For Decades, This Florida Country Club Restaurant Was Nameless. 40 Years Later, It Finally Has a Name

**Cross Creek Golf & Country Club Finally Gets a Name for Its Restaurant**

For decades, the restaurant at Cross Creek Golf & Country Club in Fort Myers, Florida, was a beloved dining destination without a true identity. Known informally as “the lounge,” “the restaurant,” or simply as “the clubhouse,” it lacked a proper name until a recent naming contest changed that. The result? The establishment will now officially be known as “Birdies at Cross Creek.”

Marketing specialist Masha Beach spearheaded the initiative to give the restaurant a distinct name and identity. Describing the process, Beach said, “We had a lot of entries. People were pretty excited about it.” The contest encouraged members to submit their suggestions, leading to an array of creative entries from the community.

The standout entry came from Carol Matthia, an accomplished wildlife and nature photographer whose work has adorned the club’s walls. Matthia proposed the name “Birdies at Cross Creek,” accompanied by a new logo that features her artwork of a heron beside a golf ball. Beach remarked, “It’s so fitting,” highlighting how well the name resonates with the club’s golfing ethos.

The restaurant’s renaming signifies more than just a new title. It is accompanied by plans for various improvements aimed at enhancing the dining experience. The establishment boasts a main dining room complete with a stone fireplace and chandelier lighting, and will soon see renovations to its bar area. Alan Jones, president of the Cross Creek of Fort Myers Community Association, revealed that future plans include extending the bar, although this will be undertaken over the next few years.

In addition to the bar renovations, the restaurant will enhance its menu with exciting new items. Phyllis Muscatello, the food and beverage manager, announced that an espresso machine will soon be installed, allowing for a range of coffee beverages including café con leche and espresso martinis. Furthermore, the restaurant will grind its own coffee beans, adding a fresh touch to its offerings.

Despite these renovations and additions, the restaurant will retain some of its long-standing fan-favourite dishes. Popular options such as the Reuben sandwich, Cuban sandwich, grouper sandwich, and the Philly cheesesteak will continue to grace the menu, ensuring that loyal customers can still enjoy their beloved meals.

Beyond the lunch favourites, Birdies at Cross Creek will also serve dinner items that include a fish fry, roasted chicken, duck, stuffed shrimp, and surf-and-turf skewers. The combination of classic and new offerings aims to cater to a diverse range of tastes, ensuring that the restaurant remains a popular dining destination in the area.

Beach expressed her enthusiasm, stating, “We’re excited the restaurant has a name and an identity.” This sentiment resonates with patrons who have long frequented the restaurant without knowing what to call it.

The transition to Birdies at Cross Creek marks a new chapter for this longstanding establishment, and the anticipated renovations promise to further enhance the club’s appeal as a community hub, blending culinary innovation with a longstanding tradition of golfing camaraderie.