Two old Florida restaurants in Naples, Fort Myers area make statewide best of list
Welcome to the Sunshine State, where tastes of old Florida can be found here, there, and everywhere.
The USA TODAY Network Florida Dining & Entertainment team recently compiled a list of charmingly historic, road-trip worthy restaurants you'll want to jump in your car, boat or golf cart to find.
Of the 16 old Florida finds from Perdido Key to Mayport to West Palm, these two were in our little nook of Southwest Florida:
The Snook Inn, Marco Island
There are waterfront restaurants in Florida, and then there are those that are hurricane-tested. Make that hurricanes.
The Snook Inn endured Hurricanes Wilma (2005), Irma (2017) and Ian (2022), not to mention others that have passed nearby. Yet this cool spot that's more than 30 years old still stands.
And customers continue to be lured to the island south of Naples by enchanting Gulf breezes and stunning sunsets. They can sip a special drink like the Snook Inn Loaded Bloody Mary and order up a variety of seafood choices, from oysters and grouper to fried calamari to clams, red snapper, shrimp and much more. Find it at 1215 Bald Eagle Drive, Marco Island; 239-394-3313; snookinn.com
Cabbage Key Bar and Restaurant, off of Pine Island
This boat-access-only gem of an island restaurant and bar is awash in Old Florida history and charm. Dating back to 1944, food and drinks were served in what was then an exclusive island resort in Pine Island Sound. Fast forward to the 1970s and the original home of the island's owners was converted into an open-air restaurant, while their library became the bar. Today, the latter is known as the Dollar Bill Bar with more than 65,000 customer-signed bills blanketing the walls and ceilings. Famous visitors range from Ernest Hemingway to Julia Roberts.
Besides fresh seafood, this island paradise serves a char-grilled cheeseburger that Jimmy Buffett, who was a frequent guest, may or may not have sung about. And before you get back on the boat, finish your visit to this slice of old Florida with a homemade slice of frozen(!!!) Key lime pie. Accessible only by boat, Cabbage Key is located at Channel Marker 60 in Pine Island Sound, 4.5 miles west of Pineland; 239-283-2278; cabbagekey.com
Still hungry for more?
Hit the road for these old Florida finds.
Captain Dave's on the Gulf: This waterfront restaurant has been serving fresh seafood Gulfside in the Panhandle since 1968. 3796 Scenic U.S. 98, Destin; 850-837-2627; captdavesonthegulf.com
Gator Joe's Beach Bar & Grill: Family-friendly waterfront restaurant southeast of Ocala on Lake Weir opened in 1926. 12431 SE 135th Ave., Ocklawaha; 352-288-3100; gatorjoesocala.com
J.R.'s Old Packinghouse Cafe: Six miles east of downtown Sarasota, comfort food has been served from here since 1999. 987 S. Packinghouse Road, Sarasota; 941-371-9358; packinghousecafe.com
Linger Lodge: Taxidermy covers the walls at this joint established in 1945 along the Braden River in east Bradenton. 7205 85th St. Court E., Bradenton; 941-755-2757; lingerlodge.com/restaurant-home
Marsh Landing: Find old Florida cuisine in this former home to Florida Crystal Sugar Co. about 20 miles northwest of Vero Beach. 44 N. Broadway St., Fellsmere; 772-571-8622; marshlandingrestaurant.com
Okeechobee Steakhouse: Beloved family-owned restaurant was founded in 1947 in Palm Beach County. 2854 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach; 561-683-5151; okeesteakhouse.com
Old Fish House: Historical bar & grill on Indian River Lagoon between Melbourne and Sebastian. 5185 S. U.S. 1, Grant-Valkaria; 321-727-7007; oldfishhousebarandgrill.com
The Point Restaurant: Get true taste of the Panhandle in this 1955 mainstay. 14340 Innerarity Point Road, Perdido Key; 850-492-3577; thepointperdido.com
Reececliff Family Diner: It's been serving classic comfort food in Lakeland since 1934. 940 S. Florida Ave., Lakeland; 863-686-6661; reececliff.com
Shell Oyster Bar: Longtime dive-style oyster shack and restaurant is celebrating 80 years in the shadow of the Capitol. 14 FAMU Way, Tallahassee; 850-224-9919; Facebook
Singleton's Seafood Shack: In 2010, Food Network's Guy Fieri visited this shrimp-focused joint near Jacksonville. 4728 Ocean St., Mayport; 904-246-4442; singletonsseafood.com
Skipper's Smokehouse: Travel Channel's Adam Richman came by this Tampa icon in the early 2010s. 910 Skipper Road, Tampa; 813-971-0666; skipperssmokehouse.com
Swamp House Riverfront Grill: The name says it all. Everglades meets riverfront aesthetic at this Central Florida classic north of Orlando and west of Daytona Beach. 488 W. High Banks Road, DeBary; 386-668-8891, swamphousegrill.com
Waldo's: Restaurant & bar inside of the historic Driftwood Inn. 3150 Ocean Drive, Vero Beach; 772-231-7091; historicwaldos.com
, , , , , , , , , , and contributed to this report.
