78 new restaurants that opened (or reopened) in 2023 from Cape Coral to Bonita to Captiva
No sooner had I turned in my list of 70 restaurants that opened (or reopened) in 2023 than I discovered it needed updating.
Eight more establishments (six new and two reopened) came to my attention within a week.
From cafes and ice cream shops to pizza joints and hidden gems, 58 restaurants (at least) opened in Lee County in 2023.
Add to that the 20 other establishments (or more) that reopened (mostly after Hurricane Ian damage) and it’s been a busy year on the Southwest Florida dining front.
Here’s a quick look at what’s been going on:
In Fort Myers
Backyard Social: This unique eatertainment destination made its highly anticipated public debut on Oct. 19 with eight permanent food trucks and a large, inviting bar. 16371 Corporate Commerce Way, Fort Myers; (239) 703-7077; backyardsocial.com
Blackbeards Tavern: Andy Kralik opened this casual waterfront tiki bar and grill on Jan. 18 in the spot previously occupied by Anchor In Bar at Sunset Harbor (previously known as Marinatown). 3448 Marinatown Lane, Unit C, North Fort Myers; (239) 599-4934; blackbeardstavern.net
The Box: This dessert and wine bar has variety of red and white wine, along with beer and non-alcoholic beverages and mixed specialties. The dessert part includes cheesecakes, cakes, pies and puddings. A grand opening is set for Dec. 2. 2502 Second St., Unit 104, Fort Myers; (239) 878-6353.
Burgers with Attitude: This fast-casual burger joint from the owners of 3 Pepper Burrito opened in downtown Fort Myers in October. 2231 First St., Fort Myers; (239) 308-0480; eatbwa.com
Cadeau Café: Haitian-born Wideline Atilard’s cute, cozy and chic café on Metro Parkway is “a gift to the community.” Opened June 5. 10650 Metro Parkway, Unit 101, Fort Myers; (239) 689-1857; cadeaucafe.com
Casa Blanca: This modern Mexican restaurant opened in August after a spectacular $1.2 million remodel. 9510 Marketplace Road, Fort Myers; (239) 362-0729; casablancamex.com
CAVA: This Mediterranean fast-casual restaurant in Daniels Marketplace, which opened in January, is easy to overlook until you've eaten there. 6881 Daniels Marketplace Parkway, Suite 100, south Fort Myers; (239) 306-6956; cava.com
Chips Sports Pub: Classic pub food and drinks meet Topgolf at this Luimary Hotel addition. 2200 Edwards Drive, Suite 100, Fort Myers; (239) 314-3862; chipsfortmyers.com
Cookie Plug: The new cookie franchise opened June 15 with fresh, fat, thick cookies. 12377 S. Cleveland Ave., Fort Myers; (239) 362-1624; cookieplug.com
Cooper’s Hawk: The popular, upscale casual restaurant known for its wine and food pairings opened near the Lee County Sports Complex in April. 13671 Olympic Court, Fort Myers; (239) 791-3636; chwinery.com
Cork Soakers Deck & Wine Bar — Hancock: Following the success of his downtown Cape Coral restaurant, Bob Mulroy opened a second location in October. 4400 Hancock Bridge Parkway, North Fort Myers; (239) 990-6775; corksoakers.net
Cuban Connection: Onil Martinez, the owner of the award-winning food truck, opened his first brick-and-mortar restaurant at FGCU in August. 11090 FGCU Blvd. N., Fort Myers — in the Cohen Student Union at Florida Gulf Coast University; follow on Facebook and Instagram
Garden Goddess: This breakfast, lunch, juice bar and deli hidden gem opened in Ada’s Natural Market in June. 7070 College Parkway, Fort Myers; (239) 939-9600; gardengoddess.life
Heidi's German Restaurant: Heidi's Island Bistro hasn't missed a beat since moving off Fort Myers Beach and into the spot previously occupied by Kenwood Lane Grill in July. 12791 Kenwood Lane, Fort Myers; (239) 728-5400; heidisgermanrestaurant.com
Hooked Island Grill: The owners opened this new location in Gulf Coast Town Center after their Matlacha one was heavily damaged by Hurricane Ian. 9924 Gulf Coast Main St., Suite 130, Fort Myers; (239) 313-7142; follow on Facebook
