Restaurants in North Fort Myers

At Yanos Restaurant, chefs glean inspiration from global pantries to plate dishes that have been lauded by Florida Weekly as “artful presentations comprised of first-rate ingredients.” Chefs augment the flavor of grilled duck breast with jicama slaw and black-bean puree and coat soft-shell crab in a crispy tempura batter. The wine list is equally broad in scope, with bottles hailing from Spain, South Africa, Germany, and Andromeda.

Yanos Restaurant’s sleek, wood-floor interior complements its contemporary fare: track lighting illuminates a Warhol-esque pop-art print of Marilyn Monroe and powder-blue and yellow walls. Outside, next to a palm-tree-lined cobblestone street, sturdy canvas umbrellas provide shelter from the elements.

Originally from Sao Paulo, Cafe Brazil owner Denise Santos curates a menu of authentic cuisine that speaks to the diverse tastes of her native country with its steak and seafood entrees, fluffed risotto, and house-specialty Brazilian churrasco. Renowned for its all-you-can-eat buffet and a wait staff that speaks fluent Brazilian Portuguese, the intimate hotspot welcomes homesick ex-pats and locals seeking to expand their horizons seven days a week. Flanked by tiled walls, an ornate bar with gold trim, and an Amazonian jaguar ready to pounce on plates, simple wooden tables play host to meals served for lunch or dinner. Palm-leaf ceiling fans call forth gentle breezes to kiss diners’ shoulders, and live entertainment on select nights feeds hungry ears with the sounds of bossa nova, samba, and sizzling orchestras of thin-cut steaks.

After spending 33 years saving lives in the firefighting service, Firehouse Sports Grill proprietor Joe Wise collected beloved recipes from stations throughout the country to regale diners with firefighter feasts of burgers and sandwiches, pizzas, and pastas. A bar area decked out in polished aluminum tread plate evokes the raw power of a speeding fire engine, and crimson walls laden with ancient fire axes and keepsake pictures of old emergency crews hark back to a simpler time before fire poles were replaced with teleportation devices. Multiple flat-screen TVs broadcast sporting events as guests sip frosty drafts and potent cocktails and chow down on hand-cut fries, tangy salads, and tender barbecue ribs.

Sandy Stilwell is a Fort Myers native, and as such she has a passion for pouring her time back into the community—she serves on the advisory board for Gulfshore Life Magazine and is the former chairwoman of the Salvation Army's Christmas drive. Sandy brings the same altruistic vision to Sunshine Grille, one of the many local eateries she and her family maintain that give back through organizations such as the Ronald McDonald House.

Sunshine Grille serves its customers first and foremost, offering a menu of wood-fired steaks and seafood. From grilled filet mignon to sesame-crusted salmon and veggie-loaded flatbreads, most of the eatery's cuisine bursts forth unto the palate with a signature smoky flavor. The restaurant's voluminous wine list emanates sweetness, as do the live musicians that coax jazz-inspired harmonies from saxes, guitars, and keyboardists seven nights a week. These musicians work their melodic magic under soft lighting and between walls of auburn and stones stacked like the hundred-dollar bills that form the walls of the US Mint.

Owner Nomiki Neskes—affectionately known as Yiayia or grandma—cooks the culinary traditions of her Greek homeland into her menu's authentic dishes. As the smells of freshly cooked food waft through the air, tzatziki and hummus with warm pita festoon tables, or forks spool steaming seafood pasta. Authentic Mediterranean recipes mingle lamb, fish, and beef with flavor-imparting wine and garlic sauces, and popular flaming-cheese appetizer saganaki reminds diners and hungry ice sculptures of the pyrotechnic potential of freshly prepared meals.

From sunup to sundown, the chefs hustle and bustle in Mama Redneck’s kitchen, making omelets, and breakfast potatoes, amid other homestyle southern fare. Barbecue pulled pork, and chicken breasts sizzle atop stoves and grills before hiding between slabs of bread or nestling onto plates. Patrons can journey to Mama Redneck’s to enjoy the restaurant's outdoor seating, pick up their meals, or sit tight while an employee flies over atop the restaurant's mascot pig.