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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
Known For
- Homemade sausage and cheeses
- Freshly made pastas
- Rustic, family setting
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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
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
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Health-conscious foodies, hipsters, and retirees mix equally at this farm-and-sea-to-table bistro, which, as the name suggests, stocks its kitchen almost exclusively with items from local suppliers. Though it's in a strip mall a few blocks inland, it has a polished interior that manages to evoke both the beach and the farm. Choose from healthful options like a super-food salad or more indulgent dishes such as pork shoulder au jus with mango mustard.
5323 Airport Pulling Rd. N, Naples, Florida, USA
Known For
- Pot roast with grandma's veggies
- Flatbreads and pizzas
- Fresh ingredients
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In the midst of a warehouse-size store, this comfortable bistro, accented with stunning Florida photography from Alan Maltz, is a local favorite. The marvelous sesame-seared tuna lunch salad with Asian slaw and wasabi vinaigrette exemplifies the creative fare; for dinner, try the barbecued baby back ribs, macadamia-crusted grouper, or any of the day's finely crafted specials. The bar serves light nibbles and happy-hour twofers. While waiting for your food, visit the attached shop filled with everything from affordable trinkets to pricey island wear.
1551 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel, Florida, 33957, USA
Known For
- Barbecue ribs
- Fresh fish dishes
- Live entertainment
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations not accepted, Closed Sun.
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Don't be fooled by the cheesy glowing sign visible from the highway—most locals swear this is the place for fresh seafood, which is why you need a reservation even in the heat of summer. The setting is whimsical (portholes, antique bronze diving gear, colorful fish sculptures), and the dishes are eclectic, often featuring Asian-inspired preparations. The signature miso-broiled sea bass with citrus-ginger butter strikes the right balance between sweet and savory; the ginger-steamed halibut with soy-lime dressing and the herb-grilled tuna with warm goat cheese and seared diver scallops are also winners.
3745 Tamiami Trail N, Naples, Florida, 34103, USA
Known For
- Miso-broiled sea bass
- Swordfish cioppino
- Fresh tuna with your choice of savory sauce
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch weekends, Reservations essential
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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The mood cast in the well-appointed dining room and the romantic Gulf-view patio that spills onto the sand makes a meal here the perfect Florida dining experience. There's only one small problem—lighting is so low at dinner that you can't read the menu, even with its built-in flashlight, which is too bad, because it means you also miss the effect of the beautifully presented dishes. An impressive prix-fixe option includes a starter, entrée, and dessert. Schedule your dinner outdoors to catch gorgeous views of the sunset.
9891 Gulf Shore Dr., Naples, Florida, 34108, USA
Known For
- Lobster frittata breakfast
- Signature blackened grouper
- Water views
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations essential
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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
Known For
- Pizzettes (small pizzas)
- Venetian-style meatballs
- Amazing gelato
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Burgers, conch fritters, and chicken wings draw mostly locals to this neighborhood bar. Order at the counter, and take a seat indoors or outdoors on the sidewalk. Try the peel-and-eat shrimp, sushi, mussels marinara, chicken bistro salad, or fried grouper basket.
1035 N. Collier Blvd., Marco Island, Florida, 34145, USA
Known For
- Fresh steamed and fried seafood
- Uncle Vinny's steak sandwich
- Ultracasual atmosphere
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For dependably well-prepared food with a water view, Doc Ford's is the top choice in Fort Myers Beach. A spin-off of a Sanibel Island original, its name and theme come from a murder-mystery series by local celebrity author Randy Wayne White. Diners rave about the Yucatan shrimp—steamed in the shell with spicy Key lime butter. Other choice picks include the beach bread, pulled-pork sandwich, banana leaf–wrapped snapper, shrimp and grits with tomatillo sauce, and penne with rock shrimp. Live bands play Wednesday through Sunday.
708 Fisherman's Wharf, Fort Myers Beach, Florida, 33931, USA
Known For
- Yucatan shrimp, steamed with spicy Key lime butter
- Fish tacos
- Lively atmosphere
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations not accepted
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You'll get authentic, critically acclaimed, unpretentious Cuban specialties at this simple storefront café a few miles inland. Stick to the basics, like the lemony lechon asado (slow-roasted pork basted with garlic) or ropa vieja (shreds of flank steak simmered in tomato sauce with heaps of peppers and onions). Prices are good, considering that one entrée is enough for dinner and lunch the next day and that it comes with salads, big slabs of toasted garlic bread, and two sides. The bar is wine-and-beer only; the mojitos are faux-jitos but still pretty tasty.
1201 Piper Blvd., Naples, Florida, 34110, USA
Known For
- Generous portions
- Old-school black beans and rice
- Palomilla steak with onions
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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
Known For
- Rigatoni Bolognese
- Good pizza
- Chicken Sinatra
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch Sat.–Mon.
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Revered by many—including Katharine Hepburn in her time—for its homemade ice cream, this is also a good spot for comfort food and fresh seafood. Housed in the town's historic depot, it offers indoor and patio seating in an all-American setting. Expect slow service in season, and paper plates with plastic utensils. Be sure to order a piece of the homemade, award-winning Key lime pie.
