Get Lost with Lisa

Welcome to Ceno Grille, where they prove that a little place can pack a lot of food!

Internationally Inspired

If you’re in the Cape Coral area of Florida and want some classic staples, Ceno Grille might just hae what you’re looking for. Though not limited to American fare, their sandwiches are the best thing on the menu – and I should know as I tried several of them!

And with such a robust international menu, one has to wonder where their inspiration and drive started. When asked how the business got going, owner George Lukas opens up about his humble past.

“My family has always been in the restaurant business. I moved down here to be closer to my father and decided to start my own restaurant based off of an Italian restaurant I was a partner in, Mamma Lucia’s in Maryland.” In addition, he gained knowledge and experience from his mother’s own Greek restaurant while he was growing up. He beams while recalling how he learned to cook when he was a kid from his mother and falling in love with the art.

Prior to opening Ceno Grille, he owned Geo’s Italian Restaurant, which has unfortunately closed, and was a partner in the aforementioned Mamma Lucia’s.

With this foundation for the industry, he opened Ceno Grille’s doors in 2013. The Latin term “to dine” is where “Ceno” was adopted, and the rest is history.

While Ceno Grille isn’t exclusive to locals, they do see a lot of them frequently, and is always welcome to new comers. Beer and wine are on the drink list every day, and for those in the area who are looking for a quick and tasty lunch or a cool one during those humid Floridian afternoons, Ceno Grille is located in an ideal spot in the heart of Cape Coral.

The Food

Obviously with their menu being as extensive as it is, there’s certainly going to be something for everyone. But apparently their most popular dishes are their Seafood Asparagus and their Chicken Francese. And in case you’d like to try the specialty of the house, that would be the Frutti di Mare.

But my personal choices were slightly different. While their pastas are certainly eye catching, there’s no question that there were a few dishes you cannot skip while dining at Ceno Grille. The first and most notable is their out of this world Caesar Salad with Grilled Salmon. Cooked to perfection, the fish may actually be the lesser of the two greats here. The Caesar dressing was some of the best I’ve ever had, and I would definitely order that again if ever at the restaurant in the future.

The second best item you must try while here is their Boardwalk Special sandwich. The flavors of the Italian sausage coupled with the other ingredients is absolutely delicious and there’s no better quick choice on the menu than this.

And truthfully, though several items were good, the sandwiches were overall the best section of the menu!

Although there may not be any immediate plans in the near future to open another restaurant, the idea is not completely off the table. George makes special mention of the fact that,

“Here at Ceno Grille, everything is made to order and fresh everyday.”

Another important fact about the restaurant is that, while their place is a little small, George tells me that they have had office parties, birthday parties and hosted charity events. A good tip to consider if you’re in the area and need a space to hold your party or special event.

Finally, George leaves me with this note,

“We consider Ceno grille the neighborhood hangout where locals love to come, snowbirds look forward to coming, and newcomers are glad they came.”

Perhaps Ceno Grille is a place you might like to try yourself.  Just make sure that when you do, you let them know Lisa sent you!