20 Best Romantic Restaurants on Marco Island, FL

By VI Staff on December 8, 2019

20 Best Romantic Restaurants in Marco Island

The luxurious Gulf Coast retreat of Marco Island is home to beautiful white sandy beaches, pristine golf courses, luxury hotels, and marinas and plenty of excellent restaurants for intimate dining. Linked to the mainland by bridges south of Naples, the island, which is the largest in Florida's Ten Thousand Islands, is ideal for a romantic getaway. Spend the day relaxing on one of the gorgeous beaches, sailing the seas around the island or exploring some of its attractions like Collier Seminole State Park or the Briggs Nature Center before heading to one of these charming restaurants for dinner.

1.Ario at JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort

Based in the JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort, Ario is a casually elegant restaurant with a chic, contemporary dining space that serves globally-inspired cuisine and fine wines from around the world. The stylish hotel eatery serves a creative menu of elevated cuisine featuring fresh local seafood, prime steaks and chops, organic salads and vegetables, and other familiar American fare accented with salts and spices from around the world. The full-service bar serves world-class beverages ranging from boutique wines, local craft, and imported beers, top-shelf spirits, and classic cocktails, and the restaurant is open for dinner, daily.

400 S Collier Blvd, Marco Island, FL 34145, Phone: 239-642-2695

2.Bistro Soleil at the Olde Marco Inn

Located in the Olde Marco Island Inn & Suites, Bistro Soleil at the Olde Marco Inn is a refined dining destination that serves classic French cuisine against a backdrop of spectacular ocean views. Based in a beautifully preserved historic building dating back to 1883, the contemporary eatery is helmed by award-winning Chef Denis Meurgue, who hails from Pont-a-Mousson in France and brings his culinary expertise to the tables of Bistro Soleil. Influenced by his travels in the Mediterranean, Europe, Mexico, and the Caribbean, Chef Meurgue creates an inventive menu of creative cuisine with French accents and accompanied by outstanding vintages from around the world. Boasting a full bar and live entertainment, the restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, Tuesday through Saturday.

100 Palm St #2018, Marco Island, FL 34145, Phone: 239-389-0981

3.Blue Heron Restaurant

Nestled in a breezy mangrove overlooking Johnson Bay, Blue Heron Restaurant is a casual, relaxed bistro with a bright and sunny dining space that serves fresh seafood and other contemporary fare in a beautiful bay-facing setting. Owned by husband-and-wife team, the small seasonal and intimate restaurant offers an inventive menu of classic American cuisine, including local seafood which is delivered daily, including Lobster Thermador, various meat specialties including naturally-raised lamb, duck, veal and beef dishes, and decadent homemade desserts. An elegant dining room boasts breathtaking views of Johnson Bay, and a charming outdoor deck is perfect for alfresco dining in the warm summer months. The fine-dining waterfront restaurant is open for dinner Monday through Saturday.

387 Capri Blvd #8613, Naples, FL 34113, Phone: 239-394-6248

4.Cafe de Marco

Tucked away in the northernmost point of Old Marco, Cafe de Marco is a cozy, comfortable bistro that has been serving delicious, farm-to-table fare to both locals and visitors since 1983. The intimate eatery has won awards for its outstanding cuisine, which is prepared using locally sourced ingredients and regional produce and artfully presented. Seasonal menus feature dishes like Filet Mignon, Rack of Lamb, Artichoke Cassoulette, Sesame Encrusted Pacific Ahi Tuna, and Maryland Blue Lump Crab Cakes, and the cuisine is accompanied by serves world-class beverages ranging from boutique wines, local craft, and imported beers, top-shelf spirits and classic cocktails. Cafe de Marco is open for dinner, Monday through Saturday.

244 Palm St, Marco Island, FL 34145, Phone: 239-394-6262

5.Ciao Bella Ristorante Italiano

Located in the Harbor Light Landing, Ciao Bella Ristorante Italiano is a casual family-friendly restaurant that serves traditional Italian fare such as wood-fired pizzas with a variety of toppings, freshly prepared salads, chunky garlic bread, hearty entrees, and mouth-watering desserts. Classic dishes include Lasagna, Spaghetti Bolognese, meatballs and sauce, and veal parmigiana with ravioli, while lighter meals include Italian sandwiches and minestrone. The cuisine is paired with a variety of casual wines from Italy and other wine-growing regions, along with craft beers by the bottle, and made-to-order cocktails. Ciao Bella Ristorante Italiano is open for lunch and dinner, daily and has a lovely outdoor waterside deck for alfresco dining in the summer.

