The Lower Gulf Coast Restaurants

In this part of Florida, fresh seafood reigns supreme. Succulent native stone-crab claws, a particularly tasty treat, in season from mid-October through mid-May, are usually served hot with drawn butter or chilled with tangy mustard sauce. Supplies are typically steady, since claws regenerate in time for the next season. Other seafood specialties include fried grouper sandwiches and Sanibel pink shrimp. In Naples's highly hailed restaurants and sidewalk cafés, mingle with locals, winter visitors, and other travelers, and catch up on the latest culinary trends.

Sort by: 7 Recommendations {{numTotalPoiResults}} {{ (numTotalPoiResults===1)?'Recommendation':'Recommendations' }} 0 Recommendations
CLEAR ALL Area Search CLEAR ALL
Loading...
  • 1. Angelina's Ristorante

    $$$$

    Here it's all about enjoying one of the most indulgent, pampered meals you'll ever eat—and it's best not to show up in flip-flops, jeans, or shorts (you probably won't be turned away for dressing casually, but you will feel uncomfortable). Formally trained waitstaff attend to your every need in this temple of traditional Italian cuisine. A dramatic wine tower hovers over the main room; the plush private booths surrounding it are the best tables (call early to snag one). The taste circus begins with an amuse-bouche. Pick between antipasti, crispy flatbreads, and wholesome soups before moving on to homemade pastas and grilled meats. Absolutely try the butternut squash ravioli, an inventive version with citrus-tomato butter and truffled almonds. The evening ends with a complimentary nightcap. There is also a great prix-fixe menu.

    24041 S. Tamiami Trail, Bonita Springs, Florida, 34134, USA
    239-390–3187

    Known For

    • Phenomenal service
    • Homemade pastas
    • Sea salt–baked snapper for two

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: No lunch, Reservations essential
  • 2. Osteria Tulia

    $$$$

    The setting at this intimate but lively restaurant is refined but rustic, with wood repurposed from a dilapidated Florida barn and 1940s-era bricks reclaimed from a Chicago firehouse. The Sicilian-born chef (and part-owner) eschews an ornate menu and instead offers simple, finely produced Italian dishes. The signature fennel sausage is made using a family recipe, and the kitchen cures its own pancetta, makes its own mozzarella and ricotta cheeses, and extrudes its own pasta. Seasonal dishes like rabbit and wild boar shine; the tortelloni with braised short ribs pleases nightly.

    466 5th Ave. S, Naples, Florida, 34102, USA
    239-213–2073

    Known For

    • Homemade sausage and cheeses
    • Freshly made pastas
    • Rustic, family setting
  • 3. Sea Salt

    $$$$

    The city's hottest upscale restaurant draws a crowd of connoisseurs to a modern, coral-stone dining room that spills out onto the sidewalk. The menu changes nightly, and the Venetian-born chef puts a New World spin on traditional Italian favorites, which are seasoned with different types of sea salt from around the globe. The finest quality meats and seafood, much of it sourced from local farmers and fisherman, are used in all the dishes.

    1186 3rd St. S, Naples, Florida, 34102, USA
    239-434–7258

    Known For

    • Charred octopus appetizer
    • Daily prix-fixe sunset menu from 5 to 6
    • Homemade pappardelle with Wagyu beef

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Reservations essential
  • 4. Barbatella

    $$$

    The wine bar at this popular trattoria has a communal table, crystal chandeliers hung inside birdcages, and a wine dispenser that lets you sample 30 of its more than 100 Italian (of course) wines by the 1-, 3-, or 6-ounce glass. The brick dining room, with 150-year-old recycled flooring, is more casual and open to the kitchen; the central patio is shaded and relaxed. Straight-up and expertly done classic Italian dishes include bruschetta, fried calamari, lasagna, and wood-fired pizza. Save room for the gelato, though.

    1290 3rd St. S, Naples, Florida, 34102, USA
    239-263–1955

    Known For

    • Pizzettes (small pizzas)
    • Venetian-style meatballs
    • Amazing gelato
  • 5. Cibo

    $$$

    Its flavor-bursting food and its propensity for using fresh, quality ingredients keep Cibo (pronounced chee-bo) at the head of the class for local Italian restaurants. In contrast to the sophisticated black-and-white setting, the menu is colorful, from the classic Caesar salad with shaved Grana Padano to the spaghetti and meatballs, salmon piccata, and veal porterhouse with porcini risotto. The lasagna Napoletana is typical of the standards set here—a generous square of pasta layered with fluffy ricotta, meat ragu, mozzarella, and the totally fresh-tasting, garlicky pomodoro sauce.

    12901 McGregor Blvd., Fort Myers, Florida, 33919, USA
    239-454–3700

    Known For

    • Classic Italian dishes
    • Excellent service
    • Great wine list

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: No lunch, Reservations essential
  • Recommended Fodor’s Video

  • 6. Il Pomodoro Cucina Italiana

    $$$

    We may say tomato or tomahtoe, but in Italy, they say pomodoro. Start with hot, crusty, garlic-glazed rolls, and Caesar salad with a flavorful Romano dressing; from there you have your pick from combinations of classic Italian subs, pastas and sauces, pizzas, and proteins. The same menu applies for both lunch and dinner, but with different pricing. It ranges from standard veal parmigiana and lasagna to gnocchi pomodoro (smothered in fresh tomatoes and basil) and chicken Sinatra (battered and layered with prosciutto, eggplant, roasted peppers, and fresh mozzarella in lemon wine sauce).

    9681 Gladiolus Dr., Fort Myers, Florida, 33908, USA
    239-985–0080

    Known For

    • Rigatoni Bolognese
    • Good pizza
    • Chicken Sinatra

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: No lunch Sat.–Mon.
  • 7. Sale e Pepe

    $$$$

    The name means "salt and pepper," an indication that this palatial restaurant with terrace seating overlooking the beach adheres to the basics of Southern Italian cuisine. Everything—including the pasta, sausage, and ice cream—is made on-site, and the simple, artfully presented dishes explode with home-cooked, long-simmered flavor. With the exception of a handful of pizzas, lunch is more eclectic than Italian.

    480 S. Collier Blvd., Marco Island, Florida, 34145, USA
    239-393–1600

    Known For

    • Beautiful Gulf views
    • Homemade fresh pasta dishes
    • Award-winning Italian cuisine

No Restaurants Results

Please try a broader search, or expore these popular suggestions:

There are no results for {{ strDestName}} Restaurants in the searched map area with the above filters. Please try a different area on the map, or broaden your search with these popular suggestions:

Recommended Fodor’s Video