New Fort Myers restaurants: At Big Energy Cafe, the name says it all
At Big Energy Cafe in south Fort Myers, a vibrant owner has poured her heart and soul into this healthful and energizing menu.
The moment you walk into Big Energy Cafe, with its bright yellow walls and tropical murals, you understand the inspiration behind its name. Opened in April in a small spot off Gladiolus Drive in south Fort Myers, Big Energy embodies the spirit of owner Barby Mercado.
“People always say I have great energy, big energy,” she said. “I’ve been told that my entire life. It defines who I am.”
The two words also define her new restaurant.
But Big Energy isn't just about bright colors. Mercado has made it her mission to provide her customers with "big energy" through her menu of coffees, smoothies and a smattering of breakfast and lunch specials.
Born in Brooklyn, Mercado moved to Clewiston when she was 11. That's where her parents took up farming.
“I went from rats and cockroaches to panthers, snakes and alligators,” she said, laughing.
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The daughter of a Dominican-born father and Cuban-born mother, Mercado's heritage often appears in Big Energy's specials, including her island-inspired duro frio de coco. Mercado crafts the sweet from coconut milk, coconut water and coconut shavings and serves it in a coconut shell.
“It’s good, clean and so refreshing,” she said.
While Big Energy is her first restaurant, Mercado's interest in healthful eating began some 20 years ago as a mom trying to find nutritional help for her teenage daughter. She also operated a meal-prep service for several years.
With those clients in mind, she created smoothies such as the Dream Green with its mix of spinach, kale, mango, pineapple and banana, infused with a shot of B vitamins.
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Any Big Energy smoothie can be boosted with vitamins, digestive enzymes, super-food mixes and protein, either plant-based or whey.
Protein can also be added to Big Energy’s acai bowl, one of the cafe's best sellers. It contains a customizable mix of strawberries, blueberries, bananas and peanut butter, topped with toasted coconut flakes and local honey.
More traditional menu items include a tuna melt mixed with lemon-mayonnaise dressing on the bakery-fresh bread of the day, and a chicken-salad croissant. Mercado makes her avocado toast on sourdough bread, topping it with shredded boiled egg and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
Big Energy's coffees start with beans locally roasted just for the cafe. Flavored syrups can be added along with a selection of traditional and plant-based milks. Iced coffees get a little extra TLC with the addition of heart-shaped coffee ice cubes.
These drinks can be paired with paleo friendly brownies and muffins that balance sweetness and health, and that are so good, Mercado said she often sells out. Other sweet treats include traditional muffins and breads in seasonal flavors.
New to Mercado’s menu are two-ounce shots of freshly pressed juices that she joked are kind of like alcohol.
“I don’t always want eight ounces of a margarita; I just want the shot of tequila," she said. "I’m not sipping the juice, I’m shooting it.”
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Although Mercado hasn’t lived in New York since she was a child, she still owns that undeniable accent and big-city swagger. Her years in the small town of Clewiston added a layer of Southern hospitality, and then she has a nurturing element that comes from being a mom.
Big Energy's coffee and treats might be what attract new patrons, but it’s Mercado's vibrant personality and personal touches that keep them coming back.
Gina Birch writes about food, wine and spirits for The News-Press and at thebirchbeat.blogspot.com. Follow her as @ginabirch on Twitter and find her on Facebook.
Big Energy Cafe
Address: 8646 Gladiolus Drive, south Fort Myers
Hours (subject to change): 7 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday to Friday; 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday; closed Sunday
Phone: 239-851-4661