Closed for good: 21 Lee County restaurants that shuttered their doors in 2023
JUN Korean & Sushi: Four months after Mr. Mee's Sushi & Fine Asian Dining closed, the spot in Sam's Club Plaza was completely redone and this family-owned and operated traditional Korean restaurant debuted. 5100 S. Cleveland Ave., Unit 310, Fort Myers; (239) 791-8421; junkoreanandsushi.com
La Ola Surfside Restaurant: When Tom Houghton’s Fort Myers Beach restaurant was destroyed by Hurricane Ian, he reopened it with a creative use of shipping containers. In June, he opened a second location and brought his beachy vibe to Bell Tower. 13499 S. Cleveland Ave., Suite 137, in the Bell Tower, Fort Myers; (239) 245-8737; laolasurfside.com
Lily Paris Bakery: Cedric and Lily Di Dio arrived here from France six months ago to open this quaint bakery featuring crepes, quiche, baguettes, croque monsieur (ham and cheese), croissants, tarts, tiramisu and so much more. 12995 S Cleveland Ave., Suite 142, Fort Myers; (239) 270-9169; follow on Instagram
Logan’s Roadhouse: Southwest Florida got its first taste of this franchise when one opened in Page Field Commons in April. 5043 S. Cleveland Ave., Fort Myers; (239) 323-6232; logansroadhouse.com
McGregor’s Public House: This Irish-flavored pub in Bell Tower goes way beyond beer with its crafty and creative menu. 13499 S. Cleveland Ave., Suite 111, Fort Myers; (239) 990-3336; mcgregorspublichouse.com
Motor City Coney Island: This restaurant on U.S. 41 near Island Park Road has been serving breakfast and lunch 24/7 since opening on Oct. 30. 16571 S Tamiami Trail, south Fort Myers; (239) 994-9803; motorcityconeyisland.com
Pizza Lab: Everything is homemade at this pies, pups and panuzzo-bread-loving pizza joint in the movie theater-anchored Luxe Plaza on Winkler Avenue. 2215-B Winkler Ave., Fort Myers; (239) 337-4646; pizzalabfm.com
Rosie's Breakfast Cafe: The breakfast and lunch joint opened right next to AMC Merchants Crossing in February. 15201 N. Cleveland Ave., North Fort Myers
Rum Bucket Bar & Grill: Since opening Jan. 1, this restaurant has been serving steaks, seafood and plenty of rum at the former site of The Hut. 5150 Buckingham Road, Fort Myers; (239) 288-6975; therumbucket.com
Savour Coffee: This cozy café opened on May 31 and is gearing up for its grand opening and ribbon cutting on Nov. 29 with fresh, locally roasted coffees, pastries, sandwiches, breakfast items and more. 16520 S Tamiami Trail, unit 138, south Fort Myers; (239) 351-5547; savourcoffee.com
Shawn & Tony’s Kitchen: After closing The Gathering Pace in February, Shawn Leiva and Tony Clark opened this slimmed-down, streamlined reincarnation of it a month later. 8359 Beacon Blvd., south Fort Myers; (239) 425-2626; shawnandtonyskitchen.com
SUNQU Delights of Peru: This Peruvian family restaurant has been serving some of the most creative and colorful dishes around since opening four months ago. 529 Pondella Road, North Fort Myers; (239) 360-7906; sunquperu.com
Taco Works: The popular downtown Cape taco joint opened its second location on McGregor Boulevard in November. A third location is expected soon in downtown Fort Myers. 12731 McGregor Blvd., Fort Myers; tacoworksfl.com
In Cape Coral
Crumbl: The gourmet cookie shop with its rotating weekly menu opened in Cape Coral Commons in March. 1519 NE Pine Island Road, Suite 150; (239) 539-9269; crumblcookies.com
DaVinci’s PizzaVino: This pizza place in the Publix-anchored Coral Shores plaza at the corner of Pine Island and Burnt Store roads offers Chicago thin crust and N.Y. crust pies. 3015 SW Pine Island Road; (239) 558-4071; davincispizzavino.com
