Marco Island Dining Review The Best of Marco Island's Restaurants, Cafes, & Eateries

One of my favorite pastimes is eating. I enjoy cooking and I enjoy good food. My dining experience around the Island of Marco this year was exciting and palate pleasing. The major specialty of Southwestern Florida seemed to run towards grouper - any way it can be fixed - stuffed, blackened, parmigiana, reuben, beer battered, broiled, fried, as a sandwich or in a taco. Coconut shrimp, stone crabs, snapper, and conch chowder are also common menu items. Key lime pie, pecan pie, cheesecake and the newest version of pie, mango, or keylime and mango, top the desert list.

These were some of my favorites this year:

~Cathy O'Clarks Irish Pub - The best corned beef and cabbage on the Island. The baked stuffed grouper and many Irish specialties including stew and soda bread appeared on the menu.

~Almost Famous Mel's - Sample the dry Memphis rub rack of ribs (get the whole rack, they are excellent when cold), served with your choice of homemade baked beans, garlic mashed or baked sweet potato, or salad bar. The Hogg's Platter, with brisket and pulled pork, was well worth the price. We took half of it home and made pulled pork sandwiches for lunch the next day. Also try their Banana Pudding.

~Captain Brien's Seafood & Raw Bar - Fried scallops, mojito's, and a roast beef dinner, that's cooked medium and perfect..

~The Snook Inn - A super salad bar and the grouper duo is a must try! The gulf shrimp were naturally sweet and they had grouper any way you can imagine. The key lime pie is homemade there and is available for sale so you can take one home!

~Guy Harvey's Island Grill - A must have: the loaded baked potato soup! This was, by far, the most flavorful version I have ever tasted! We also shared a Philly Cheese Steak with the soup, certainly enough for two. I will definitely be exploring this restaurant more on my next visit!

~Coldstone - Ice Cream, Ice Cream and more Ice Cream - and don't forget the wonderful Sorbet! My favorite, a rich coffee ice cream with crushed heath bar mixed in, top this with hot fudge and away you go...

~La Grotta's - This is a Marco Island secret that you MUST explore! This intimate restaurant has some of the finest Italian food on the island. The veal Picatta & whole wheat pasta with asparagus, cannellini beans and mint were a major delight. The amaretto gelato we so incredibly flavorful and intense that I had a hard time believing it was gelato!

~Bayview Restaurant at the Espinard - I had the pleasure of attending their Easter Buffet this year. A buffet can oftentimes be a harsh way to judge an establishment, but this fine eatery passed with more than flying colors. The eggs benedict with crab cakes and sauteed spinach were a refreshing change. Honey glazed ham and prime rib of beef were the perfect compliment to a long buffet table loaded with goodies. Last but not least ,key lime tarts and strawberry mousse caught my attention - TWICE!

~House of Mozart's - This is the place where Mozart is posed at the piano at the front door. I suggest the Austrian goulash, with just the right blend of spices, the wiener schnitzel and bratwurst. The dessert of choice - apple strudel with vanilla ice cream.

~Porky's Last Stand - BBQ pork on a bun, and that says it all!

~Su's Garden - I have never been disappointed here. The fried rice and egg rolls are excellent, as are the egg foo yung and moo goo gai pan, and I love all the menu choices! The cool atmosphere is perfect when you've just gotten too much sun, and the restaurant is much larger that it looks.

~Joey's Pizza & Pasta House - The homemade pastas are great, the veal is tender, the eggplant fresh, and you do not want to miss the garlic knots! But let's talk pizzas. Choose from New York/New Jersey style thin crust, Sicilian thick crust, Chicago thick crust deep dish or Joe's style, paper thin. This is absolutely the bst pizza on Marco. However, I am also voting the ricotta cheese cake and cannolis as some of the best desserts on the Island, as well.

~Nene's Kitchen - Nene's has a great breakfast selection and many in-house specialties. Blintzes, puff pancakes, great eggs, home fries and toast. Good coffee too!

~Susie's Diner - Susie's serves breakfast and lunch, and the menu includes a grouper reuben. This was one of the only places on the Island that I could order a regular sandwich. The white albacore tuna sandwich was wonderful. The burgers and grilled cheese looked good and the homemade diner soup...really good.

~Tara's Steak and Lobster House - This place truly has a flavor all it's own. Tara has done an incredible job with this upscale establishment. The newest addition of rib eye steak was a good choice and the evening's special of baked stuffed grouper was excellent. We also chose the side of "damn good spinach" which I always enjoy, but a new twist this year was the macaroni and cheese. I cannot begin to describe the creaminess of this classic comfort food, you just have to experience it for yourself! But do not overstuff...the creme brulee awaits - do not overlook this dessert!

There are two more establishments that are just off the Island on Capri and are worth the 5 minute drive. They are side-by-side and both should be experienced by any food lover.

~The Capri Fish House - With indoor, outdoor and mini-beach dining, this informal eatery serves the best coconut shrimp around. Nothing fancy, just drive up or boat up to the dock and enjoy. The dinner menu looked intriguing but we did not get there...next trip.

~Pelican Bend - They have their own Captain, Bill, and he was our waiter. We both lunched on the fish sandwich, his fresh catch of the day, white roughy...a new one on me, this piece of fish took up the entire basket. The bun was just a decoration. And it melted in your mouth! Dessert was not an option, but we will save room next time.

After all this incredible food, walking the beaches and the park trails seemed like a must. So off I went to Tigertail Beach and, low and behold, there was a snack shack with great fries, grouper finger, and ice cream......

So much for walking off those calories......

If you know of a great Marco Island area restaurant, please tell us about it.

Marco Island Living makes every attempt to keep this information accurate. Please call the restaurants in advance to confirm hours of operation. Thanks for mentioning you found them in www.marcoislandliving.com