Chuck Lager restaurant to open in south Fort Myers in October

Chuck Lager is the silhouette of a world traveling, burger-eating, beer-drinking mythical man. He also serves as the fictional figure and namesake of a new upscale casual restaurant chain set to make its debut in Southwest Florida.

Chuck Lager plans to open by the end of October at 9980 University Plaza Drive near Gulf Coast Town Center and off Alico Road, just east of Interstate 75 in south Fort Myers.

Franchise owner Jim Tovey, who moved to Naples from Boston in 2017, chose Chuck Lager as a side project after retiring from a career in financial services.

“I outsourced marketing for private equity firms,” Tovey said. “This was supposed to be a passive investment. But it turned into much more than that.”

Tovey invested more than $1 million to renovate a former Chili’s building that closed in 2023. He signed a lease in February 2024 but did not clear the permitting process until October, after delays. He said hiring a contractor from Miami slowed construction, but local contractors were tied up with post-hurricane work.

But now, the building only needs the finishing touches.

Tovey had been scouting another restaurant brand when Chuck Lager caught his eye a couple years ago.

“This is more of an upscale, casual restaurant,” Tovey said. “The food is exceptional.”

Fabio Viviani has everything to do with the food. The celebrity chef, a “Top Chef” alum and Food Network regular, designed the menu described as a “celebration of American favorites reimagined with unexpected twists and international influences.”

The decor reflects this theme, with prints of the Chuck Lager character set in locations including Portland, Oregon; Bavaria, Germany; Brooklyn, New York; Claret, France; Richmond, Virginia; and Santiago, Chile.

“Chuck Lager brings to the table the food we love the most,” Viviani said in a phone interview from Chicago, his current home. “We have everything from burgers to tacos to something with Italian flare. It’s a great place for conversations. We’ve created a split experience that is not centered around any one concept.

“If you want to have a drink with your loved one, or you want to bring your family, or if you want to drink some beer with your boys, that’s fine, too.”

Chuck Lager announced local partnerships with Kaleidoscope Beer Co. of Naples with a beer called Heavy Lifter (Scotch ale) and Scotty’s Bierwerks of Cape Coral with Red Rider (amber lager).

Garrison Brothers Distillery and Wicked Dolphin, the Cape Coral-based distillery, also have forged local partnerships with Chuck Lager.

“We have over 20 beers on tap,” Viviani said. “We have local beer on tap, as well as national favorites. We’re trying to be a community parlor. We try to be a place where the community can go there and do what the community does best — celebrating. Or a dinner date that is not going to break the bank.”

Signature cocktails are in the $12 to $14 range.

Appetizers are in the $10 to $22 range and include spicy pickles and peppers, wings and tuna poke nachos.

Flatbreads, burgers and salads cost less than $20. Pasta dishes are in the $20 range. The most expensive item on the menu is the angus ribeye steak, at $40. However, most entrees are in the $20 to $30 range.

“You’re not going to find a $200 steak,” Viviani said. “But you’re going to find a great steak that fits in with the price point.”

Tovey said he was thrilled to meet Viviani.

“His career has just exploded,” Tovey said. “This is his first franchise concept. We’re very excited about this location. You’d never know this was a Chili’s. We’re excited to open the first one in the Fort Myers-Naples area.”