Located just north of Sanibel Island and west of Fort Myers, Captiva Island is bounded by Pine Island Sound to the east and the Gulf of Mexico to the west.
The history of Captiva Island is riddled with a sense of adventure and history, with tales of pirates, conquistadors, and natives still very alive on this small island. You can find your own treasures while here both in the form of incredibly beautiful seashells as well as breathtaking sunrises and sunsets.
While you’re spending some time in paradise, you’ll inevitably need to refuel from time to time. For that reason, we’ve put together this Captiva Island map of restaurants for you. To learn more information about each of the restaurants, simply click on the red pins on the map.
Cabbage Key Inn and Restaurant
If you’re looking for a truly unique place to eat on Captiva Island, you can visit this restaurant and inn that is only accessible by boat. With a fantastic atmosphere and a unique property, you can enjoy a meal surrounded by the beautiful scenery of this Gulf Coast island.
Surrounding the restaurant there are one hundred acres of tropical vegetation. You can choose to stay at either the inn or rental cottages available in order to explore what this island has to offer.
The Captiva restaurant is open-air, allowing you to have a panoramic view of Pine Island Sound. Situated on top of a thirty-eight-foot Indian shell mound, this is a place where you can get a taste of old Florida.
On this island, there aren’t any cars and there aren’t even any paved roads. Instead, you’ll find the perfect spot to relax with romantic views and winding nature trails.
The restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner every single day of the year. When you dine here, you can join in on an age-old tradition of taping a one-dollar bill to the restaurant’s surfaces. Thousands of visitors have done the same since the restaurant first opened more than sixty years ago.
You’ll be transported to another world when you dine here. With Cypress walls, active fireplaces, and original hardwood floors, visiting this island, inn, and restaurant is truly a treat.
Mainstay and Barnacles Bar
Looking for a no-frills spot to enjoy Gulf seafood and American fare? Stop in at Mainstays and Barnacles Bar on North Captiva Island for a true island experience. You can even arrive in style on the water with the plentiful boat docking available.
You can grab lunch and dinner every day here. The menu is classic island-style cuisine, including things like crab cakes, black beans and yellow rice, burgers, and a lot more.
This is a busy little island hangout that is loved by local boats and island visitors alike.
If you’re looking for a bite to refuel for your day on the island, consider trying the grouper tacos and the conch fritters. Upstairs you’ll find Barnacle’s Bar that serves tropical drinks, a full selection of liquors, wine, and beer.
You can either choose to dine in the air conditioning inside or under the shade of an exotic Chickee hut. In the evening, you’ll want to make a reservation ahead of time.
Over the Waterfront
This is a wonderfully intimate and unassuming seafood restaurant that’s located on a dock. The vibe here is casual and it’s the perfect spot to experience panoramic water views.
One of the few truly over the water restaurants in Florida, dining here is a real treat. If you choose to dine on the outside sun deck, you can enjoy your meal while being surrounded by the harbor’s sparkling waters. You might even get lucky and have a dolphin swim by while you dine!
For dinner service, you will want to make a reservation. It’s also a good idea to call ahead for lunch which is available most days. For a few hours between lunch and dinner service, this restaurant closes.
Mango’s Cafe & Grill
Mango’s Cafe and Grill offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner on Bartlett Parkway. With delicious food and drinks as well as friendly staff, this is a nice spot to grab some lunch amidst the rest of your day’s island activities.
Harborside Bar and Grill
Serving seafood, steak, and cocktails, this is a polished yet casual waterside restaurant and bar on Captiva Island. Dining here is only open to guests and members of the South Sea Resort hotel, and reservations are encouraged. The focus of the menu here is on the freshest local seafood, while the main draw of the location is the breathtaking views.
Doc Ford’s Rum Bar and Grille
This Captiva restaurant is located on the property of the South Seas Island Resort. However, it’s open to the public so anyone can enjoy it. An island staple, this spot offers a breezy outdoor patio and a spacious inside dining area.
You can get a taste of the history of the island through the photographs hanging on the wall. The menu is filled with Caribbean fare that is perfect for the island atmosphere.
The vibe here is casual, upbeat, and fun. If you’re on Captiva for a low-key tropical island vacation, this place should definitely be on your itinerary. The selection of run here is also excellent, which is the best way to get into an island mood if you’re having a hard time disconnecting from the “real world.”
One of the favorite dishes on the menu here is the Yucatan shrimp. With the perfect fusion of Caribbean and key lime flavors, you can’t go wrong with this choice. Some other popular choices include the paella and lobster rolls.
The Mucky Duck Restaurant
This establishment is one of the best restaurants on Captiva Island. Both locals and visitors love this longtime standard. Situated near the beach in between Wightman and Andy Rosse Lanes, this is a popular location to watch one of Florida’s Gulf Coast’s gorgeous sunsets.
Inside the Mucky Duck, you’ll find island memorabilia and old photos to inspire and intrigue you. This is the perfect spot for the whole family with a cozy, warm vibe.
The Mucky Duck on Captiva Island is an awesome spot to enjoy a delicious seafood entree after a full day at the beach. Consider trying the scallops, the barbeque bacon-wrapped shrimp, or the surf and turf.
The Bubble Room
Visitors come from all over Southwest Florida and beyond just to go to the Bubble Room. People aren’t just drawn here for the food, which is incredible, but also for the awesome environment. The walls are covered with antiques and kitschy knickknacks to create a fun, bright, one of a kind experience.
