NFM diner the place to go-go for breakfast
When Brian O’Connor wasn’t liking the food he was eating at other area restaurants, he took a chance and started his own place.
While it is hidden in plain sight, the Go Go Diner at the Coral Gate Commons Plaza at 957 Pondella Road has gained a great following through word of mouth for a great breakfast, including made-from-scratch corned-beef hash.
As a result, The Go Go Diner earned its first “Best of North Fort Myers” honor for Best Breakfast.
O’Connor, a Culinary Institute of America graduate who has worked at the Ritz-Carlton, among other places, opened the diner in 2011. It took more than a year before it got off the ground but it’s been a popular breakfast place since.
He said he wanted to open a “Go Go” burrito place, but when he saw the location, it said diner. So, he called it the Go Go Diner.
“We appeal to the local crowd, but we get people who come from Naples and Punta Gorda for the corned beef hash,” O’Connor said. “People come from great distances when you consider how many places you can stop for breakfast.”
It’s the hash that has become the signature dish, O’Connor said. Made from scratch, the corned beef is cooked for six hours and made with all fresh ingredients.
“Cooking isn’t all that hard, but unless you apply the proper technique, you won’t get it. If you don’t follow the proper steps and cut corners, you get an inferior product,” O’Connor said. “It’s easier for people to open the can and slap it on the grill.”
Other popular breakfast fare includes the Red Velvet pancakes and sausage gravy. Lunch features a great burger and Reuben on marble rye, with bread he gets all the way from St. Armands.
Many of the items are in the $6 to $8 range.
O’Connor said it’s a good thing he has great food, as the location isn’t the greatest in the world -?it’s in an aging plaza next to a bingo hall. It is also tough to see from the road, with people traveling west on Pondella being the only ones who can see it.
O’Connor does advertising on TV, print and Facebook in hopes of grabbing new customers. But it’s word of mouth that has kept people coming in, even during the summer when numbers are down for nearly all hospitality businesses.
With all the ups and downs, O’Connor said he made the right move to make it on his own.
“I’m glad I opened this place. It’s very rewarding. I’ve had higher paying jobs, but there’s nothing better than working for yourself,” O’Connor said.
The Go Go Diner is open from “7-ish” to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. For more information, call 599-8877 or go to thegogodiner.com.