My family lands in Fort Myers next Saturday morning. We would like to see part of the town & have lunch before heading to Sanibel.

I would appreciate suggestions of a good spot for lunch (needs to be kid friendly - 5 & 9 year old). Is downtown Fort Myers an interesting area?

In my opinion, No, downtown Ft. Myers is not worth taking the time to go to. There are several places to eat between RSW and Sanibel. Just after the I-75 underpass there is the usual fast food places, Bob Evans, Denny's, and a few others. If you continue on Daniels past where you would/could turn to go to Sanibel you could go to Mimi's on the corner of Daniels and 41..turn into the Bell Tower shops and make a left turn at Bed, Bath and Beyond and you'll see Mimi's on your left. Or go past the BB&B toward the movies and there are several places in there to eat in the Bell Tower open mall. I have eaten at Mimi's and the food is good.
Or turn left @ the Bell Tower shops and find Crispers..a new place...soups, salads, sandwiches and drinks. That's another new one and it is good too.
Or if you take Daniels to Ben Pratt/6 mile Cypress and turn left (following the signs 'to the beaches' and turn in at the light to Home Depot..there is Bahama Breezes on that corner. Turn into WalMart go to the corner and there is a nice Perkins. Or follow that little road south past WalMart and there is a very nice Dairy Queen that has sandwiches. There are other places along the way to Sanibel too, but these would be about the closest after you leave the airport. Have fun.

I wouldn't fight the traffic to go to downtown Ft Myers either, since it is really kind of out of the way. The above poster has given you good suggestions. There is also a Sweet Tomatoes (salad bar and hot bar food) on Hwy 41 (Six Mile Cypress. turn left onto 41, Sweet Toms is on the right). Bob Evans, that the above poster mentioned is probably my favorite place for kids and adults to all enjoy. Anything in the Bell Tower will be good food and you will find a huge range from fancy to very casual there (even a JOhnny Rockets) and you will also get some of the flavor of Ft Myers as well.

I appreciate the suggestions. I am hoping to find a local place (non-chain) with interesting food for adults & kids. I don't mind going out of the way a bit as we have several hours to hang out until we can get the keys to our condo.

Is the Shrimp Shack good? I also read about a Mexican place that sounded good (Iguana Mia). Is there an area of Fort Myers that is the primary restaurant/shopping area?

The Shrimp Shack is VERY good. The closest one (and the original)..take Daniels (that's what you'll be on when you get out of the airport) to METRO. Turn right and it's about 2 blocks from that corner. They have sandwiches, baskets and meals.

Bell Tower shops has lots of upscale stores. Across Daniels from BT is a Target, & some other stores. And across 41 from Bell Tower is Beall's a department store that always has some sort of sale on. Our big Edison Mall (with a food court & a Ruby Tuesdays) is north of Daniels on 41 a few miles...you'll pass LOTS of stores and shops going up there. As we say here when someone asks where something is "it's on 41"...or so it seems.

I'd head straight to Sanibel. We enjoyed lunch at Island Cow and the Lazy Flamingo.

We just went up to "downtown" Ft. Myers tonight to see a play at Florida Rep. Sadly we had a hard time with dinner before. Harold's, the only decent place I knew of near the theatre was closed for a private party. We walked around the streets, deader than dead, looking at all the empty restaurants and other businesses with "for rent" signs on them. Sadly, the latest attempts to turn around downtown are dismal failures. The only reason for you to head into downtown Ft. Myers is if you are into real estate, as there is a lot available right now!

If you like Mexican, I'd head to Iquana Mia on 41, almost right in front of the Edison Mall (from the airport, go one exit to the north, turn off on Colonial and go west to 41, turn right or north and it is right there). It's a popular and lively place the kids would enjoy -- and the food really is quite good.

Downtown Fort Myers ain't much right now. All potential wasting away with political in-fighting. Some leases have been signed downtown that will improve this shortly. Starbucks will provide a much needed place for workers to get their caffeine fix.