Whether you’re just starting off your vacation or trying to end it on a high note, you’re going to want to go to the Bubble Room at least once. This is a wonderful family spot, as kids always love the decor here. Some of the items decorating the space are nearly a century old, and all three floors have moving trains.
While you’re here, you pretty much can’t go wrong ordering any of the desserts off their menu. Also known for its Bubble Bread, the Bubble Room is a Captiva Island restaurant that is definitely worth a visit.
Cantina Captiva
This spot has a funky and fun vibe that is reminiscent of Key West. You can grab amazing Mexican and Southwestern eats here. They make their guacamole in-house every day which is served with warm tortilla chips and pico de gallo.
Even if you don’t like Mexican food, you’ll be able to find something you love on the menu. The ambiance here is truly amazing and you’ll find the service is great, too.
This place is famous for its guacamole, but some other options worth trying are the burritos and the diablo shrimp.
Sunshine Seafood Cafe
Another one of the best restaurants in Captiva Island, the Sunshine Seafood Cafe is a bit of a well-kept secret. If you’re looking for excellent wine and a fine dining experience, consider adding this to your trip itinerary.
Here you’ll have the choice of sitting inside where the decor is modern and sleek or outside in the glorious Gulf Coast breeze. Known for its seafood fare and delicious light options, this is the perfect choice if you’re looking for an upscale experience right in the heart of Captiva Village.
It’s hard to go wrong here when it comes to ordering, but some favorites include the jumbo lump crab cakes and the wood-grilled jumbo shrimp with an orange blossom honey sauce.
Keylime Bistro
This is one of the best-known restaurants on Captiva Island. Situated right in the heart of Captiva Village, this Captiva Island restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
If you love seafood, Keylime Bistro is the perfect place to dine. The menu options here are delicious, and they also offer a number of non-seafood choices if you aren’t particularly into that type of thing.
Indoors, they have easy-going, tropical decor. Or, instead, you can choose to enjoy the gorgeous sunshine of Florida and sit outside.
Every day there is live music and you’ll also find a full-service bar here.
If you’re eating at Keylime Bistro on Captiva Island for breakfast, consider trying the crab cake benedict. This is a lovely twist on a classic breakfast meal.
The grouper sandwich is an excellent choice for a lunch entree as well as the key lime pasta. Of course, for dessert, you’re going to want the key lime pie!
Captiva Island Pizza
Are you looking for pizza on Captiva Island? If you’ve had your fill of seafood and island eats, consider cleansing your palate by dining at this classic pizza place. Open seven days a week, this restaurant is a great stop if you’re looking for some take-out. In addition to standard pizza shop fare, you can also get salads, wine, and beer here.
The Green Flash Restaurant
Some would argue that the Green Flash is the best restaurant on Captiva Island. Built on top of a popular 1950’s local watering hole known as Timmy’s Nook, the new owners of the place wanted to preserve the vibe and spirit of the space.
While you’re here, you can gaze at views of the Pine Island Sound, Buck Key, and the Intracoastal Waterway. You can even come by boat if you want to since it’s southwest of marker 38. Out back, you’ll find a dock so you can easily travel here by water.
This is still known as a favorite local gathering whole here on Captiva Island. Is there anything better than pulling your boat up to the dock after a day of exploring the incredible waters around Captiva Island to then enjoy an exquisite meal? We certainly don’t think so.
Some of the favorites on the menu here include the shrimp bisque, the surf and turf, the steamed seafood pot, and the shrimp tacos.
Crow’s Nest Bar & Grille
Located at the ‘Tween Waters Inn, this enduring eatery serves steaks and seafood, offers live music, and even puts on crab races. While you’re here, consider trying the shrimp tacos. This spot is top-rated on TripAdvisor for Captiva Island Restaurants, and once you get a taste of the casual, fun atmosphere, you’ll see why.
Old Captiva House Restaurant
Steeped in island history, this restaurant is open, bright, and reminiscent of the antebellum south. You’ll find the whole family is captivated by this charming restaurant which was originally built as a one-room school and later used as a fishing camp.
It was all the way back in 1931 that this building was first used as a restaurant to serve the guests of the Tween Waters Island Resort & Spa. Most of the art and architecture have been preserved, so a visit to this restaurant legitimately feels like a trip back in time.
The dreamy atmosphere isn’t the only reason to visit this restaurant, though. The food and service are also spectacular.
Some of the most popular dishes here are the Chilean sea bass, the shrimp cocktail appetizer, the scallops stuffed with lobster, and the seafood lasagna.
The Mad Hatter Restaurant
This upscale restaurant is open for dinner seven days a week. Located right on the waterfront, you can enjoy a superb meal in a beach cottage setting complete with white-tablecloths. The Mad Hatter Restaurant on Captiva Island has all of the necessary ingredients for an unforgettable experience, including divine food, spectacular views, and on-point service.
You’ll find the dining room is romantic and cozy, decorated with whimsical decor that is reminiscent of Alice and Wonderland. The dishes here are always prepared from scratch and fresh, and you’ll find the menu options are eclectic and ever-evolving.
Sunset Grill
Located near the beach in a refined cottage, Sunset Grill on Captiva serves three upscale, seafood-focused meals daily. This is a great place to dine any time of day, but sitting on the porch for breakfast is particularly relaxing. Whether you try the crab cakes, the grouper, the key lime pie, or all of the above, this is one of the best restaurants on Captiva Island.
1 thought on “Captiva Island Restaurant Map”