East of Chicago: Known for its light and airy pan crust, the first of three local franchises opened in the new Mink Retail Center in January. 1306 Santa Barbara Blvd., Unit 7; (239) 360-7365; eastofchicago.com
Front Porch Social: Jeremy Vincent, owner of Jungle Bird Tiki, opened this stylish craft cocktail, small plate downtown restaurant with a wonderfully light, bright and breezy porch in August. 4721 Vincennes Blvd.; (239) 347-8914; frontporchsocialcc.com
Gino’s Pizza: With its Midwest-style pies, this pizza place has brought a taste of Ohio to Cape Coral. 3108 Santa Barbara Blvd, Unit 109; (239) 673-9309; capecoralpizza.com
Grado’s Pizza: This pizza joint has been fitting into the local scene just fine with its signature N.Y.-style slices and pies since opening in August. 1242 SW Pine Island Road; (239) 900-3003; gradospizza.com
High Tide Social House: Since it opened in April, we’ve tried four different pizzas, a variety of sandwiches and several appetizers at this breezy, waterfront Tarpon Point Marina restaurant from the owners of the Lobster Lady. We’d gladly eat them all over again. 6095 Silver King Blvd.; (239) 341-4441; hightidesocialhouse.com
Holy Moly Ice Cream: Stefan and Sonja Raab are the cool German couple who introduced spaghetti ice cream to Cape Coral in late May. 3512 Del Prado Blvd. S., Unit 111; (239) 471-7613; holymolyice.com
The Lion’s Den Bar and Grill: You’ll find former I Ragazzi Pizza owner Tim Luke in the kitchen churning out his signature pizzas, calzones, wings and more. 1127 Del Prado Blvd. S; (239) 471-0821; find on Facebook
Luciano’s Too: This popular N.Y.-style pizza joint opened a second location in northeast Cape in late October. 3571 Del Prado Blvd. N., Unit 12; (239) 441-1200; follow on Facebook
Next Door: When the team from neighboring Gather in Tarpon Point Marina opened this cozy, intimate gem in February, it quickly became one of our favorites. Chef John Hill is a master of colors, flavors and textures. And save room for chef Jessica Shoemaker’s desserts. 5971 Silver King Blvd., No. 114; (239) 984-2453; nextdoorcape.com
Pizza Parma: This Coronado Parkway pizza joint with the cool tiki hut joined the thriving Cape pizza scene in March. 4643 Corondo Parkway; (239) 492-6902; pizzaparmacapecoral.com
Sage on 47th: Ralph Centalonza, one of the driving forces behind Cork Soakers, The Joint and Rumrunners, went out on his own and opened this trendy, chef-driven, culinary wonder in April. It’s been a local favorite (and ours) ever since. 1015 SE 47th Terrace; (239) 542-0200; sageon47th.com
Stones Throw: After Franco Russo relocated and reopened his Hurricane Ian-damaged Fort Myers Beach restaurants (Junkanoo Below Deck and Fresh Catch Bistro) in February, he opened this seafood and steak-focused restaurant next to his Two Meatballs in the Kitchen in May. 1339 Cape Coral Parkway E; (239) 291-3900; stonesthrowcc.com
Tito’s Cantina Tequila Bar & Grille: Fans of this Southern California Mexican restaurant and of owner Tito Ortiz (yep, the former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion and Hall of Famer) have been lining up ever since it opened in early September. 1334 Cape Coral Parkway E; (239) 205-6984; follow on Instagram
On Fort Myers Beach
Junkanoo Below Deck and Fresh Catch Bistro: The original locations of these Fort Myers Beach restaurants were destroyed by Hurricane Ian. They reopened in February a mile down the island. 4761 Estero Blvd., Fort Myers Beach; (239) 488-2400; follow Junkanoo on Facebook; freshcatchbistro.com
Liki Tiki BBQ: Seven months after Hurricane Ian destroyed its Fort Myers Beach location, the popular local and tourist-friendly restaurant opened its new home on May 1 in the former site of Skip One Seafood and the Sandy Butler on San Carlos Boulevard, a mile before the Matanzas Pass Bridge. 17650 San Carlos Blvd., Fort Myers Beach; (239) 224-4923; likitikibbq.com