3880 East Harbor Light Landing Dr, Port Clinton, OH 43452, Phone: 419-734-2426

6.CJ's on the Bay

Located in the Esplanade Shoppes at Marco Island, CJ's on the Bay is waterside gem where locals and visitors alike flock to enjoy great food, drinks, and live entertainment. Boasting beautiful views of Smokehouse Bay, the restaurant and bar are perfectly positioned to soak up the fantastic Southwest Florida sunsets. Owned by Curt and Jacquie Koon and helmed by Chef Laura Owen, the eatery serves a creative all-day menu of inventive seasonal cuisine featuring fresh salads, hot and cold appetizers, gourmet sandwiches, hearty burgers, wood-fired pizzas, and seafood entrées. Easily accessible by both water and land, making CJ’s on the Bay is an ideal spot for a laid-back lunch or a romantic dinner for two.

740 N Collier Blvd #105, Marco Island, FL 34145, Phone: 239-389-4511

7.Da Vinci Ristorante Italiano

Located in the Marco Walk Plaza, Da Vinci Ristorante Italiano is a family-owned and operated Italian restaurant that offers traditional Italian cuisine in a casual, family-friendly setting. The bustling restaurant features a warm and welcoming dining room with comfortable décor and a full-service bar and serves lunch and dinner menus with an array of appetizers, pasta and risotto dishes, entrées of prime meats, chicken, and fresh fish, and fresh garden salads. Seasonal dishes are prepared using the bounty of the region with produce from local farmers, fishermen and artisanal producers, along with imported ingredients such as savory ragu, house-butchered and house-cured meats, and charcuterie, age-ripened cheese, hand-cut pasta, and golden extra virgin olive oils. The full-service bar offers a selection of libations, from casual wines to classic cocktails and the restaurant is open for dinner, daily.

599 S Collier Blvd, Marco Island, FL 34145, Phone: 239-389-1888

8.Fin Bistro

Fin Bistro is a warm, relaxed family-owned and operated eatery that specializes in fresh local and regional fin fish and shellfish. One of Marco Island's hottest spots for dinner, Fin Bistro features a modern dining room with tiled floors, minimally-adorned walls, white linen tablecloths, dark wood chairs, and a casual, laid-back ambiance. The culinary team carries and prepares fresh, finfish and local shellfish, along with prime meat dishes, complemented by seasonal, organic vegetable and other side dishes such as bacon-wrapped arugula potato cakes. The full-service bar offers a variety of signature cocktails made with top-shelf liquors, an ever-changing wine list with unusual and rare varietals and craft and draft beers from around the world. Fin Bistro is open for dinner, Tuesday through Saturday.

657 S Collier Blvd, Marco Island, FL 34145, Phone: 239-970-6064

9.Island Cafe

The Island Café is a quaint and cozy French eatery that has been serving classic French fare and a lengthy wine list in a peaceful, polished atmosphere for over 25 years. The charming bistro serves a menu of creative cuisine prepared with locally sourced ingredients and regional produce such as fresh, wild-caught seafood, naturally-raised beef, lamb and chicken, and organic herbs, salads and vegetables. Signature dishes include Steamed Clams, Truffle & Porcini Mushroom & Goat Cheese Ravioli, Creole Jambalaya, Salmon Filet Crusted with Pecans, Twin Tournedos Grille, and Angel Hair Giardiniera. The full-service bar serves world-class beverages ranging from boutique wines, local craft, and imported beers, top-shelf spirits, and classic cocktails, and the restaurant is open for dinner, daily.

918 N Collier Blvd, Marco Island, FL 34145, Phone: 239-394-7578

10.Island Gypsy Cafe & Marina Bar

Located at the Isles of Capri Marina, the Island Gypsy Café & Marina Bar is a casual outdoor spot that offers an exceptional waterside dining experience. Accessible by land and water, the café and bar is named after a 65-foot sportfishing boat called the Island Gypsy whose stern sits just outside the entrance of the Marina Bar and serves a seafood-centric menu and creative cocktails. Open for lunch and dinner daily; the café offers signature dishes such as Citrus-Crusted Tuna Sashimi, Key West Conch Fritters, Caribbean Fish Tacos, Mahi-Mahi Sandwiches, and Gypsy Fried Seafood Basket. The full-service bar offers a variety of signature cocktails made with top-shelf liquors, an ever-changing wine list with unusual and rare varietals and craft and draft beers from around the world. The Island Gypsy Café & Marina Bar is open for lunch and dinner, daily.

