5 cool Fort Myers Beach drinks to savor, from a Monster Mary to a Mango Meltdown

Inspired by the Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau’s new campaign, I headed to Fort Myers Beach this past weekend.

Savor The Shore encourages residents to visit local restaurants (and attractions) on the Hurricane Ian-pummeled barrier islands. Summer is a perfect time to go with open tables, no waiting, plentiful parking and (hopefully) a soft breeze coming in off the Gulf.

I had no plans other than to drive, park, walk, sit, sample and support a few local restaurants.

But after sweating and mumbling about the heat during the 10-second, 15-yard walk from my front door to the car, I vowed to find the five coolest drinks on the island.

It was during this quest that I found much more than island-time cocktails.

Everyone I spoke with — bartenders, business owners, chefs, locals and staff -— was genuinely happy to be there welcoming guests.

We were strangers (and I’m not gregarious by any stretch of the imagination), but we chatted like old friends.

We discussed hurricane-damaged fences, discovered mutual friends, compared favorite downtown Fort Myers restaurants and found common ground in our love and admiration for former JLB extraordinaire Annabelle Tometich.

And while the drinks were delightful, it was those moments I savored most.

Plenty of places are open with staff patiently waiting to greet customers like long-lost relatives.

All you have to do is hop in your car and go to Fort Myers Beach, Matlacha, Pine Island and to Sanibel and Captiva where tolls on the Causeway are free on Sundays through Sept. 10.

No plans are needed.

Oh, about those cool drinks …

Frozen Spiced Mango Meltdown

Picture it — slowly savoring this magical mango marvel while gently swinging (literally) on an open-air porch, surrounded by a sea of tiny paper umbrellas and tropical island vibes. It’s a reality at Yucatan Beach Stand where each sip was sweeter and sweeter.

“The spiced Captain Morgan and Amaretto balance each other out and come together perfectly,” Lindsey Kimble said from behind the bar as she recommended this sweat-stopping winner with brain-freeze potential.

Yucatan held its grand reopening on May 26 after months of grilling and smoking food in the parking lot with a limited menu since November.

Now it’s fully open with plenty of seating options at the main bar inside, the swing bar outside, or at tables in the dining room or on the covered outdoor patio.

It’s a few blocks from the water, but you’ll feel beachside with this drink in hand.

Yucatan Beach Stand, 250 Old San Carlos Blvd., Fort Myers Beach; open daily beginning at 11 a.m.; (239) 333-4386; yucatanbeachstand.com or follow on Facebook and Instagram

Kitty Kitty Bang Bang Milkshake

After narrowing down the 24 flavors at Meli’s with the help of co-owner Melissa Sheppard, we ultimately gave the nod to this cheesecake ice cream with raspberry ripple and chunks of Oreo and soft cookie. We then decided (brilliantly I might add) to have it in milkshake form. Smooth, flavorful and cooling, it was a perfect choice on a sweltering day.

Meli’s Ice Cream trailer, which began serving sweet treats in May, sits in Times Square where Kilwins was before Ian washed it away. Sheppard gets those fabulous flavors from Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream in Madison, Wisconsin.

Order yours and pick it up at the window, grab a table under an umbrella, face the Gulf in an Adirondack chair or sip away as you stroll the beach. The hardest part is selecting a flavor. How cool is that?

Meli’s Ice Cream, 50 Old San Carlos Blvd., Fort Myers Beach; usually open seven days a week beginning at 11 a.m.; follow on Facebook and Instagram

Lovers Key Rum Punch

You can’t go wrong with this colorful cocktail in hand while watching dolphins roll along Estero Bay from your waterfront table at Flipper’s On The Bay. Wicked Dolphin spiced rum, Keke melon liqueur, peach schnapps, fresh citrus and cranberry juice are precisely layered in this best-selling drink (along with five rum Original Bucket of Fun) that’s as chill and satisfying as the open-air restaurant itself.

Across from Lovers Key State Park (open since late June) on the north end of Black Island, Flipper's reopened April 5. It was redone a couple of years before Ian and was re-redone again after Ian.

