Do it up with this weekend, with waffles along the waterfront, lobster Benedict with a side of live jazz and other indulgences perfect for a long, lazy brunch.
1. Artisan Eatery
Flower-filled mason jars, friendly service and a line of homemade cakes on the counter set the tone for a homespun brunch at this counter-service Fort Myers favorite with a diner-meets-coffee shop vibe. Classically trained chef Timothy Yoa works with small local farms to source ingredients, like eggs from Hubbell Farms, that are poached, griddled and scrambled into unpretentious fare that feels like fine dining (pain perdu with berry compote, anyone?).
2. Cork Soakers Deck and Wine Bar
The brunch lineup is hearty—chipotle-maple-glazed chicken and donuts, steak and eggs with hollandaise, butter-poached lobster Benedict—at hospitality veteran Bob Mulroy’s Cape Coral restaurant (which he purchased with his million-dollar lottery winnings). As befits a restaurant with an alfresco neighborhood bar vibe, the brunch cocktails are among the most popular offerings, including the fiery Bitchslap Mary, garnished with bacon-wrapped shrimp.
3. Fish Tale Grill by Merrick Seafood
The $28 bloody mary could be a meal on its own at Fish Tale Grill in Cape Coral. Loaded with an entire lobster tail, tuna, grouper biters, shrimp cocktail and a Gulf oyster, it’s a decadent lead-in to the rest of the seafood-heavy menu (think: king crab Benedict or a lobster-brie omelet). And while the interior has a sleek coastal design, tables under the blue umbrellas on the street-facing deck are prime seating.
4. Gather
At the upscale Tarpon Point Marina in Cape Coral, Gather has vibrant interiors (plus a smattering of outdoor tables overlooking the yachts and sailboats) and a forward-looking menu. Fabrice Deletrain and Benjamin Voisin, two of the area’s top chefs, draw inspiration from global cuisines for their exuberant, hearty dishes, like lobster cake Benedict with Key lime hollandaise, Nutella waffles with candied walnuts, and shrimp and grits with sriracha-barbecue butter.
5. Jungle Bird Authentic Tiki
Tucked along a residential block in Cape Coral, Jungle Bird is a modern tiki oasis. And while drinks are the big draw—classic Mai Tais, potent Pain Killers and original concoctions like the fruity Death to Fresh Champagne cocktail—regulars also praise the brunch, which ranges from everything bagel-seasoned avocado toast to breakfast tacos to chocolate chip-topped peanut butter pancakes.
6. Skinny Dogz Brunchery
The full doggone experience at this self-titled Fort Myers ‘brunchery’ includes build-your-own chicken and waffles, loaded breakfast burritos and eight different burgers made from a blend of three, house-ground cuts of beef. Winning best in show, however, are the clever plays on eggs Benedict, like the Cuban Benedict with smoked ham, roasted pork, swiss and mustard hollandaise, and the Holy Mater with fried green tomatoes and bourbon-bacon jam.
7. The Eatery by Ryan
Affordable, bottomless popsicle mimosas are the whimsical hallmark of this casual Fort Myers cafe, where brunch is served seven days a week. Hearty breakfast standards help soak up the generous pours of bubbles, like The Jeff breakfast sandwich stacked with eggs, bacon and multiple types of chiles; loaded biscuit bowls; Belgian waffles; and a classic two-egg breakfast plate with all the fixings.
8. The Standard Restaurant
Since opening in Fort Myers’ revitalized River District in 2015, The Standard has gained a following for its from-scratch menu of eclectic breakfast pizzas, customizable omelets, housemade hashes, and bottomless mimosas and bloody marys. The restaurant debuted a second location at the Page Field Commons shopping center earlier this year, but the downtown original remains the most popular for brunch on Saturdays when it coincides with drag queen karaoke.