More like Welp: Yelp ignores SW FL in Top 100 Places to Eat, so here's our favorites

Robyn George, Fort Myers News-Press
·4 min read
Shells done in pork fat hold all the sweet and savory flavors of the two-bite tacos at Liberty.
Shells done in pork fat hold all the sweet and savory flavors of the two-bite tacos at Liberty.

Yelp just released its annual list of the Top 100 Places to Eat in the U.S. for 2024.

Might as well call it Welp for Southwest Florida.

While 13 Florida restaurants made the list, not one — as in zero, nada, nil — in Lee or even Collier County was mentioned.

None of our favorites made it ...

No Liberty in Fort Myers with its small plate after small plate of pure delight.

No Sage on 47th in Cape Coral with its fun, chef-driven menu and most creative of creative craft cocktails.

Scallops are seared to a juicy char and paired with squid-ink fusilli at Next Door in Tarpon Point Marina.
Scallops are seared to a juicy char and paired with squid-ink fusilli at Next Door in Tarpon Point Marina.

No Next Door where flavors and textures collide from the amuse bouche of the day to the dreamy desserts in Cape Coral.

No McGregor's Public House in Fort Myers with its genius take on traditional Irish food (I'm looking at you, hand-held shepherd's pies!).

No Crow’s Nest Steakhouse on Captiva with a menu as spectacular as its intimate and upscale dining room with stunning Gulf views from every angle.

No Pezzo Pizza + Bar in Estero with its picture-perfect pies and cool cocktail creations (oh, how I love the dessert-in-a-glass tiramisu old fashioned).

And, sigh, no Uncle Rico’s in Fort Myers which, according to The Washington Post, has the third-best New York-style pizza in the entire state of Florida. (Don't skip the pepperoni rolls or chicken parm either)

Seems like Southwest Florida has a tough time cracking Yelp lists.

Uncle Rico's NY-style pizza has been named third best in the state in a recent story by The Washington Post.
Uncle Rico's NY-style pizza has been named third best in the state in a recent story by The Washington Post.

In March, just three in the area landed on its Top 100 Florida Restaurants for 2023 compilation.

Uncle Rico’s (at last!!!!) led the way at No. 57, followed by Organically Twisted in North Naples at 84 and Dixie Fish Co. on Fort Myers Beach sneaking in at 100.

If you care to venture out and try some of the restaurants that made the Top 100 in the U.S. list, some of the closer ones include Fratellino Ristorante, an upscale Miami restaurant that came in at No. 5; Mio’s Grill & Café, featuring Mediterranean food in St. Pete at No. 12; the Argentinian wine bar Bunbury in Miami at No. 56.; and Tampa’s Bayshore Mediterranean Grill at No. 75.

Yelp's top three by area

What does Yelp recommend in this area? According to the social-media site’s current best restaurants lists, here are the top three in the area based on submissions, ratings, review volume and community input.

Stone Throw's goat cheese pillows appetizer is as good as it is Instagram worthy.
Stone Throw's goat cheese pillows appetizer is as good as it is Instagram worthy.

Cape Coral

  1. Stones Throw, 1339 Cape Coral Parkway E; (239) 291-3900; stonesthrowcc.com

  2. High Tide Social House, 6095 Silver King Blvd.; (239) 341-4441; hightidesocialhouse.com

  3. 10 Twenty Five, 1025 Santa Barbara Blvd.; (239) 829-0407; 10twentyfive.net

The Nashville hot buttermilk fried chicken sandwich, dubbed the Motha Clucka, is a popular menu item at 10 Twenty Five in Cape Coral.
The Nashville hot buttermilk fried chicken sandwich, dubbed the Motha Clucka, is a popular menu item at 10 Twenty Five in Cape Coral.

