5 Captiva Island Restaurants That Should Top Your List

If you’re heading to Sanibel and Captiva islands in southwest Florida, here are our favorite Captiva Island restaurants to add to your itinerary.

The idyllic barrier islands of Sanibel and Captiva have so much to offer in a laid-back Florida beach vacation.

With just one way on and off the island, it feels somewhat remote, which is exactly why you’d come.

And if Sanibel feels remote, Captiva is even more so.

When it comes to dining out, there is a great selection of restaurants on Sanibel and Captiva Islands but the vast majority of them are on Sanibel (we cover these in a separate post below).

There are fewer restaurants on Captiva Island — mostly located near the quaint village center — but certainly enough to satisfy any week-long holiday.

From upscale and elegant to quirky and fun, the 6 Captiva Island restaurants we’ve listed here offer something for everyone.

We hope you enjoy!

Looking for places to eat on Sanibel? Here are the best restaurants on Sanibel Island!

Dining on Sanibel and Captiva Island

The conjoined coastal barrier islands of Sanibel and Captiva sit off the mainland of Fort Myers in southwest Florida, and are one of the region’s most popular vacation destinations.

They used to be one island until 1921 when they were separated by a hurricane which channeled enough water through the northern part of the island creating an inlet that is known today as Blind Pass.

Essentially, the island is still one and the small, two-lane bridge that connects the two is walkable in about a minute.

Even still, there are some unique differences.

By comparison, Sanibel is more lively and touristed, while Captiva on the northernmost end of the island is largely privately owned and more exclusive.

Time moves pretty slow at either end of the island, and visitors enjoy the simple things of a relaxed beach vacation.

But if you’re expecting Michelin star dining experiences, this isn’t your place.

That’s not to say you won’t find innovation and culinary mastery here. Restaurants on Sanibel and Captiva islands lean less toward pretense and more toward fresh cuisine in a casual gathering atmosphere.

About These Captiva Island Restaurants

Restaurants on Captiva Island are fairly casual, even the finer establishments.

If you take a boat to North Captiva, Pine Island, Cabbage Key, or some of the other Florida Gulf Coast islands nearby, the restaurants there are even more chill and sometimes salty, but have excellent food, including local fish likely caught just hours before.

If this is your first trip to Sanibel and Captiva islands, you may be surprised at the unique island vibe here — a bit Martha’s Vineyard meets Old Florida with a twist of casual Caribbean.

So relax, get on island time, and enjoy the best restaurants Captiva Island has to offer.

Top 5 Restaurants on Captiva Island

Old Captiva House

15951 Captiva Drive, Captiva

The Old Captiva House is a charming little Gulf-view restaurant and the inside is just as alluring as the outside.

With its pristine white chairs, pressed tablecloths, and stand-out turquoise napkins, the restaurant looks and feels like Captiva.

While the atmosphere is certainly top notch, it’s the food that makes the Old Captiva House one of the best restaurants in Captiva.

And since it’s open for both breakfast and dinner, you can visit up to twice in one day. (Yes, that’s just how good it is!)

Breakfast at the Old Captiva House comes with all of your fancy favorites, including banana bread French toast, lobster eggs benedict, and a shrimp sausage omelet.

And if you think breakfast sounds delicious, dinner is just as fabulous. Savor tasty plates like cioppino, baked lobster risotto, and lobster and crab crusted scallops.

You can even pair your evening meal with a lovely drink, like a pineapple upside down martini, a key lime pie martini, a Captiva mudslide, or a beach Bellini.

Sunshine Seafood Cafe and Wine Bar

11508 Andy Rosse Lane, Captiva

When you have a craving for great fresh seafood, one of the best restaurants in Captiva Island is the Sunshine Seafood Cafe and Wine Bar.

Rated as “Best Kept Secret” by Gulfshore Life magazine, we agree it’s one of the Captiva Island restaurants that deserves a place on your list.

The restaurant offers fine dining in a casual atmosphere with your choice of indoor or outdoor seating.

Try a delicious appetizer — the Blind Pass Shrimp and Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes are favorites — and there’s a very good wine list to get you started.

For dinner, there is a wonderful assortment of seafood dishes and The World Famous Sunshine Paella and the Florida Red Snapper Picatta are both excellent choices.

For those wanting something land-based, the Wood Grilled Filet Mignon and the Wood Grilled Rack of Lamb are among the delicious meat dishes.

Finish your experience with Chocolate Fantasia or Miss M’s Carrot Cake.

Key Lime Bistro

Captiva Island Inn, 11509 Andy Rosse Lane, Captiva

To round out this list of the top restaurants on Captiva Island, there’s Key Lime Bistro.

Situated in the Captiva Island Inn, they may be known for their decadent and beautiful Key Lime pie — despite the fact that it’s open for all three meals a day — but it goes deeper than that.

For breakfast, enjoy a classic croissandwich or a full stack of pancakes.

For lunch, there’s quite an array of sandwiches for you to choose from including the grouper sandwich, the crab cake sandwich, or the BLT.

Last but not least, there are the delicious dinner plates.

Opt for the grilled mahi mahi, the blackened snapper, or the grouper piccata — it’s fantastic!

And save room — order yourself a big slice of key lime pie or two before you leave, regardless of the time of day — really, how can you not!

The Green Flash

15183 Captiva Drive, Captiva

Of the few restaurants on the island, The Green Flash has established itself among the best restaurants Captiva Island has to offer.

With its prime location, well-crafted cocktails, and delicious food, it’s no surprise that The Green Flash made the list.

Let’s break it down. First is their prime location.

Located right on the water overlooking Roosevelt Channel, the Intracoastal Waterway, Pine Island Sound, and the natural beauty of Buck Key, The Green Flash is hard to beat for a great view.

You’ll enjoy them from every seat in the house, and if you want to get as close to the water as possible, reserve a table outside on the dock.

As you gaze out at the beautiful water, the lovely treats coming from the kitchen couldn’t be fresher.

Opt for the oysters Rockefeller, the stuffed shrimp, or the grilled Florida lobster tail.

While you wait, order one of their fun cocktails, like the golden margarita, the green flash colada, or the electric parrot.

Impossibly fruity but if not here, where? And if not now, when?

As the sun goes down, cross your fingers and don’t blink — because you just might get lucky and see the “green flash”!

Bubble Room

15001 Captiva Drive, Captiva

This fun and colorful restaurant has been a Captiva favorite for decades, and while it makes the “flair” of TGIFridays pale by comparison, “it’s always Christmas at the Bubble Room” as they say, and who can argue with that?

Started in 1979 in what was once a local residence, the Bubble Room stands out with three floors fully decorated with “Bubble lights”, moving small gauge trains, and over 3,000 antiques on display.

Even the wait staff is decked out in “Bubble Scout” attire.

Thankfully there’s a full service bar creating unique mouthwatering cocktails, so it’s easy to relax and get into the restaurant’s funky atmosphere.

Even the menu is fun. For dinner choose a seafood entree like the popular Smoke Gets in Your Eyes which features the fresh catch of the day or Grouper Cooper.

For carnivores, there are two favorites — the Prime Rib Weissmuller and Charlie Chaplin Chops.

All entrees include their Homemade Bubble Bread and Sticky Bun.

But don’t let that stop you from ordering dessert. Give your sweet tooth a thrill with their White Christmas Cake or Jamaican Rum Cake.

We hope this list whets your appetite and you give these restaurants a try. They’re the best you’ll find on Captiva Island, Florida!