Casa Blu

Family Roots, Fire-roasted Mediterranean Cuisine, and All Heart

By Cheryl Mandell

It all started with a little blue house in Santa Cruz, Bolivia.

Nearly 40 years ago, Carlos Suárez opened a restaurant named Michaelangelo in the blue, old colonial-style home of his parents. Inspired by his father’s culinary skills, Carlos found his passion for cooking and was graciously gifted half of the family home to use as a restaurant while the other half remained the Suárez residence.

They eventually opened a second location of Michaelangelo in a similar style of the first, in the mountainous tourist town of Samaipata, Bolivia. The success of these Italian restaurants was the catalyst for Carlos’ three sons, Mario, Carlos and Matias, to open a Mediterranean restaurant that would, in many ways, pay homage to the blue house of their childhood; this time, in Estero, Florida.

The doors of Casa Blu officially opened in late November 2025. “We’d always dreamed of having a restaurant in the U.S.,” said owner Mario Suárez. “We honor my grandparents by naming it Casa Blu because they gave the house that started it all.”

Upon entering Casa Blu, the family’s story hangs on the wall, with photos of three generations of the Suárez family and the blue house that is the foundation of this culinary legacy. The entire decor at Casa Blu honors their Bolivian roots, from the bold blue-and-red walls to traditional vases and masks, to the beautiful South American plates that adorn the entire south wall.

The Suárez brothers also pay homage to their Michaelangelo restaurants on the Casa Blu menu, and the majority of the cuisine is distinctly Mediterranean. Chef Carlos Suárez and his team cook most of the dishes in their two special wood-fire ovens from Napoli, Italy that also serve as the striking focal point in the center of the space. About 90% of their menu items go through the oven at some point, whether it’s during prep or as a finishing touch. Their open kitchen concept invites guests into the process — the fire is part of the experience.

A smooth, curving full bar winds around the open kitchen and invites guests to sit and eat, or order a craft cocktail. The Bolivian specialty called the Singani Sour is a top choice, featuring Singani 63 lime, egg white and Angostura bitters. Singani 63 is a clear, aromatic Bolivian spirit made exclusively from Muscat of Alexandria grapes grown high in the Andes, and popularized by filmmaker Steven Soderbergh.

The carefully curated menu features starters such as mussels with kale pesto, white wine and garlic, and the ever-popular wood-fire octopus. Artisan oak-fired pizzas are not to be missed and can be enjoyed as a starter for the table or a single entree. Main courses include hearty beef bourguignon with a chili mushroom rub, mashed potatoes and fennel cabbage slaw, or the Greek staple, moussaka.

Housemade pasta dishes like bucatini al pesto and Michaelangelo-inspired gnocchi al uso nostro, offer guests a variety of Mediterranean dishes with a Casa Blu flair. They are also proud to cook exclusively with beef tallow and olive oil, not using any industrial seed oils.

As the business grows, the Suárez brothers plan on expanding the menu to include Bolivian cuisine and other contenders such as paella or a Mediterranean lamb dish.

Happy Hour is from 4-6 p.m. every day, with discounted menu items, $4 beer and $8 cocktails. Currently, there’s live music on Saturdays, with plans to add another two days a week in the future.

Casa Blu has it all — inspired global cuisine, creative cocktails, a kitchen with a view and, best of all, true family hospitality that is a legacy in the making.