We mused over how many different restaurants we had dined at there in the intimate space now occupied by Bleu Rendez Vous. We lost count. As we dug into our starter courses of escargot and veal sweetbreads, however, we breathed a sigh of relief, fully confident that we would not have to suffer the blues if Bleu, too, up and...

This location has seen its share of flux, but I believe Blue Coyote will endure, having previously established itself as a bastion of fine dining at a private club in Fort Myers. Sanibel foodies welcome it with open minds and mouths – a tasty departure from the same-old with temptresses such as divine seared scallops with pancetta and bourbon maple...

Continental Cuisine with Florida Flair The setting here at ‘Tween Waters Inn makes you feel at once privileged and relaxed with tablecloths and candlelight. Dinners strike a melodious chord with nicely balanced classics tweaked for the subtropics. Start with a crab stuffed shrimp or spicy ahi tuna with ginger vinegar. Soups and salads include blue crab bisque and watermelon goat cheese...

MediterraneanIl Cielo opened January 2012, then closed in April to reopen newly managed and staffed on Dec. 13, 2012. Gone is celebrity chef Loretto Paganini, her entourage, and high-brow menu. In: An enlarged bar space and menu to go with it, a simplified dinner menu, and Executive Chef Neil Griffin. The remastered bar — now named Cloud Nine Grille —...

Continental cuisine Islanders and visitors alike first get to know its bar, which is famous for its live music and dancing. It also serves munchies fare on the porch and in the bar. In the restaurant, the dinner menu is divided between pasta (shrimp Alfredo, linguine DiMare, and clams florentine), seafood specialties (great crab cakes, grilled grouper, and snapper en...

For fine dining, many point to this tiny restaurant as their island favorite. It’s not my favorite; I do appreciate the creativity and quality that goes into the ever-evolving menu, though I find it a overpriced for the most part. Sunset views contribute the best there is to be said for ambiance. So if you miss it, the setting is...

Creative Continental cuisine Some of the island’s finest cuisine, it is priced to match. There may be a little sticker shock, but you usually get what you pay for here in terms of quality gourmet cuisine. Come watch sunset and then settle into the close, intimate space or outdoor porch for something special. Here you pay for the food, not...

You MUST try the grilled Caesar salad, mounded with parmesan and drizzled with truffle oil. Then proceed with any number of small plates or entrée combinations. The menu changes every few months, but you’ll always find Chef Melissa’s amazing signature fish stew, finished with a creamy Cajun sauce. Most of the small plates make a sufficient meal. Winners all: conch...

Global Cuisine It recreates a historic structure dating back to Sanibel’s earliest tourism era with a Victorian beauty that faces the beach and gulf. Ask for one of the gulf-front tables when you call for reservations. The menu describes wonderful temptations, but the kitchen has experienced some inconsistencies in years past. Here’s a sampling off the latest menu: seared ostrich...

For food with flair, this is the locals’ choice. A café within an warehouse-size gift store, it nonetheless creates an inviting atmosphere. Outstanding items include the berry iced tea, artisan sourdough bread, white gazpacho, gumbo (easily a meal), soup and sandwich du jour at lunch, ahi tuna salad, baby back ribs, horseradish salmon, macadamia grouper, and whatever’s on the specials...

The setting may be as vintage as the circa-1895 Island Inn and timeless as its gulf beach view, but the cuisine here is as contemporary as sushi, baked spinach-and-bacon oysters with saffron cream, fettuccine with sausage Bolognese and forest mushrooms, and crisp duck with corn pepper-cherry brandy sauce. Full liquor Reservations accepted Mediterranean