433 W. 4th St., Boca Grande, Florida, 33921, USA
Known For
- Extremely rich (16% butterfat) ice cream
- Green tomatoes and crab cake appetizer
- Caboose Thai shrimp
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner
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Watch boats coming and going whether you sit inside or out at this rustic Old Florida–style restaurant right on the docks alongside the Intracoastal Waterway. When the weather cooperates, enjoy the view from the shaded outdoor tables. Inside, a rustic shack gives way to a more formal dining area in the back; there's a bar upstairs with sweeping views, pizza, and live music nightly. You can't miss with grouper or shrimp from the local fleets—delicately cornmeal-breaded, stuffed, or dipped in rum and coconut. Landlubbers can choose from ribs and steak. This is true Fort Myers Beach style, meaning service can be a bit gruff—and slow.
414 Crescent St., Fort Myers Beach, Florida, 33931, USA
Known For
- Pizza at Petey's Upper Deck
- Fresh seafood
- Slow, sometimes grumpy servers
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations not accepted
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A mostly local clientele populates the cheery dining room with its Philadelphia allegiances, offering a great cheesesteak. For breakfast, don't miss the incredible Texas French toast with homemade caramel and pecans, Carbon's malted Belgian waffles, or eggs and homemade hash with Boar's Head meat. Besides cheesesteak, lunch specialties include Boar's Head hoagies, burgers, in-house-roasted beef or turkey sandwiches, and other comfort food—all served until 3 pm.
25091 Bernwood Dr., Bonita Springs, Florida, 34135, USA
Known For
- Slow-cooked turkey and roast beef
- Chipped beef for breakfast
- No reservations (but a call-ahead wait list on weekends)
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner, Reservations not accepted
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Locals come for affordable sandwiches and seafood in the vaulted, vine-twisted courtyard of this traditional pub, which has been tucked away from the shopping traffic of upscale Third Street since 1990. It's an everybody-knows-your-name kind of place, with jars of pickles on the tables; friendly bartenders; and a menu of fried "ungrouper" sandwiches (made with "mild flaky white fillet" as grouper numbers wait to make a comeback), burgers, chicken salad, nachos, and fried gator tail. There's musical entertainment Wednesday through Sunday year round.
255 13th Ave. S, Naples, Florida, 34102, USA
Known For
- Casual, fun vibe
- Wide selection of beers
- Live music
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations not accepted
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For something more contemporary than Fort Myers Beach's traditional shrimp and seafood houses, head to San Carlos Island on the east side of the high bridge where the shrimp boats dock. Parrot Key sits marina-side near the shrimp docks, offering a casual vibe that exudes merriment with its Floribbean cuisine and island music. Lunch menu served from 11 to 4 includes a nice selection of sandwiches, soups, and salads. For dinner, entrées are generous in size and include plenty of fresh seafood and landlubber choices. There's live entertainment most nights.
2500 Main St., Fort Myers Beach, Florida, 33931, USA
Known For
- Caribbean-inspired cuisine
- Seafood nachos
- Live music most nights
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations not accepted
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From the bread (Amoroso rolls) to the corned beef, almost everything here comes from Philadelphia. Not only are the cheesesteaks delicious and authentic, but the burgers and other sandwiches are excellent—and the prices are among the lowest around. Stay for an old-fashioned shake, or join the Philly natives for pork roll and scrapple at breakfast. The strip-mall café occupies two rooms sided with natural wood board-and-bead paneling. Signs at every table humorously reveal "25 Ways to Tell You're from Philly." If you come for dinner, plan on eating early because the restaurant closes at 8.
4600 Summerlin Rd., Fort Myers, Florida, 33919, USA
Known For
- Authentic Philly cheesesteaks
- Good, inexpensive breakfast
- Closing by 8 pm
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner Sun., Reservations not accepted
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This restaurant is surprisingly affordable, considering the luxury condo development that rises around it and the size of the yachts that pull up to the docks. Caribbean in spirit, with lots of indoor and outdoor views of a mangrove-fringed waterway, it serves bistro specialties such as conch fritters, seafood potpie, and bronzed salmon; the warm chocolate bread pudding is addictive. The bar staff is affable and welcoming.
5848 Cape Harbour Dr., Cape Coral, Florida, 33914, USA
Known For
- Coconut fried shrimp
- Seafood potpie
- Rumrunner cocktails
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Irish omelets, Belgian waffles, crepes, steak au poivre, Vietnamese sea bass, Waldorf chicken salad: this eatery's extensive menu clearly travels farther abroad than its name implies. And it does so with utmost taste and flavor, as its faithful local clientele will attest. The best deals are the lunchtime Vietnamese entrées and chicken egg-drop soup. The restaurant is known for its gigantic bowls of pho (traditional soup), which can be ordered any time of day (some people have them for breakfast). It also offers three-course Vietnamese or Parisian dinners for $30. Leave room for crepes à la Grand Marnier, prepared table-side. The interior is pleasant, if a bit old-fashioned, but provides a soothing surprise in this busy part of town with its fireplace, floral motif, and classic columns.
12995 S. Cleveland. Ave., Fort Myers, Florida, 33907, USA
Known For
- Pho soup
- Two-for-one breakfast deals
- International cuisine
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. June–Sept.
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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
Known For
- Beautiful Gulf views
- Homemade fresh pasta dishes
- Award-winning Italian cuisine
