Craft kitchen chain to replace Naples restaurant closing at Mercato

A growing — and popular — restaurant concept out of South Florida is coming to Naples.

The Fort Lauderdale chain Tap 42 Craft Kitchen & Bar plans to open a 6,622-square-foot eatery in the city next year. The restaurant will be at Mercato, the upscale 455,000-square-foot lifestyle center managed by North American Properties, in the space just vacated by AZN Asian Cuisine and below the soon-to-open Alamo Drafthouse Cinema.

The space where Tap 42 will move into opened up when AZN shuts down Dec. 9 after a nearly 15-year run at the mall. In a statement on its website, AZN says Saturday was its final day and thanked supporters.

“We have made many friends over the years and we appreciate all of you,” AZN says in its post. “We hope our paths cross again someday... until then, best wishes to you!”

As for Tap 42, according to statement from North American Properties sent out two days after AZN shut down, the restaurant “will offer its elevated contemporary American fare, craft beer and handcrafted cocktails along with weekly specials, including its signature bottomless brunch on weekends.”

Tap 42 was founded in Fort Lauderdale in 2011 and currently has nine locations open in South Florida, including Miami, Boca Raton and Aventura. A 10th location is expected to open soon in Palm Beach Gardens.

Alex Rudolph, a partner and vice president with Tapco Restaurant Group, says in the statement that the chain has been looking to expand onto the Gulf Coast for some time and has had an “eye on the Naples market.” He says “when the opportunity arose for a prime location at Mercato, we jumped on it.”

The change from AZN to Tap 42 will complete a major transformation at that particular corner of Mercato.

The Austin-based Alamo Drafthouse Cinema is moving into space that until July had been occupied by Silverspot Cinema since 2009.

Alamo, which is expected to open early next year, will be 33,652 square feet and have 11 auditoriums with about 650 newly installed reclining leather seats and 4K digital projection as well as food offerings.