I'm sorry Harold's wasn't open Patrick. It is very good for a small independent restaurant swimming againt the industrial restaurant tide. Another good restaurant is Varians on the Patio deLeon. You may not have known about it or perhaps it has closed.

The Veranda is a venerable choice but one has to make reservations in advance even off-season. Oxygen tanks are optional but not required. Very old Fort Myers, in every way.

Best mexican restaurant bar none is Cantina Laredo. It would be a great place for lunch. It is an outpost restaurant of the Bell Tower Shops on the Saks Fifth Avenue end. Best guacamole you will ever have...prepared tableside just like the old Caesar salad prep.

http://cityguide.news-press.com/fe/d...sinessID=40973

Mimi's is a good choice on the way to Sanibel. Very kid friendly. In the same location as Cantina. It's a national chain. Blue Pointe in the same area is a great fresh fish restaurant. Ok for kids at lunch, not so much so at dinner.

Crispers is Publix supermarket foray into industrial food service. Ok but nothing to make a stop for.

If you decide to go to Fort Myers downtown area then you should go to the Edison/Ford winter estates and a restaurant that would be good in this area is Joe's Crab Shack. Again, another chain, but this one has a great atmosphere and is located on pilings on the Caloosahatchee River. You can see all the new high rise construction of condos as Fort Myers tries to morph into some rendition of Naples.

Joe's used to be a Chart House. Same parent, new image. Link to location.
http://clients.mapquest.com/landrys/...nk=map2&id=318

LilMsFoodie who lives in Fort Myers

LilMsFoodie, yes we saw Varian's and it too was closed -- it appeared permanent.
On another thread I mentioned about looking up two places that I had coupons for from my "international dining club". One was called Cafe Roni, and when we got to that address we found a new looking attorney's office. I forget the name of the other place but it was near the Patio DeLeon also, and had a "for lease" sign in the window.

I had forgotten all about The Verandah -- an old favorite from my days years ago when I lived at Ft. Myers Beach, until I saw their ad in the play program. That would have been nice -- but too hot for the patio!

Joe's Crab Shack? Oh my God, they have a nice location in Naples too, but I'd consider it a few steps below Red Lobster!

wouldn't recommend Joes to you Patrick, but a tourist with kids in tow. Joe's Crab Shack would probably serve for a lunch. LMF

LMF's recommendations are good food ideas, but some of them might be too fancy for kids...Veranda, Cantina...not my choices to take my kids when it's lunchtime.

Meanwhile, I am with Patrick...no need to go into Ft Myers for much of anything, including the Edison mall or downtown areas. A trip to the Edison home might be an exception but not with kids that age who'd probably rather be on the beach finding shells.

I'd stick with Shrimp Shack or Iguana Mia (another option: La Casita, which is actually on your way to Sanibel), or, if you want to step up, go to one of the places at Bell Tower. I wouldn't get any fancier than that. Remember these kids will have been traveling all day and will be ready to get to the destination.

Shrimp Shack was a big family favorite of ours--seafood at a very reasonable (downright cheap) price, without feeling like you just ate a Captain D's. Certainly not gourmet, but it will kick off the trip with Florida flair and it's extremely kid-friendly.

Still, if you want to "see the city" I'd stick with Bell Tower.

comments about Veranda and Cantina were for Patrick, not the tourist. Cantina is very good with kids and there are always quite a few in there. I don't think it is ever too soon to expose children to decent food. How will they ever develop taste if their taste buds are always pandered to with fried crap? LMF

Sorry about that, LMF! I thought you were saying to take them there! I agree about exposing kids to good food (and nice places) when they are young; we take ours everywhere. But I just got the feeling from the OP that she wanted somewhere more casual, and also I was thinking about the "after travel" aspect of things, and also the cost--I just think they'll get a better value and experience if they go somewhere a little more casual as they are coming in, and save the more upscale places for once they are already into their trip. Just my opinion.