A big event on Sanibel made a delicious comeback, proving how resilient the island is.
After several years of cancellations and rescheduling due to COVID-19 and Hurricanes Ian and Milton, Taste of the Islands returned. The longstanding community event raises money for the Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife (CROW).
The week leading up to Saturday's big event was restaurant week. People could try a taste of different items from local restaurants and vote on their favorites.
CROW says the event not only supported their mission and local businesses but also provided people with a taste of normalcy and fun island vibes they've been yearning for since the pandemic and recent natural disasters. They say it was a sign of healing and how far the community has come.
The organization is thanking all the restaurants that participated and congratulating the winners of Taste of the Islands:
- Best Appetizer — Tutti Pazzi — Nonna’s Polpette Slider
- Best Seafood — Cielo — Seared Chilean Sea Bass with Polenta
- Best Dessert — Sanibel Deli — Smores Cheesecake
- Best Meat — BRGR — Double Bacon Cheeseburger Slider
- Best Vegetarian — Tutti Pazzi — Farfalle Pesto Primavera
- Best Breakfast — Lighthouse Café — Banana Fosters French Toast
- Best Adult Beverage — Rosalita’s — Rosa’s Favorite Margarita
- Taste of the Taste — Cielo — Seared Chilean Sea Bass with Polenta
- People’s Choice Award — Sanibel Deli