Cracklin' Jack's

Cracklin' Jack's is an American restaurant on 39th Street SW in Naples that bills itself as "A Taste of the Everglades." Jim Foley founded it in 1996 with his wife Shirley and daughter Cindy. From a start of four soup bowls, it has grown into a Collier County landmark built around a scratch kitchen and hearty, home-cooked food at an affordable price.

Catfish, fried chicken and ribs have long drawn people in, while the vittles, homemade pies and gator keep regulars coming back. The kitchen still uses specialty flour from Weinsenberg Mills in Kentucky. The restaurant was conceived as a community hub where regulars urge newcomers to try the gator, and it draws a mix of locals and snowbirds. It suits anyone after a filling, unfussy meal in a place meant to feel like home.