Izzy's Fish & Oyster
FLORIDA
The Best Restaurants in Fort Myers Right Now
By Eric Barton | March 2, 2025
My college roommate was from Fort Myers, and we’d go there on breaks to eat at cheap fish shacks and drink questionably cheap drinks at the Lani Kai.
These days, Fort Myers has options that stretch far beyond beachfront fryers, with chefs turning out ambitious menus and waterfront spots that know how to do more than just frozen cocktails. There’s chefs who cut their teeth elsewhere and returned home to open ambitious new spots. And there’s downtown restaurants that could compete in any big city.
But don’t get overwhelmed by all this, because I’ve weeded through the tourist traps to produce this, the list of the best restaurants in Fort Myers right now.
1. Izzy's Fish & Oyster
2282 First St | Website | Instagram
There’s a time and place for a seafood shack, but Izzy’s takes a more refined approach, importing a bit of New England’s best into the Gulf Coast. The oysters are always fresh, but the real standout is the coconut and macadamia-crusted triple tail, served with coconut rice and a red curry sauce that actually has a little heat. It’s the kind of dish that makes you wonder why more places aren’t doing something this interesting with local fish.
2. The Silver King Ocean Brasserie
2200 Edwards Dr | Website | Instagram
Silver King sits inside the Luminary Hotel, which should tell you right away that it’s not your typical waterfront dive. The seafood is the focus, prepared with just enough creativity to keep things interesting but never overwrought. There’s a serious raw bar program and a dining room that wouldn’t feel out of place in Miami, but the kitchen still knows how to let the fish do the talking.
3. Oxbow Bar & Grill
1300 Hendry St | Website | Instagram
Fort Myers has plenty of waterfront restaurants, but Oxbow actually does something with its prime real estate beyond slinging frozen piña coladas. You’re coming here for the view, sure, but also for the well-executed seafood-focused menu, with highlights like the blackened mahi sandwich and the charred octopus starter. It’s a great spot to bring out-of-towners who want the full Florida experience but still expect a decent wine list.
4. 10 Twenty Five
33 Patio De Leon | Website | Instagram
This is where downtown Fort Myers goes for solid burgers and craft beer. The menu is eclectic, which means you can get everything from a Nashville hot chicken sandwich to a duck confit flatbread, and somehow, it all works. The kind of casual spot where you come in for a drink and end up staying for three.
5. Matanzas on the Bay
416 Crescent St | Website | Instagram
Fort Myers Beach has its fair share of tourist traps, but Matanzas on the Bay is not one of them. They take their seafood seriously here, whether it’s their shrimp scampi or the blackened snapper. Grab a table outside, order something cold to drink, and settle in—it’s the kind of spot that makes you forget about the traffic you sat in to get there.
6. Rumrunners
5848 Cape Harbour Dr | Website | Instagram
Rumrunners in nearby Cape Coral (find our full list for Cape Coral here) has been doing upscale waterfront fine dining right for years. The seafood is top-tier, and while you could get a steak, you’re better off leaning into the fresh fish and shellfish options. A bit of a scene, but in a fun way, and the service is as polished as you’ll find in the area.
7. Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille
708 Fishermans Wharf | Website | Instagram
Named after a fictional marine biologist from a popular Florida-based book series, Doc Ford’s serves up seafood with a bit of a Caribbean twist. The Yucatan shrimp, which come swimming in a citrusy, garlicky sauce, are legendary, and the rum selection is not to be ignored.
8. Bruno’s of Brooklyn
2149 First St | Website | Instagram
This is the place you go when you want Italian food that tastes like someone’s nonna is in the kitchen. Bruno’s is unapologetically old-school, from the decor to the enormous portions. The meatballs alone are worth the visit.
9. Tarpon Lodge
13771 Waterfront Dr | Website | Instagram
This Pine Island restaurant has been around since 1926, weathering hurricanes and downturns and every restaurant trend that’s come and gone. Expect regional seafood, local fish, and a menu that doesn’t try too hard, because it doesn’t have to. The kind of place where you linger after dinner, because you just don’t want to leave.
10. Wickie’s Lighthouse
362 Periwinkle Way | Website | Instagram
Wickie’s Lighthouse Restaurant is the spot on Sanibel for solid breakfast plates, a good burger, and some of the most interesting seafood dishes on the island. The menu leans contemporary, with dishes that highlight local ingredients without overcomplicating things.
11. Coconut Jack’s
5370 Bonita Beach Rd SW | Website | Instagram
If you’re looking for the platonic ideal of a Florida seafood joint, this is it. Coconut Jack’s is casual, has great water views, and serves fried seafood the way it should be: crisp, well-seasoned, and not the least bit greasy. It’s not fancy, and it doesn’t need to be.
12. MudBugs Cajun Kitchen
1473 Periwinkle Way | Website | Instagram
You don’t expect to find great Cajun food in Fort Myers, but MudBugs delivers. The jambalaya is rich and spicy, the crawfish étouffée is spot-on, and the overall vibe is exactly what you want in a place serving up Louisiana flavors. Come hungry.
13. Ristorante Fabio
4150 Hancock Bridge Pkwy | Website | Instagram
Fort Myers doesn’t have a ton of truly great Italian restaurants, but Ristorante Fabio is one of them. The family-owned spot turns out classic dishes with the kind of attention to detail you’d expect from a place that’s been in the same hands for years. The homemade pasta is the move here—particularly the pappardelle Bolognese, which is exactly what you want on a rare cool Florida night.
14. The Magic Bus Ice Cream
362 Periwinkle Way | Website | Instagram
The Magic Bus Ice Cream & Caffeine on Sanibel serves up inventive flavors alongside an extensive coffee menu. You could call the whole magic bus schtick a gimmick, but when the ice cream is this good, who cares?
