The dining in the area covers the entire range from all the expected family favourites to haute cuisine.  Just drive down any big road & you'll find an Arizona Pizza, IHOP, Ruby Tuesday, McDonalds, Burger King, etc.  We especially love the seafood.  Here are just a few places we particularly enjoy, and some of the more unique local restaurants:

Our 2 favourite places are Fishmonger and Big Hickory Seafood Grille.  Both are pretty unprepossessing from the outside, but their food is really good.  Big Hickory is on the waterfront in Bonita Springs, after the bridge from Lovers Key, on the left.  Fishmonger is on the right just before you get to the bridge over onto Fort Myers Beach.  It's not just fish - the ribs are fantastic, and the Key Lime Pie is to die for.  It's a fun place to eat, with wall to wall fish tanks.

Prawnbroker on McGregor Boulevard is part of a group of restaurants that we are eating our way through, and we enjoy them all.  It's a really nice place to go, for tourists and residents alike, and for the car spotters amongst you, there's plenty of automobile real estate in the car park.  Their sister restaurant University Grille is just 5 minutes from the house, and we go there more often than anywhere else at present.  Nice food, and very pleasant atmosphere.

Matzaluna's on Sanibel is also part of this group, and is especially good for kids (and anyone who likes to create art whilst they eat - wax crayons are available for all guests)!  The food is good, Italian mostly, but the service can be a bit up and down.  We also like Jacaranda (which has a pretty outdoor terrace) and Greenhouse Grill on Sanibel, but these are more adult places.

Joe's Crab Shack in downtown Fort Myers majors on seafood, and has a great view over the water across the Caloosahatchee river.  We really like it - good food, very relaxed, and a good atmosphere.  Pincher's Crab Shack on the way to Fort Myers Beach is great for a buzzy atmosphere, great for kids & adults alike (but it's LOUD!)

A couple of other nice places are Parrot Key - 'parrot' is the clue!  Caribbean theme, indoor / outdoor, lots of fun and very popular.  It's right by Salty Sam's Marina, so you can link your visit t to a boat trip if you want.  Bahama Breeze also has an island theme, is just 5 minutes from the house, and has cocktails ladies love!  We also enjoy Snug Harbour;  it's on the water, tucked under the bridge on Fort Myers Beach.

If you want an beach bar with a bit of life about it and some night time action, Junkanoo on Fort Myers Beach is a beach bar & dance club that comes highly recommended.  Upstairs from Junkanoo is Antony's on the Gulf - smarter and (we're told) a great place to eat & watch the sun go down.  It definitely has a wonderful view.

And last but definitely not least, the Mucky Duck at the end of Andy Rosse Road on Captiva, which has the best sunset view of any restaurant we know in the area.  Not easy to park, but worth it.   Also good if you're on the local beach at lunchtime.