Good news comes in threes, and we have a foodie-trio for you.
Island Panda, Ibis Grill and Scooters Pizza all opened on Sanibel Island recently.
It’s great news for islanders and visitors alike.
Here’s a quick look, starting with …
Island Panda
We’re very happy to report that Eve Alves is back.
In September 2022, Hurricane Ian destroyed her popular Tipsy Turtle restaurant on Periwinkle Way.
“Bringing it back wasn’t an option,” said Alves, who bought The Jac (which was Jacaranda before that) in 2017 before transitioning it into the Tipsy Turtle.
And when she decided to return to restaurant ownership, it was with a completely new venture.
“I wanted to do a Chipotle-like concept,” she said. “Place your order and take it with you.”
And she’s done just that with Island Panda, which opened on April 27 and had its ribbon-cutting June 4.
You’ll find it right next to Sanibel Café in Paper Fig Kitchen’s former space in Tahitian Gardens.
“This is something the island needed,” said Alves, who opened the takeout-focused restaurant with her husband Alex and business partner and chef Brandon Chaleunsouk. “It’s easy and fun. I love the retail side of it. I love the low overhead. I love it.”
Island Panda has a colorful and tropical sushi, poke and hibachi-filled menu, where pretty much everything is made to order.
“Fish is delivered fresh on a daily basis,” Alves said. “Sushi rolls are hand-made. We make the rice every morning. Sauces are homemade.”
Choose from eight classic and 10 specialty sushi rolls, including best-selling spicy tuna and chef’s special Island Panda (with tempura shrimp, cucumber and krab inside and tuna, avocado, tempura flakes, eel sauce and spicy mayo outside) and deep-fried spicy lava rolls (which we loved).
Hibachi (with choice of grilled proteins), a half-dozen appetizers, kitchen specials, kids meals and gorgeously vibrant and tropical poke bowls (which we also loved) round out the menu.
Everything here is made to-go, and while there’s no indoor seating, a handful of outdoor tables are available.
“The patio gets packed at lunch,” Alves said. “We get a lot of local support every single day. A lot of people who work for the city are in here supporting us.”
Welcome back, Eve.
Island Panda, 2003 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel; open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily; order online for pickup or delivery; (239) 579-0783; island-panda.baussmgmt.workers.dev or on Instagram
Ibis Grill
You’ll find another Hurricane Ian return story at this newly renovated, full-service restaurant at Sanibel Island Golf Club.
“Pre Ian, it was Blue Giraffe 2,” the restaurant’s Director of Service Marylou Holler said. “After Ian, it never came back.The building stood vacant until XUDE Hospitality — which purchased Sanibel Island Golf Club in late 2025 — opened Ibis Grill on March 11.
“We have all new equipment, all new specially-made furniture,” Holler said. “The only thing that isn’t new is the bar top. The restaurant used to be very dark.”
Now it’s filled with welcoming shades of white, blues and browns with splashes of colorful artwork everywhere. The space is bright and cheerful, just like the staff.
Grab a seat at the inviting bar, in the bar area or the back dining room.
As for the menu, Ibis Grill is already known for its New York-style pizza.
“The pizza is made from scratch,” Holler said. “We use a NY Watermaker (filter system). It changes the PH balance of the water for an authentic New York pizza.”
Holler worked on the something-for-everyone menu with chef Patrick Fitz (who previously worked at West Wind Inn and Blue Coyote).
Philly, black & blue, BBQ and standard smash burgers are another popular option here.
“We’re known for our salads too,” Holler said, adding that the warm goat cheese is a standout. “People come in saying they heard about the salads.”
Appetizers (like jumbo wings, fish fingers, baked brie), sandwiches (like Holler’s favorite blackened salmon), soups and small entrees (chicken parm, petit filet, pork chop) fill out the menu.
There’s a full bar with the refreshing frozen transfusion (Tito’s, frozen grape juice, ginger ale) as a signature drink.
“We do everything from scratch,” Holler said. “We want to be a known restaurant on the island and not just a clubhouse.”
And it’s off to a great start.
“The neighborhood has embraced us thoroughly,” Holler said. “They’ve been wonderful. We’re just so happy to be here.”
The feeling is mutual.
Ibis Grill at Sanibel Island Golf Club, 1100 Par View Drive, Sanibel; open to the public from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. (hours subject to change); (239) 472-2626; sanibelislandgc.com and on Facebook
Scooters Pizza
Only officially open since March 11, this takeout pizza joint is already an award winner.
Its Detroit-style pepperoni was named best pizza at the 2026 Taste of the Islands.
“Even though we were open only 19 days when first competing at Taste of the Islands, we are honored that the judges and the community at large recognize the quality of pizzas we make,” co-owner Miles Sweiss said in a news release. “Our pizza dough is made in-house every day.”
Located next to Subway in Town Center on Palm Ridge Road, this small but mighty pizza shop offers hand-tossed 16-inch, thin-crust 16-inch, 12-inch gluten-free and a 24-inch New York-style pizza in addition to that award-winning Detroit style. Flavored-edge crust options (like Cajun, hot honey, sesame seed) are available on pizzas and on large, oversized slices from the 24-inch pies during lunch hours.
“The idea behind Scooters Pizza is simple — we wanted to make the pizzas we grew up with and the pizzas we wanted to eat, with premium ingredients we are proud to serve to our own children,” Sweiss, who opened Scooters with business partner Geno Accra, said in the news release.
“Our food is exceptional and fun, but never pretentious. And ‘Kitchen’ refers to the fact that we’re a true scratch kitchen. We make our dough and pizzas from scratch.”
Other menu items include Grandma’s meatballs, wings, baked loaded fries, salads, breadsticks and gelato, plus beer and wine.
As with Island Panda, there is no indoor dining at Scooters, but outdoor rail seats are available.
And it too has received a warm island reception.
“We can’t say enough about the support we’ve received,” Sweiss concluded in the news release. “The local community and the chamber have encouraged us mentally, emotionally, and financially. The encouragement from this community has meant the world to us. We’re just incredibly grateful to be part of the Sanibel community and excited to serve the island a pizza experience it hasn’t had before.”
Find it at 2496 Palm Ridge Road, Unit B, Sanibel; delivery and pick-up available; open 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily; (239) 497-4992; scooters.pizza and on Facebook
Robyn George is a food and dining reporter for The News-Press. Connect at rhgeorge@fortmyer.gannett.com
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This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Three new restaurants bring fresh flavors to Sanibel Island
Reporting by Robyn George, Fort Myers News-Press & Naples Daily News / Fort Myers News-Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Robyn George, Fort Myers News-Press & Naples Daily News | USA TODAY Network