292 Capri Blvd, Naples, FL 34113, Phone: 239-394-1111

11.Koral's Sushi & Cocktail Lobby Bar

Based on the luxurious JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort, Korals Sushi & Cocktail Lobby Bar is a lively spot for fresh handmade sushi, creative small plates, and inventive cocktails. Featuring sleek and stylish décor, an 11-foot tall cylinder aquarium that takes center stage in the restaurant and floor-to-ceiling windows that embrace spectacular views of the Gulf of Mexico, the chic and sophisticated restaurant serves a range of made-from-scratch sushi, sashimi, nigiri, Asian-inspired small plates, and a variety of signature handcrafted cocktails, craft, domestic, and specialty beers, casual wines, and an impressive collection of Bourbon and whiskeys. Koral's Sushi & Cocktail Lobby Bar is open for dinner, daily.

400 S Collier Blvd, Marco Island, FL 34145, Phone: 239-394-2511

12.La Tavola Restaurant and Bar

La Tavola Restaurant and Bar takes guests on a culinary journey of refined contemporary cuisine, world-class wines, and gracious hospitality and service. The warm, sparsely decorated eatery offers a world-class menu of modern New American cuisine prepared with local and regional ingredients and produce such as fresh seafood, naturally-raised beef, lamb and chicken, organic herbs, salads and vegetables, and the highest quality oils and vinegar. Homemade soups, sauces, dressings, pasta, and desserts are all made from scratch and in-house, and the bar serves a curated selection of fine wines from around the world to pair with the cuisine. La Tavola Restaurant and Bar is open for lunch and dinner, Wednesday through Saturday and dinner only Sunday through Tuesday.

961 Winterberry Dr, Marco Island, FL 34145, Phone: 239-393-4960

13.Mango's Dockside Bistro

Located in the Esplanade Shoppes at Marco Island, Mango's Dockside Bistro is a locally-owned and operated, family-friendly restaurant that serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner in a relaxed and laid-back setting. The spacious bistro is decorated in warm woods with comfortable tables and chairs, a huge saltwater fish tank and a tinkling waterfall, and has a lovely dog-friendly outdoor deck where guests can enjoy great food and drinks against a backdrop of spectacular ocean views. The waterfront restaurant serves fresh seafood and catch-of-the-day fish, prime steaks and crisp salads and vegetarian options along with signature cocktails, top-shelf spirits, craft, and draft beers by the bottle and on tap, and easy-drinking wines from around the world. Mango's Dockside Bistro is open for lunch and dinner daily, and weekend breakfast and brunch.

760 N Collier Blvd # 109, Marco Island, FL 34145, Phone: 239-393-2433

14.Marco Prime Steaks & Seafood

Located in the Marco Walk Plaza, Marco Prime Steaks & Seafood is an upscale restaurant that specializes in prime steaks, fresh seafood, and other New American cuisine along with signature cocktails. Locally owned and operated by the Carvelli family, the sophisticated eatery offers an elegant dining interpretation of the classic American steakhouse with traditional steakhouse fare accented with Asian, Italian and French influences. Boasting sleek décor with leather banquette seating, wooden tables and chairs, exposed brick walls and soaring industrial-style ceilings, a chic marble bar and soft lighting, the restaurant is ideal for a special celebration or a romantic dinner for two. The cuisine is paired with a variety of casual wines from Italy and other wine-growing regions, along with craft beers by the bottle, and made-to-order cocktails. Marco Prime Steaks & Seafood is open for dinner, seven nights a week.

599 S Collier Blvd, Marco Island, FL 34145, Phone: 239-389-2333

15.Marek's Bar and Bistro

Based on the beautifully restored historic home of Captain Bill Collier which dates back to circa-1882, Marek's Bar and Bistro is a renowned seafood-focused restaurant that serves upscale continental cuisine in an intimate and romantic atmosphere. Helmed by international award-winning Chef/Owner Peter Marek, the highly-acclaimed restaurant boasts a luxuriously decorated dining room and library with gold-framed Russel Flint watercolor paintings and soft candlelight. Seasonal menus of farm-to-table fare boast dishes such as confit of shredded duckling enveloped in filo pastry, crab-stuffed jumbo shrimp in Nueske's applewood smoked bacon, and blackened salmon with stacked potatoes and white wine chive cream sauce. The cuisine is paired with a variety of casual wines and other wine-growing regions, along with craft beers by the bottle, and made-to-order cocktails. Marek's Bar and Bistro is open for dinner Tuesday through Saturday.

