When The Merchant Room first opened its doors at the newly launched Naples Beach Club, A Four Seasons Resort in December 2025, it brought with it a bit of buzz and curiosity. This isn’t just another hotel restaurant; it’s the first outpost outside Minneapolis for Chef Gavin Kaysen, a two-time James Beard Award winner whose name is familiar to food lovers for restaurants like Spoon & Stable and Demi. In Naples, he’s taken his New American brasserie sensibilities and given them a “Gulf Coast spin,” if you will, that ends up with a menu full of familiar favorites, plus seafood.

Stepping inside feels distinct from the typical resort dining room with hand-painted murals, elegant curtains and stylish but casual seating. Tall windows frame views of The Merchant Room’s greatest selling point: the ocean-view terrace with outdoor seating. This spot joins HB and The Sunset Bar, the resort’s other dining options and reimagined favorites of the original beach club.

Starters set the tone: crisp raw oysters with lemon and mignonette, prawns a la plancha with black garlic aioli, or tuna carpaccio that balances delicate flavors. Mains follow from dry-aged steaks like a 32 oz Porterhouse to seafood like seared salmon with eggplant caponata or black bass in a coconut curry broth. Pasta options, like cacio e pepe with bucatini or spaghetti nero dotted with octopus and shellfish, show Kaysen’s commitment to house-made dishes with a Gulf spin. Dessert is simple: finish off with a Basque-style cheesecake or the ever-classic chocolate lava cake with hazelnut ice cream. In essence, there’s a whole lot of crowd-pleasers and a handful of intriguing options to keep more seasoned diners curious. Comfort and creativity living side by side is exactly what you’d expect from Kaysen’s hand in the kitchen.

Because The Merchant Room sits just off the Four Seasons lobby, it’s livelier than traditional upscale dining, but with one of Naples’s best backdrops and a stylish, inviting room, it’s an easy place to settle in for drinks, soak up the atmosphere, and have a good time. If you’re coming straight off the beach, though, head to the more casual HB or Sunset Bar instead. And don’t forget to get your parking validated.

The Merchant Room
Naples Beach Club, A Four Seasons Resort
475 Seagate Drive, Naples
Sunday–Thursday: 5:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Friday–Saturday: 5:00 PM – 11:00 PM
(239) 514-9200

Originally published in
The Naples Florida Review.
Read the full edition here.