9 Sanibel Restaurants For Tropical Island Dining At Its Best

You’ll find casual laid-back eateries and upscale elegant restaurants, waterfront restaurants with killer views and fun tropical bars with relaxed live music.

And ice cream shops. Everyone seems to love going to ice cream shops on Sanibel — maybe it’s the salt air!

Whether you’re on a family vacay or romantic getaway may influence your choice of where to dine out, but you’ll enjoy them all at one point during your stay.

Wherever you go, if you’re a seafood lover, be sure to enjoy the fresh local seafood available here, much of it from local waters.

Fresh fish like snapper, grouper, and shrimp fresh from the Gulf are usually available.

If you’re visiting during stone crab season (mid October to the beginning of May) you’re in for a real treat.

Not a fan of seafood? No problem.

You’ll have a nice selection of steaks, chops, and tempting veggie options at many of these restaurants.

So enjoy your day on Sanibel or Captiva, search for incredible shells, sun the day away on its beautiful beaches, and head to the Sanibel Lighthouse or Blind Pass to watch the fiery sunset.

Then head to one of these excellent restaurants to end the day.

About These Sanibel Restaurants

Wondering about the dress code at these Sanibel restaurants and around the island?

The restaurants listed here have become our favorite places to eat over the many years we’ve been coming to Sanibel.

We make frequent day trips up from Naples for the beaches and a nice dinner experience, and although we might be a bit salty and wind-blown after a day at the beach or trudging around the island, we’ve never once felt underdressed or out of place at the finest of these.

Sanibel is a lot of things, but pretentious is not one of them.

Recommended dress code is “nice island casual” which includes nice shorts, slacks, and sundresses.

Maybe leave the beach flip flops behind if you’re going to Cielo or The Mad Hatter.

Rest assured knowing that you’ll feel comfortable dining at any of these amazing places, whether you’re in the mood for a casual local joint or fine dining restaurant.