WHERE AWARD-WINNING DINING AND IMMERSIVE DESIGN MEET: NAPLES' MOST ANTICIPATED HOTSPOT, BLACKBIRD MODERN ASIAN, SCHEDULED TO HATCH THIS SUMMER

NAPLES, FL—Three Amigos Hospitality partners Scott Frielich, Angelo Abbenante, Cleve Mash, and executive chef Tim Nickey are excited to announce the opening of their second Blackbird Modern Asian location this June. Reinventing the award-winning Pan-Asian concept at the luxurious Naples Bay Resort & Marina, the new venue reflects the partners’ aim to foster connections across the Sunshine State and in premier tourism spots like Naples and Jupiter, where cultural events and outdoor attractions are unparalleled.

 

Nestled along trendy Fifth Avenue South, Blackbird will nest in a prime location once occupied by Bonefish Grill. “We see this opportunity as a way to introduce a progressive gastronomy experience that has been unexplored in Naples until now,” Frielich says. 

 

The one-story, 5,425-square-foot space combines 209 seats and banquets, a lively vibe-led cocktail bar and lounge, and three independent dining venues, including a 1,452-square-foot patio with a Japanese awning system that provides coverage from the sun and inclement weather during al fresco meals overlooking expansive southwesterly vistas of the Naples Bay Marina and beyond. 

 

Blackbird partner and executive chef Tim Nickey, who has commandeered two of Miami’s most legendary Asian kitchens—China Grill and Komodo—will take diners on a flavor-imbued adventure to Eastern and Southeast Asia via dim sum favorites, Chinatown-channeled staples, and Pan-Asian fare remastered with bold and luscious flavors. Highlights include short rib and bone marrow dumplings, General Tso’s tikka masala chicken, and authentic whole Peking duck that requires three days to prepare. As a signature dish, the Palm City toque is bringing his popular fork-tender Szechuan ribs presented inside a smoke-infused glass dome that is removed tableside. 

 

On a sweeter note, executive pastry chef Denise Elrod’s decadent head-turning creations prove there is always room for dessert. An award-winning chocolatier who has twice-appeared on Food Network’s Guy’s Grocery Games hosted by Guy Fieri, Elrod delights in crafting theatrical finales that taste as good as they look. Recent standouts include a flammable snake-shaped banana Foster inspired by the 2025 lunar calendar’s Year of the Snake and the chocolate cherry blossom, an Instagram-worthy treat consisting of hazelnut ice cream tucked inside a delicate chocolate dome encircled by chunks of chocolate cake, caramelized tangerine segments, and toasted ginger marshmallow. The dome’s frozen treasure is revealed when warmed Frangelico chocolate sauce is poured over it. 

 

Supplementing the kitchen’s neoteric creations is a stellar collection of bottled Japanese sake and an expansive libations menu deftly crafted by Armando Conway of Liquid Mobility Consulting in conjunction with Blackbird’s bar team. Drinks are whimsically named after films and songs and weave in archetypal Asian ingredients like boba, pho syrup, and lemongrass. 

 

Coupled with its meticulously-prepared culinary program, Blackbird serves up an optical feast for the eyes as well. Kat Solomon Interiors ’ Kat Solomon, who curated Blackbird’s opulent Jupiter address, was tasked to curate a seductive mise en scène inspired by the lavish allure of 1930s Shanghai, also known as the “Paris of the East.” The West Palm Beach interior designer— and former Venus Starr protégé—weaves together sumptuous textiles and vintage and contemporary accouterments complemented with avant-garde touches like a three-dimensional, floor-to-ceiling foam Buddha head designed by Unique Rabbit Studios , a backlit white parasol-portioned ceiling, portal windows, and a lush cherry blossom tree that anchors the main dining room. Rich hues of red and black (the restaurant’s brand colors) emanate a sensuous vibe amplified by pigment-changing ambient lighting, dark wood details, and sculptural furnishings mixed with leather, vinyl, velvet, and marble effect stone. 

 

Art and ornamentation also play an essential role in the design narrative. Decorative Asian-inspired screens, wood-coffered ceilings, keyhole portals, and curved walls and seating add dramatic dimension. Along the restaurant’s eastern exterior is a vibrant mural by celebrated Miami muralist and Mash’s niece Amanda Valdes. The mural portrays Asian symbols of luck and love, including cherry blossoms, peonies, butterflies, and Chinese lanterns in saturated hues of red, orange, and yellow. 

 

Additional project partners include Naples-based MHK Architecture and Connor & Gaskins Unlimited .

 

Click HERE for art renderings (courtesy of Kat Solomon Interiors).

 

Blackbird will open daily for dinner at 4 p.m. Happy hour hosted weekly from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. will feature half-priced cocktails, wine, and beer. Entertainment and a live DJ will be featured in the bar and lounge on Friday and Saturday evenings. 

 

Blackbird is located at 1500 5th Avenue South, Suite A2-112, Naples, Florida 34102. For more information or reservations, visit blackbirdmodernasian.com or call 239-944-2473. Follow on social media at @blackbird.fl . 

 

Blackbird is proud to be the recipient of the following honors and awards: 

1. #97, “Top 100 Independents 2024,” Restaurant Business Magazine

2. #1, “2024 Top 25 Places to Eat in Palm Beach County,” Yelp Broward Palm Beach Elites

3. Winner, “Best Chinese Food” & “Best New Restaurant” categories, Palm Beach Post Community Choice Awards 2024 

4. Winner, “Best Cocktails” category, Best of Jupiter and the Treasure Coast, Jupiter Magazine, September 2024

5. Winner, “Best New Restaurant” category, Palm Beach Post Best of the Best Awards 2023

6. Winner, “Best New Restaurant” category, Palm Beach Post Community Choice Awards 2023 

7. Winner, “Best Date Night” category, Palm Beach County’s Finest, Modern Luxury Palm Beach, September 2023