Fort Myers

  1. 10 Twenty Five, 33 Patio Deleon; (239) 208-6903; 10twentyfive.net

  2. Whiskey Creek Station, 11481 McGregor Blvd.; (239) 482-3241; whiskeycreekstation.com

  3. Buckingham Farms, 12931 Orange River Blvd.; (239) 206-2303; buckinghamfarmsonline.com

Doc Ford's on Fort Myers Beach has a Caribbean flavored menu with seafood, pasta and more.
Doc Ford's on Fort Myers Beach has a Caribbean flavored menu with seafood, pasta and more.

Fort Myers Beach

  1. Dixie Fish Co., 714 Fishermans Wharf; (239) 233-8837; dixiefishfmb.com

  2. Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille, 708 Fishermans Wharf; (239) 765-9660; docfords.com

  3. Cabanas Beach Bar & Grille, 2000 Estero Blvd.; (239) 765-7654; cabanasbeachbar.com

The blackened mullet sandwich at Blue Dog Bar & Grill is one of the best around.
The blackened mullet sandwich at Blue Dog Bar & Grill is one of the best around.

Matlacha

  1. Blue Dog Bar & Grill, 4597 Pine Island Road NW; (239) 558-4970; bluedogmatlacha.com

  2. Miceli's Waterfront Restaurant, 3930 Pine Island Road; (239) 282-8233; micelis.com

  3. That BBQ Place, 4590 Pine Island Road NW; (239) 312-8557; thatbbqplace.com

The Shipyard's Captiva crab cakes are filled with lump crab and served with house-made cider cole slaw and tropical fruit salad.
The Shipyard's Captiva crab cakes are filled with lump crab and served with house-made cider cole slaw and tropical fruit salad.

Captiva

  1. The Green Flash, 15183 Captiva Drive; (239) 472-3337; greenflashcaptiva.com

  2. The Mucky Duck, 11546 Andy Rosse Lane SW; (239) 472-3434; muckyduck.com

  3. The Shipyard, 1951 Captiva Drive; (239) 472-5161; shipyardcaptiva.com

Our picks: Best eats of 2023: What dishes made our critic's list in Cape Coral and Fort Myers?

Sanibel

  1. Doc Ford’s, 2500 Island Inn Road; (239) 472-8311; docfords.com

  2. Coconuts, 2255 W Gulf Drive; Casa Ybel is currently closed from Hurricane Ian

  3. MudBugs Cajun Kitchen, 1473 Periwinkle Way; (239) 472-2221; mudbugssanibel.com

The Magnum Mary, pictured back center, is a weekend brunch bestseller at Hooked Island Grill in the Gulf Coast Town Center.
The Magnum Mary, pictured back center, is a weekend brunch bestseller at Hooked Island Grill in the Gulf Coast Town Center.

Estero

  1. Oak & Stone, 10191 Estero Town Commons Place; (239 217-1820; oakandstone.com

  2. The Cave, 9250 Corkscrew Commons Drive, Suite 13; (239) 359-9025; thecaveswfl.com

  3. Hooked Island Grill, 9924 Gulf Coast Main St., Suite A130 in Gulf Coast Town Center which is Fort Myers; (239) 313-7142; on Facebook

Yelp's Top 100 Places to Eat in America Who made the cut? Nothing in Naples or Marco

The Bohemian offers a unique and diverse selection of raw-bar offerings, including various sizes of seafood towers.
The Bohemian offers a unique and diverse selection of raw-bar offerings, including various sizes of seafood towers.

Bonita Springs

  1. Fernandez the Bull, 3250 Bonita Beach Road SW, Unit 207; (239) 676-7978; fernandezthebull.com

  2. Coconut Jack’s Waterfront Grille, 5370 Bonita Beach Road; (239) 676-7777; coconutjacks.com

  3. The Bohemian Restaurant, 27975 Old 41 Road, Suite 104; (239) 451-9619; thebohemianbonita.com

Robyn George is a food and dining writer for The Fort Myers News-Press. Send news to [email protected].

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: From Stones Throw to The Bohemian, Yelp's top restaurants in SWFL

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