Sizzle Dining expands to four weeks in 2025, secures nonprofit status
SWFL's largest annual culinary event supports Blessings in a Backpack, local restaurant industry
FORT MYERS AND NAPLES, Fla. (July 22, 2025) – Foodies and food connoisseurs: mark your calendars for Sept. 3-30 as Sizzle Dining, Southwest Florida’s signature culinary event, expands to four weeks.
During Sizzle Dining, restaurant patrons are invited to dine with purpose – supporting the region’s top restaurants, their staff and their communities. Visiting participating restaurants during Sizzle Week helps servers earn more to feed their families, allows dishwashers to get more hours, increases sales for the local produce farmer and more, all while benefiting children experiencing hunger.
Over 100 participating restaurants in Lee, Collier and Charlotte counties craft exclusive menus for Sizzle Dining, including two-course breakfasts and/or lunches priced at $19 or $29, and three-course dinners starting at $29, $39 or $49.
Additionally, eight restaurants also will host special one-day-only themed 3-course brunch options throughout the month on Saturdays and Sundays. Tickets will be available on SizzleDining.com Aug. 11.
For 2025, Sizzle Dining has adapted its business model, transitioning to a 509(a)(2) nonprofit. The federal charitable designation allows Sizzle Dining to better serve the community and charitable partner, Blessings in a Backpack Southwest Florida. Participating restaurants will donate $1 for every Sizzle Dining meal sold during the four-week event, helping Blessings in a Backpack provide food and nourishment to elementary students during the school year so they have healthy meals and snacks to eat over the weekend. In 2024, Sizzle Dining included 114 restaurants and raised over $60,000 to support Blessings in a Backpack.
“Expanding Sizzle Dining into a month-long culinary extravaganza will provide the community with more opportunities to discover new eateries or revisit their favorite restaurants at special pricing while also supporting a great cause,” said Guy Clarke, Executive Director of Sizzle Dining. “A longer event also means Sizzle Dining can have a substantial impact on the greater community. Sizzle Dining is an economic catalyst during one of the
slowest times of year in Southwest Florida, providing a boost to local restaurants and those working in the hospitality industry. And of course, our primary support is to the children of Southwest Florida through our collaboration with Blessings in a Backpack. Being able to provide them with the funding for meals each year is the most rewarding part of this event.”
As anticipation grows for the start of this year's Sizzle Dining, restaurant patrons are encouraged to check out the full list of participating restaurants and their mouthwatering menus beginning Aug. 4. Please visit SizzleDining.org.
About Sizzle Dining
Sizzle Dining began in 2016, as an 11–day dining event – in Naples. Year after year, it has grown substantially thanks to the commitment of local restauranteurs and Sizzle’s founders, Guy and Erin Clarke. Each year, participating local restaurants create mouth-watering prix-fixe lunch and dinner menus that highlight their chef’s impressive culinary skills. The menus are offered at affordable prices to encourage visitors to try a variety of local restaurants. This event helps drum up business for our local dining scene during one of the slowest months of the year in Southwest Florida. On top of the much-needed boost to our local culinary industry, Sizzle Dining gives back to the community in an even more impactful way. For every meal purchased, restaurant owners donate $1 of their proceeds to help Blessings in a Backpack of Southwest Florida, an incredible organization that helps feed our local food-insecure elementary school children over the weekends. For more information visit SizzleDining.org.