Verdi’s American Bistro on Marco Island

We went last night to Verdi’s for about our fourth time this year. The last three times we went mainly for the outdoor seating and were rewarded with a bonus of excellent dining experiences. Our friends Roger and Cathy chose the restaurant and we were more than happy to return and, this time, sit very comfortably inside.

The restaurant started out years ago as a predominately Italian restaurant, founded by an Italian couple from Philly. The current owner, a very personable and thoughtful Cuban man, has expanded the culinary realm and has rightfully re-branded it as an American Bistro.

We started out our meal by sharing a special appetizer of Fresh Scallops baked in their shells, topped with Parmesan Cheese. The four pieces were a perfect start to a lovely meal.

The entrees include a house salad which can be upgraded to several other salads for a very reasonable fee.

Our entrees were all beautifully presented, truly delicious and the portions were quite generous. The accompanying sides were well-matched for the main dishes, something distinctly American versus the European tendency to serve everybody the same sides.

We all shared the two desserts that we chose. All the desserts at Verdi’s are homemade and delicious.

Verdi’s has a wine list which we honestly didn’t check out because we like to bring our own wines. Their corkage fee is $15/bottle, a more than fair price.

We started going to Verdi’s as a safe, outdoor dining option. It has become, for us, a truly “go-to” destination on Marco Island. Every meal we’ve had there this year has been exceptional. The servers there are all very kind, personable, and eager to please. The chef is creative and skilled. I recommend this restaurant highly.