1121 Bald Eagle Dr, Marco Island, FL 34145, Phone: 239-642-9948

16.Quinn's on the Beach

Quinn's on the Beach is a casual beachside eatery that serves Caribbean-style seafood and steak specialties alongside colorful tropical cocktails. The castaway-style beachside restaurant and bar deliver a memorable dining experience with delicious tropical cuisine, bright cocktails and craft beers and breathtaking Gulf views. The menu features an array of Caribbean-style seafood and steak dishes, along tasty sharing appetizers, gourmet sandwiches, and wood-fired pizzas. A live high-energy Fire Dancer show is hosted every night, and the full-service offers happy hour specials throughout the week. Quinn's on the Beach is open for lunch and dinner, daily.

400 S Collier Blvd, Marco Island, FL 34145, Phone: 239-394-2511

17.Sale E Pepe

Located in the luxurious all-suite boutique Marco Beach Ocean Resort, Sale E Pepe is an award-winning fine-dining Italian restaurant with spectacular ocean views. Overlooking the picturesque Gulf of Mexico, Sale e Pepe provides an authentic gourmet Italian experience in a beautiful beachfront setting and is the perfect spot for romantic wining and dining. Guests can dine alfresco-style on The Terrace against a backdrop of breathtaking ocean views, or in the elegantly decorated dining room which boasts marble floors and hand-painted frescoes. The professional culinary team creates seasonal from-scratch menus of mouthwatering cuisine using fresh, locally sourced ingredients and regional produce such as fresh seafood, naturally-raised meats and chicken, and organic herbs, salads and vegetables. The cuisine is paired with a variety of award-winning wines from Italy and other wine-growing regions, along with craft beers by the bottle, and made-to-order cocktails. Sale E Pepe is open for dinner, nightly.

480 S Collier Blvd, Marco Island, FL 34145, Phone: 239-393-1600

18.The Deck at 560 Bar and Restaurant

Located within the luxury Hilton Marco Island Beach Resort & Spa, The Deck at 560 Bar & Restaurant is a premium dining destination overlooking the Gulf of Mexico and is one of the best spots to enjoy Florida’s spectacular sunsets. Stylish and sophisticated with designer décor and contemporary furnishings, the elegant restaurant serves seasonal menus of inventive signature dishes by Executive Chef Corey Hepburn including local and sustainable seafood, succulent steaks and chicken dishes, fresh salads and several vegetarian options. Every table in the dining room boasts breathtaking Gulf views, and the waterfront deck offers alfresco dining against a backdrop of watercolor sunsets. A craft cocktail program offers drinks with fresh Florida citrus juices, and other drinks include fine global wines, craft beers, and top-shelf spirits. The Deck at 560 Bar & Restaurant is open for lunch and dinner, daily.

560 S Collier Blvd, Marco Island, FL 34145, Phone: 239-394-5000

19.The Oyster Society, Seafood and Raw Bar

Located in the Marco Walk Plaza in the heart of Marco Island, the Oyster Society, Seafood and Raw Bar specialize in hand-selected local seafood, shellfish, and daily raw bar specials. Boasting beautiful 1920’s-inspired art deco interiors with nautical touches and the soft sounds of jazz, the fine-dining restaurant serves a seasonally-changing menu designed to showcase the bounty of the ocean. Tuck into heaving platters of fresh fish, shellfish, crudos, freshly shucked oysters, and a selection of prime USDA meats, salads, and vegetarian dishes. The full-service bar serves a range world-class wines, freshly crafted cocktails, craft, and draft beers and top-spirits, and the restaurant is open for dinner, nightly.

599 S Collier Blvd #218, Marco Island, FL 34145, Phone: 239-394-3474

20.Verdi's An American Bistro

Verdi's An American Bistro is an intimate, romantic restaurant with stylish décor that offers a casual fine-dining experience with home-cooked cuisine and global wines. Chef Upham creates a farm-to-table menu of locally sourced cuisine with dishes of New Zealand Rack of Lamb, Chilean Sea Bass, Prime Cut Filet Mignon, crispy duck and meatloaf, along with fresh salads, hearty sides and vegetarian options. All dishes are prepared from scratch using local ingredients and the freshest local produce, using modern culinary techniques and age-old recipes, and the food is accompanied by a variety of casual wines and other wine-growing regions, along with craft beers by the bottle, and made-to-order cocktails. Verdi's An American Bistro is open for dinner, seven nights a week.

241 N Collier Blvd, Marco Island, FL 34145, Phone: 239-394-5533