Sample southwest Florida’s trademark tastes
Dining at Tarpon Lodge, on Pine Island Sound, often centers on the great view – and the well-loved crab chowder. Other popular plates include, clockwise from bottom: the shrimp appetizer with a balsamic glaze, served over fresh strawberries and feta cheese; mahi mahi with roasted tomato artichoke hearts with lemon sauce and broccolini; a chicken sandwich with heirloom tomato, roasted onion and roasted pepper; a Cuban sandwich; and a salad with burrata cheese, shrimp, avocado and tomato.
Robert Wells III, who oversees Tarpon Lodge in Pine Island, notes that the lodge’s restaurant doesn’t have a specific fish on the menu. “We always switch it up because everything’s fresh,” he says. The lodge was founded in 1924 and has retained a classic Florida feel. In addition to enjoying great food, lodge guests can fish, golf, paddle the Great Calusa Blueway or visit sister resort Cabbage Key.