21-07-2025
Two old Florida restaurants in Naples, Fort Myers area make statewide best of list
Hit the road in Florida and you're bound to run into salty oyster bars, historic waterfront wonders, quirky roadside diners and a fabulous fish camp or two.
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;
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;
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;
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;
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;
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;
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;
Okeechobee Steakhouse: Beloved family-owned restaurant was founded in 1947 in Palm Beach County. 2854 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach; 561-683-5151;
Old Fish House: Historical bar & grill on Indian River Lagoon between Melbourne and Sebastian. 5185 S. U.S. 1, Grant-Valkaria; 321-727-7007;
The Point Restaurant: Get true taste of the Panhandle in this 1955 mainstay. 14340 Innerarity Point Road, Perdido Key; 850-492-3577;
Reececliff Family Diner: It's been serving classic comfort food in Lakeland since 1934. 940 S. Florida Ave., Lakeland; 863-686-6661;
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;
Skipper's Smokehouse: Travel Channel's Adam Richman came by this Tampa icon in the early 2010s. 910 Skipper Road, Tampa; 813-971-0666;
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,
Waldo's: Restaurant & bar inside of the historic Driftwood Inn. 3150 Ocean Drive, Vero Beach; 772-231-7091;
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This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Snook Inn, Cabbage Key Bar make statewide best of old Florida list
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