU reported, Bruno's of Brooklyn was founded in 2014 at 2112 Second Street and planned to move its primary full-service restaurant to a new First Street space in 2024, after purchasing that building for $1.2 million in September 2022 — a deal that closed just nine days before Hurricane Ian struck Southwest Florida. The couple has now reopened the original Second Street footprint as a dedicated Italian market and grab-and-go eatery, according to a picture gallery published by the Fort Myers News-Press.
Inside, shoppers will find imported goods, imported meat and cheese, wines, sauces and baked goods, per the same News-Press gallery. The market also features Bruno's pasta served in a portable cone, ready-to-go meals, and freshly baked cookies, with a courtyard set aside for dining, family photos on the wall, and fresh-cut flowers greeting customers at the entrance.
Grab-and-Go Hours and an Early Espresso Run
The market runs a dedicated grab-and-go lunch service Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., featuring exclusive items such as Italian Trapizzino sandwiches alongside the pasta in a cone, according to a Facebook post from the business. The same post notes the location also opens early at 7:30 a.m. for Italian retail goods, deli items and espresso, giving downtown workers a reason to stop in before the lunch rush even begins.
The opening was timed to a four-day, 12th-anniversary celebration for the business running from September 17 to September 20 across both the Second Street and First Street locations, Bruno's announced on Facebook. That anniversary stretch included menu promotions, giveaways and community gatherings marking a dozen years since the couple first set up shop downtown.
Olive Oil with a Long History
Levante, an olive oil producer, dates its history to 1902.
Before opening the original Bruno's of Brooklyn in 2014, Cal Bruno worked professionally as an architect while Genevieve Bruno was a bond trader in New York City, according to WGCU. The First Street restaurant features an exposed ceiling made with Miami-Dade pine. WGCU reported plans to convert a two-story bank vault into a wine vault.
A Growing Footprint Across Lee County
The market opening is only the latest expansion for the couple's hospitality business. WGCU reported that the Brunos were seeking approval for Bruno's Brooklyn Bites Food Truck Park on McGregor Boulevard.
Bruno's expansion also fits into a wider pattern of Italian dining investment taking shape across the region. Regional hospitality group UNIV Hospitality purchased Grimaldi's Pizzeria at Bell Tower in Fort Myers this month and announced plans to open five additional pizzerias across Lee, Collier and Sarasota counties, as Hoodline reported. Bruno's market and eatery adds a market-and-dining format to its home block.
