Sunshine Seafood Café Reopens On Captiva Island

Another Southwest Florida restaurant is rising from the ruin of Hurricane Ian. Now visitors to the Fort Myers area have more island dining options. Sunshine Seafood Café and Wine Bar reopens on Captiva Island with an updated look and menu. In addition, the restaurant has a new chef and he is creating quite a buzz. Chef Ryan Kida was the well-known chef and owner of the former Yabo in Fort Myers. He also ran the kitchen at MudBugs on Sanibel.

Sunshine Seafood owner Sandy Stilwell says, "Chef Ryan has revamped the menu and It has some favorites that Yabo was known for plus an array of new and exciting offerings." Stillwell also owns several neighboring restaurants on Andy Rossi Lane. She reopened R.C. Otters in July. However, Keylime Bistro remains closed for repairs and remodeling from Hurricane Ian.

Sunshine Seafood is a quant café in the heart of Captiva Village Square. It has been remodeled but is still island chic inside. The walls are full of local art that is also for sale. Hours right now are Tuesday through Saturday 5-9 pm. During season the restaurant will be open seven days a week.

Yelp is out with another list and this one features solely on Florida. The Yelp Top 100 Places To Eat In Florida, which is based on the community’s ratings and reviews. 3 of the top 100 Florida restaurants are right Here in Southwest Florida - Fort Myers, Fort Myers Beach, and in Naples. The rest of the list will need to be a foodie destination trip.

Yelp identified businesses in the restaurants category, then ranked those spots using a number of factors, including the total volume of ratings of reviews. Topping this list is place in South Miami that's only been open for 2 years.

Pla-Tu Sushi, Thai, Tapas. This restaurant in South Miami features Southeast Asian cuisine and is number 1 on the list. According to Yelp "Expect an eclectic selection of Thai tapas and sushi—including crispy fried pork belly “snacks,” Miami White sushi rolls (with spicy wahoo and avocado), and Khao Soi Chicken (an entree-size coconut curry “soup” topped with crunchy deep-fried noodles)".

Number 2 on the list is a little closer to Southwest Florida. Just to our north is the Tikka Indian Cuisine in Venice. What does Venice, Florida know about Indian food? A lot it appears. Not sure what to order? "Chicken tikka masala is the most ordered dish, a “slow-cooked tomato-based curry with fenugreek, garam masala, lots of garlic, and homemade ghee,”  The flavors of Goa are represented with a Goan curry “on the sweeter end, silky, [with] a very faint citrus flavor, and coconut.”

Uncle Rico’s Pizza in Fort Myers is very well know to SWFL locals. This is everything you'd ever want in a "hole in the wall" strip mall pizza joint. It's a Mom and Pop joint where the full focus is on making great pizza. I've never heard anyone, ever, have anything negative to say about Uncle Rico's pizza. Not only is it an amazing pizza place, Yelp has it as the best place to eat in Southwest Florida and they come in at number 57 in the state of Florida.

Organically Twisted in Naples is next on the list and comes in at number 84 for the entire state of Florida. They call themselves "Casual strip-mall joint serving health-conscious wraps & bowls with mindfully sourced ingredients." If you're looking for Vegan here in SWFL this HAS to be on your try list. Can't make it to their location down on Livingston Road in Naples? Watch the schedule for their food truck.

The  Dixie Fish Co comes in at number 100 on the 'Best of Florida' list. Not bad for a place that was nearly destroyed just over a year ago by Hurricane Ian. Dixie Fish Co. is back on Fort Myers Beach, and probably even better than ever. When told about making the list, they responded “Dixie has a rich history that we’re proud to uphold and carry forward with great food, service and atmosphere,” said Joe Harrity, a partner with HM Restaurant Group, which owns and operates Dixie Fish Company. “This award is a tribute to our amazing staff, who put forward an immense amount of pride and professionalism into each one of our customer’s experiences.”