Mr. Waves Island Bar: Don’t let the name fool you — this isn’t just a beach bar. From spicy shrimp boats to FMB Buffalo chicken & bacon flatbread, it’s a pleasant surprise. 1028 Fifth St., Fort Myers Beach; (239) 299-9311; mrwavesislandbar.com
On Captiva and Sanibel
Crow’s Nest Steakhouse: This over-the-top stunner opened with breathtaking sunset views on July 6. Resting atop The Shipyard at ‘Tween Waters Island Resort & Spa, it’s intimate, modern and gorgeous. 15951 Captiva Drive, Captiva, at 'Tween Waters Island Resort & Spa; (239) 472-5161 (ext. 420); crowsnest-captiva.com
Rosalita’s Cantina: In March, this Tex-Mex restaurant opened mid-island, in the space that once housed Timbers Restaurant & Fish Market, Doc Ford’s and 400 Rabbits. 975 Rabbit Road, Sanibel; (239) 955-7673; rosalitascantina.com
The Shipyard: The nautical-themed restaurant with fresh seafood, creative cocktails and clear views of the Gulf of Mexico opened next to Old Captiva House at ‘Tween Waters Island Resort & Spa on May 15. 15951 Captiva Drive, Captiva; (239) 472-5161; shipyard.com
On Pine Island, Bokeelia, Matlacha
The Eagle's Nest Restaurant: The menu at this breakfast, lunch and dinner restaurant has been combining its Cuban American heritage with a taste of the island since opening early this year. 10880 Stringfellow Road, Bokeelia; (239) 558-5577; eaglesnesteats.com
Salty Girls Island Cafe: Lisa Dence, owner of hurricane-closed Olde Fish House on Matlacha, opened this breakfast and lunch joint on May 2 on Pine Island. 10700 Stringfellow Road, Suite 20, Bokeelia; (239) 558-4912; saltygirlsislandcafefl.com
Spots Ice Cream, Crepes and Sauces: You’ll find ice cream from Yoder’s Creamery (in cups, cones, sundaes, splits, floats, shakes and malts), sweet and savory crepes and an array of homemade sauces in this sweet shop at the Island Exchange plaza. 10700 Stringfellow Road, Suite 80, Bokeelia; (239) 966-4036; spotsicecreamplus.com
Street Eatz & Ale: Reid Freeman worked at his family’s Smokin’ Oyster Brewery for most of his life. When Hurricane Ian closed the Fort Myers Beach favorite, Freeman got back in the kitchen and opened his own place on Pine Island. 5508 Avenue A, Bokeelia; (239) 312-4697; seabokeelia.com
In Bonita Springs and Estero
Bubbakoo’s Burritos: The fast-casual Mexican fusion restaurant opened two locations in Southwest Florida. 1751 NE Pine Island Road, Suite 115, Cape Coral; 10151 Estero Commons Place, Estero, (239) 221-8945; bubbakoos.com
The Cheesecake Factory: In August, Lee County got its first taste of the franchise beloved for its huge menu and oh-so-many cheesecakes when this one opened in Coconut Point. 23106 Fashion Drive, Suite 135, Estero; (239) 488-6986; thecheesecakefactory.com
Pezzo Pizza + Bar: Creative pizzas and cool cocktails have kept this Estero Plaza restaurant hopping since it opened in June. 20041 S. Tamiami Trail, Estero; (239) 908-9197; pezzopizzabar.com
Waffle Monkey: This fast-casual but fresh and upscale eatery brought its wild waffles to Entrada in May. 27975 Old 41 Road, Suite 106, Bonita Springs; (239) 325-0024; wafflemonkey.net
Wolfmoon: Owner and executive pastry chef Clara Fasciglione’s café at Entrada delights at this chic spot for baked goods and light meals. 27975 Old 41 Road, Unit 107, Estero; wolfmoon.co)
Reopened
Ariani Ristorante Italiano: The fine-dining Italian restaurant, one of the oldest in Cape Coral, was heavily damaged by Hurricane Ian. When it reopened on Jan. 31, owner Dario Zuljani could barely contain his joy. 1529 SE 15th Terrace; (239) 772-8000; ariani.com
Bleu Rendezvous: After the Periwinkle Way location was destroyed by Ian, Mari and Christian Vivet reopened their intimate, 40-seat French Bistro a half mile away in March. 751 Tarpon Bay Road, Sanibel; (239) 565-1608 for reservations; bleurendezvous.com.
