As power was gradually restored to areas of Fort Myers, restaurants began to reopen in the days after Hurricane Ian swept through, causing major damage to homes and businesses in its wake.

For some local restaurants, even those without structural damage, that was a challenge. The reason: water — one of the most important ingredients for a successful restaurant — still is not readily available, with boil-water notices throughout the area.

Some chain restaurants had bagged ice brought in, and used 2-liter bottles of soda and bottled water to serve guests. Others only served cold, canned and bottled beverages without ice. One restaurant decided not to sell drinks at all, telling customers they could purchase drinks at the restaurant next door.

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Shawnee Mistretta, who owns Marko’s Diner on San Carlos Boulevard, was busy clearing tables after the breakfast rush Friday. Her wait staff and cooks were busy serving customers hot meals from the gas-powered grill.

The restaurant had lights, but no air conditioning.

“It’s a little hot in here,” she said.

But customers are returning and relief workers are stopping in for a hot meal when they have time, so business is picking up.

Signs are posted in a few places throughout the restaurant to let customers know they are only able to handle cash transactions. Like many businesses, the restaurant relies on apps that track sales. But that requires an internet connection, which doesn't currently exist.

One of the biggest challenges to reopening was what to do about the water supply. The area has been under a boil-water notice since the Category 4 hurricane swept through southwest Florida on Sept. 28.

“We have all canned (sodas) and bottled water,” Mistretta said. “Today is our first day opening. We’re running on a generator and coolers.”

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Mistretta said coffee is in high demand, especially during breakfast hours. So, she filled up containers of coffee at nearby Biscotti’s Café, another restaurant she owns with her husband, David Mistretta, and brought it back to Marko’s.

David Mistretta said in the days immediately after Ian plowed through, he began cooking hot meals for first responders, then residents who came by and relief workers who had come from out of town to volunteer their help.

“Our grill runs on natural gas, so we were able to cook food and keep everything warm,” he said.

The biggest thing, however, was everyone was looking for coffee.

“I haven’t had coffee for three days,” David Mistretta said he was told when people came in for food.

But he could not serve coffee without water and electricity.

Biscotti’s now has electricity, so staff is able to heat water to 285 degrees — above boiling temperature — to make coffee for both restaurants.

Shawnee Mistretta laughed when she was asked if she and her husband had plans on how they would recover after the hurricane.

“We’re just doing what we can do right now,” she said as she shrugged her shoulders. “We’re just trying to get back to normal.”

Biscotti’s, located about half a mile from Marko’s, has electricity. The cool air conditioning welcomed customers to the coffee

The water is filtered for the ice machine at Biscotti’s, but only canned and bottled cold drinks are served. The café serves coffee and espresso drinks and has muffins, breakfast sandwiches and other baked goods.

“We’re managing,” David Mistretta said.

Reinaldo Herrera, owner of Tiki Subs and Mexican Food, said he bought a portable tank filled with clean water for his restaurant for cooking and cleaning. Beverages are served from cans and bottles.

“I’m OK, because the (health) inspectors come in here all the time,” Herrera said. “I want to make sure my customers feel safe.”

Herrera said he and his partner, Bilexy Bonilla, opened the restaurant in 2017 to provide affordable lunches. The restaurant serves specialty sandwiches, tacos and more.

His regular customers haven’t been around much since the hurricane, but workers in the area are making up for the loss of regular business.

“Before, we had a lot of regulars," Herrera said. "Sometimes a guy loses a house; there’s a lot of people not working right now; a lot of problems — they don’t have a lot of money. Now, there are a lot of new guys.”

Like Herrera, the Mistrettas are meeting new people in their restaurants. And even though they know they have a long way to go, they are grateful for the support of their community and the strangers they met after the hurricane.

“If I could have wrote a book about the couple of days that were there (after the hurricane), it would be a sad book,” David Mistretta said. “But the story of the many hugs and tears that we shared with strangers we never met, that was what it was all about. People were very friendly and thankful to us.”

Do you have a story to share? Contact Lici Beveridge at lbeveridge@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @licibev or Facebook at facebook.com/licibeveridge.