This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Snook Inn, Cabbage Key Bar make statewide best of old Florida list
Solve the daily Crossword
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
11 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Tripadvisor to Host Second Quarter 2025 Financial Results Conference Call on August 7, 2025
NEEDHAM, Mass., July 24, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Tripadvisor, Inc. (NASDAQ: TRIP) announced today that at 4:05 p.m. ET on Thursday, August 7, 2025, the company will post its second quarter 2025 financial results on its investor relations website at The same day, at 4:30 p.m. ET, the company will host a conference call to answer questions regarding its financial results. The event will be webcast live and can be accessed at A replay will be available on the website for three months. About Tripadvisor, Inc. The Tripadvisor Group connects people to experiences worth sharing, and aims to be the world's most trusted source for travel and experiences. We leverage our brands, technology, and capabilities to connect our global audience with partners through rich content, travel guidance, and two-sided marketplaces for experiences, accommodations, restaurants, and other travel categories. The subsidiaries of Tripadvisor, Inc. (Nasdaq: TRIP), include a portfolio of travel brands and businesses, including Tripadvisor, Viator, and TheFork. TRIP-G View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Tripadvisor Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Skift
13 minutes ago
- Skift
United Airlines and Ryanair in an Age of Uncertainty
In this week's show, Gordon Smith and Jay Shabat criss-cross the Atlantic to review the latest earnings from United Airlines and low-cost giant Ryanair. Gordon and Jay discuss the latest earnings reports from United Airlines and Ryanair, exploring their financial performance, market comparisons, and the broader economic outlook. They delve into United's strategic partnerships, the United Next strategy, and the implications of tariffs on the airline industry. The conversation then turns to Ryanair's operations and aircraft orders. The conversation highlights the current state of the airline industry amidst economic uncertainties and evolving trade relations. Listen to This Podcast Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | RSS Takeaways United Airlines reported an 11.6% operating margin for Q2 2025. Despite disruptions, United's demand for premium services remains strong. United's growth strategy includes up gauging to larger aircraft. Economic uncertainties persist, but the outlook remains optimistic. Ryanair achieved a 21% operating margin, benefiting from strong travel demand. Ryanair's capacity is constrained due to aircraft delivery delays. The US economy shows signs of resilience despite tariff concerns. Low oil prices are beneficial for consumer spending and airline profitability. The future of US-EU trade relations remains uncertain, with potential implications for the aviation sector.
Forbes
13 minutes ago
- Forbes
American Airlines Expects Domestic Gains, But Hedges On Future Outlook
An American Airlines Airbus A321-231 aircraft sits at the gate in Las Vegas in January. (Photo by ... More Artur Widak) American Airlines provided negative current quarter guidance and unusually wide full-year guidance as it reported second quarter results. Its pre-tax margin was again below competitors'. Interviewed on CNBC Squawk Box, American CEO Robert Isom said that in the current quarter, 'We see domestic travelers coming back into this.' He said July was a difficult month, partially due to weather, but 'We see high demand trends moving into our future.' American said it expects to report a current quarter loss per share between 10 cents and 60 cents. For the full year, American expects full-year adjusted earnings between a loss of 20 cents per share and a gain of 80 cents per share, with a mid-point of 30 cents. The carrier 'believes the top end of the range is achievable if demand in the domestic market continues to strengthen and only expects to be at the bottom end of the range if there were to be macro weaknesses that are not seen today,' according to its earnings release statement. In January, American had estimated full-year EPS between $1.70 and $2.70. For the second quarter, the carrier reported revenue of $14.4 billion, up 0.4% over the same quarter a year earlier. Excluding items, net income was $628 million or 91 cents per share. In the same quarter a year earlier, net income was $717 million or $1.01 per share. In pre-market trading an hour before the opening,, American shares were down about 7% to $11.77 a share. American said its pre-tax margin was 5.8%. Delta reported a pre-tax margin of 11.6%, while United reported 11%. Regarding international, the carrier cited 'continued strength in premium cabin demand in the second quarter, particularly to long-haul international destinations. All international entities delivered positive unit revenue growth year over year, with Atlantic passenger unit revenue up 5%. These results contributed to American's industry-leading passenger unit revenue year-over-year improvement for the fourth consecutive quarter.' While international PRASM rose 5%, Domestic PRASM declined 6.4%.