The Boathouse: It took months, but the popular tiki bar & grill at the Yacht Club reopened in July with upgrades. 5819 Driftwood Parkway, Cape Coral; (239) 945-2628; theboathouseusa.com
Boops By The Bubble Room: While the restaurant remains closed, Boops reopened and brought its beloved cakes back to the island. 15001 Captiva Drive, Captiva; (239) 472-5558; follow Bubble Room on Facebook
Coconut Jack's Waterfront Grille: After being pounded by Hurricane Ian, this popular award-winning seafood-focused restaurant welcomed its firsts guests back on Feb. 3. 5370 Bonita Beach Road SW, Bonita Springs; (239) 676-7777; coconutjacks.com
CW Fudge Factory: Fudge, chocolates, ice cream and more returned to Matlacha with this quaint shop’s reopening in February. 4548 Pine Island Road, Matlacha; (239) 283-9911; follow on Facebook
Dixie Fish Co.: The historic, open-air, seafood-focused Fort Myers Beach restaurant “looks better than ever” according to co-owner Marty Harrity. It reopened in February after being hit hard by Hurricane Ian. 714 Fishermans Wharf, Fort Myers Beach; (239) 233-8837; dixiefishfmb.com
Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grill: While the Sanibel location returned in February, the more heavily Ian-damaged Fort Myers Beach restaurant reopened in late July. 708 Fishermans Wharf, Fort Myers Beach, (239) 765-9660; 2500 Island Road, Sanibel, (239) 472-8311; docfords.com
The Fish House: The Bonita Springs location reopened in August to the delight of locals and visitors alike. 4685 Bonita Beach Road, Bonita Springs; (239) 495-5770; thefishhouserestaurants.com
Green Flash: This beloved Captiva classic reopened just in time for September’s Island Hopper Songwriter Fest. 15183 Captiva Drive, Captiva; (239) 472-3337; greenflashcaptiva.com
Heavenly Biscuit on Wheels: After its building was washed away, Tyler Lukesic revived the beloved breakfast and lunch joint in the form of a food truck. 110 Mango St., Fort Myers Beach; (239) 333-7713; follow on Facebook
Mucky Duck: The popular waterfront restaurant known for its laid-back vibe and sunset views reopened in January. 11546 Andy Rosse Lane, Captiva; (239) 472-3434; muckyduck.com
Go now: Top 6 restaurants to visit from Captiva to Cape Coral before tourist season starts
Peter’s German Ice Cream & Coffee Shop: After vacating its original location in January, this sweet shop reopened in a new spot in May. 1412 Dean St., downtown Fort Myers; (239) 400-5282; peters-icecream.com
Petey’s Upper Deck: This popular waterfront bar on the second floor at Matanzas on the Bay reopened seven months after Ian. 416 Crescent St., Fort Myers Beach; (239) 463-3838; matanzasonthebay.com
RC Otter’s Island Eats: This award-winning, family-friendly eatery reopened in July after being severely damaged by Ian. 11506 Andy Rosse Lane, Captiva; (239) 395-1142; rcotterscaptiva.com
RUDE Shrimp Company: After Hurricane Ian destroyed their Fort Myers Beach restaurant, owners Lisa Lahners and TJ Holzapfel got shipping containers and have settled in at Moss Marina. 450 Harbor Court, Unit 1, Fort Myers Beach; (239) 396-0246; therudeshrimpco.com
Sunshine Seafood Cafe and Wine Bar: Closed since Hurricane Ian, this island gem is back with a new executive chef — Ryan Kida, former co-owner of Yabo. The menu has been redone with some Yabo favorites and new offerings. 11508 Andy Rosse Lane, Captiva; (239) 472-6200 for reservations; captivaislandinn.com
That BBQ Place: This quirky barbecue joint reopened in March after feeding locals for months after Hurricane Ian devastated the island. 4590 Pine Island Road, Matlacha; follow on Facebook
Timbers Restaurant & Fish Market and Sanibel Grill: Matt Asen’s sister restaurants reopened early in 2023 much to the delight of island residents. 703 Tarpon Bay Road, Sanibel; (239) 395-CRAB (Timbers) and (239) 472-4453 (Sanibel Grill); timbersofsanibel.com and thesanibelgrill.com
The Waterfront Food Trailer: While the restaurant remains closed, the food truck is set up out front, serving magical creations to eager diners since February. 2131 Oleander St., St. James City; (239) 283-0592; waterfrontrestaurantmarina.com
Robyn George is a food and dining writer for The Fort Myers News-Press. Send news to rhgeorge@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Fort Myers, Cape Coral to Sanibel: 78 restaurants open, reopen in 2023