When the weather cooperates, a small downstairs bar puts you a few feet from the water. The upstairs dining room features a small bar and those wonderful waterfront tables.

Back in business: Popular waterfront Fort Myers Beach bar reopens 7 months after Hurricane Ian

If you haven’t eaten, that’s a good thing here. Chef Juan Cruz’s flavorful seafood-focused menu is as spectacular as the view. Our gourmet lobster mac (with asiago, gruyere, sharp cheddar and a herbal parmesan crust) is one of the best around.

We went to this gem for the drinks but stayed and will return for the food.

Flipper's On The Bay, 8767 Estero Blvd., Fort Myers Beach; open daily at 11 a.m.; (239) 765-1025;  flippersotb.com; follow on Facebook and Instagram

Upside Down Pineapple Martini

We stumbled upon this dessert-in-a-glass during what instantly became one of my favorite happy hours in the area. From 2:30-4:30 p.m., Fresh Catch Bistro serves up this delight and 11 other martinis ($7 or $8 each) in an elegant waterfront setting overlooking the back bay and Julies Island. Happy hour appetizers include chargrilled octopus ($8), blackened white fish sliders ($9) and oyster Rockefeller ($12).

The stylish bar seems made for slowly sipping martinis like this light and sweet cocktail that tastes exactly like pineapple upside-down cake. I love, love, love pineapple upside-down cake and couldn't stop smiling after every sip. We lingered as long as we could before leaving, savoring every last drop and vowing to return soon.

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The original Fresh Catch Bistro and Junkanoo Beach were destroyed by Ian. Five months later, owner Franco Russo reopened his restaurants a mile down the island in the former site of Bayfront Bistro at Snook Bight Marina. Enjoy your martini inside at the bar, at a white linen-topped table in the window-lined dining room, or on the spacious open-air outdoor patio.

If you arrive before Fresh Catch opens, the Key Lime Pie colada downstairs is Junkanoo Below Deck’s newest and most popular cocktail. It's also the most refreshing drink on this list. I'm smiling just thinking about it.

Fresh Catch Bistro, 4761 Estero Blvd., Fort Myers Beach; Fresh Catch opens from 2:30-4:30 p.m. Tuesday to Sunday for happy hour and 4:30 p.m. for dinner (Junkanoo opens at 11 a.m. daily); (239) 488-2400; freshcatchbistro.com; follow on Facebook and Instagram

Whole Fried Snapper Monster Mary

Yup, you read that correctly. Parrot Key Caribbean Grill’s Bloody Mary is a monster all around, with 32 ounces of Zing Zang bliss, served in a thick mug (lift with your legs when you pick it up) and loaded with celery, salami and mozzarella. We opted for snapper — cheers to the genius who suggested using green olives for the eyes — instead of cheeseburger sliders, bacon grilled cheese or traditional (16 ounces).

It’s so jaw-droppingly unique, a fellow diner asked to photograph it seconds after it hit our table. Ordering your drink first and having the topping come afterward is more practical but less Instagramable.

The restaurant, just before the Matanzas Pass Bridge at Salty Sam’s Marina, held up during Ian, but massive cleanup was needed. By December, the new bar was well on its way to completion, docks tangled outside the dining room were untangled and outdoor seating was back in place. Parrots went up mid-February and a grand reopening was held Feb. 22.

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Dig into this meal-in-a-mug with picturesque waterfront views in the breeze-filled open-air dining room, at that spiffy new bar or at a dockside table or booth.

The Monster Mary is only available during Sunday morning breakfast from 9 a.m. to noon.

It’s well worth planning for.

Parrot Key Caribbean Grill, 2500 Main St., Fort Myers Beach; (239) 463-7333; open daily at 11 a.m. except for Sundays (9 a.m.); myparrotkey.com; follow on Facebook and Instagram  

Jean Le Boeuf is the brand under which our restaurant critics have written for more than 40 years. This article came from staff writer Robyn George. Connect: [email protected].

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Fort Myers Beach's 5 best cold drinks to savor