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Southern Charm Bistro mixes history, music, and cuisine in Fort Myers

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Posted at 9:49 PM, Feb 01, 2023
and last updated 2023-02-02 05:16:35-05

FORT MYERS, Fla. — Storytelling here on Fox 4 includes highlighting people in our community who use their passions to impact the area. People like Loren Daniels and her husband. The couple opened up Southern Charm Bistro in Fort Myers in 2022. They have a number of passions, including her family and business, and Lauren is using all of them to bring people together.

Hanging on the walls of Southern Charm Bistro are iconic music legends. "I put people on the wall that people ask questions about, so people can have conversations," says Daniels. This is creating a place where people can come together to remember, learn and hang out but most importantly... eat!

The Daniels' family love for Southern food spans generations. She would cook with her mother and grandmother, listening to artists of the past. This is a tradition she has handed down to her own children. While working for 11 years as a stay-at-home home to her 4 children, she thought, "you know what? I think I can do this [cook] professionally."

What started as a small take-out menu truly took off, landing here in 2023 where Black history and jazz meet Southern charm. The food and setting quickly turned her bistro into more than just a spot to grab a meal. "People from the community meet here! So they have a place to come and feel comfortable." Comfortable in a space that celebrates the history of Black music.

The power of community and the type of cooking that brings people together, all under one roof... you can find this at the Southern Charm Bistro.