St. Patrick's Day: Six places to eat, drink in Fort Myers, Cape, Bonita this weekend
St. Patrick's Day food has become much more than corned beef, cabbage and potatoes.
Sure, big-box stores sell this Irish food if you want to cook this feast at home.
But for those looking to venture out, there are plenty of options from Fort Myers to Bonita Springs.
Here's where to celebrate March 17 (unless otherwise noted), the day everyone is Irish at least for a few hours.
McGregor's Public House has first St. Patrick's Day celebration
Make history by celebrating the first St. Patrick's Day at McGregor's Public House in Bell Tower, Fort Myers.
Start at 8 a.m. Saturday, March 16, with McGregor’s Kilts & Kilometers Run. All participants of age receive a free beer or non-alcoholic beverage by showing their medal. Sign up at https://runsignup.com/Race/FL/FortMyers/McGregorsKilts5K.
Then savor some live music, with Celtic Stew from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.; Chris Bepko from 3-6 p.m.; and Donnacha Tierney from 7-10 p.m. Saturday.
"We’ll be hosting a wee countdown to St. Paddy’s at midnight, a free Guinness toast for those partying alongside us as we ring in our favorite holiday!" McGregor's announced on Facebook.
McGregor's opens at 10 a.m. Sunday and closes at 1 a.m., serving up creative Irish-flavored food along with brews like Riptide Patio Paddy Irish Coffee Porter, Palm City The Foggy Dew Hazy IPA and Port Ybel The Rowdy Stout.
Live music and entertainment all day begins at noon with Kellyn Celtic Arts, followed Briz & Lady starting at 1 p.m.; Kellyn Celtic Arts at 6:30 p.m.; Guns & Hoses Pipes & Drums of SWFL at 7 p.m. and The Rowdy Bards at 8 p.m.
The Dek in Cape Coral goes green on St. Paddy's Day
The Dek, 915 S.E. 47th Terrace, Cape Coral, opens at 7 a.m. Sunday with a full bar for breakfast.
Enjoy $3 green beer, $7 car bombs and $4 shot and $5 drink specials. Starting at noon, The Dek is serving up $12 corned beef and colcannon (a traditional Irish dish of mashed potatoes with cabbage) "until it's gone," said The Dek's Facebook page.
Live music begins at 10 a.m., with Aimee Linn Burns, followed by Tequila Tom at 2 p.m. and The Crank Ups at 7 pm.
Fort Myers Brewing Co. offers three-day celebration
Every few years, the party stars align to give us a three-day St. Patrick's Day weekend that wraps up on Sunday.
Fort Myers Brewing Co., 12811 Commerce Lakes Drive, Suite 28, Fort Myers, is celebrating St. Patrick’s Day all weekend, March 15-17, by featuring specialty beer releases, food trucks and live music.
Guests can expect specialty dishes from various food trucks, live performances and festivities for families, friends and pets to enjoy. Food will be dished up by food truck partners, including Don’t Give Up, Island Vibez Grill, MAD Brunch, Mambo, Tia’s Kitchen and Wicked Streatery.
Chasing Denver, Jacob’s Ladder and Gator Nate will perform live music.
Fort Myers Brewing also is releasing specialty beers to celebrate the occasion, including an Irish Red Ale, Turn the Lights Stout, a festive green seltzer and green seltzer slushie.
The full schedule is available at FMBrew.com.
Hooked is all-in for St. Patrick's Day
Less than a week after opening a new location in Cape Coral, Hooked Island Grill (4721 SE 10th Place) is ready to celebrate with bagpipers (around 2 or 3 p.m.), and food and drink specials all day on Sunday, March 17.
"We want to be present and accounted for on all holidays," co-owner Erik Lebsack said. "We'll have a special St. Patrick's Day menu."
It includes corned beef, cabbage and red potatoes, plus an Irish Philly and shredded corned beef, sauerkraut and Swiss cheese-filled egg rolls. Green beer and $3 shots of Proper Twelve will be available too.
Don some green and check out downtown Cape's newest restaurant. It opens at 11 a.m.
Follow Hooked in Cape Coral on Facebook.
Scotty's Bierwerks kicks off weekend with one-day bash
Scotty's, 901 Industrial Circle, Cape Coral, is getting the party started early with a bash from 1-11 p.m. Friday, March 15. Irish red ale, oatmeal stout and cherry stout are $5 all day. Two Brothers will have an all-Irish food menu with a corned beef, cabbage & carrots plate, shepherd's pie empanadas and corned beef sandwiches from 2-9 p.m. Double Dee's Munchies will be selling its ever-popular cheese steaks beginning at 5 p.m. Chris Bepko performs from 6-9 p.m.
Follow Scotty's on Instagram for more.
Lansdowne Street Pub in Bonita Springs hosting block party
Lansdowne Street Pub, 24851 S. Tamiami Trail, Bonita, will host its 17th annual all-day block party. This includes live music, green beer and more. Find more details on Facebook.
And you’re in luck – here are a few bonus places.
Whiskey Creek Station: This McGregor Boulevard restaurant (formerly Clancey’s) will be open all day Sunday, March 17, serving Irish food with Irish music. There will be corned beef and cabbage, bangers and mash, shepherd’s pie, Ruben, fish and chips and cold Guinness or some Irish whiskey. Free shots all day. (11481 McGregor Blvd., Fort Myers; 239-482-3241; whiskeycreekstation.com)
Luminary Hotel: The downtown Fort Myers hotel is all in on St. Patrick’s Day with drink specials at Beacon Social Drinkery Rooftop Bar and the Lobby Bar; food and drink specials at Chips Sports Pub (239-314-3862 for reservations) and Oxbow Bar & Grill (239-314-3856 for reservations) and food specials at Ella Mae’s Diner. (2200 Edwards Drive, Fort Myers, luminaryhotel.com)
Ford’s Garage: Through March 18, all locations will offer a Mint Condition Milkshake (a shot of Jameson Irish Whiskey can be added) and St. Patty’s Melt. (Fordsgarageusa.com)
Prime 239: The Cape Coral steakhouse will have an exclusive Irish whiskey flight for $30 on Saturday, March 16. This rare tasting experience features 1-ounce pours each of Tullamore D.E.W. Honey, Paddy’s Old Irish and Limavady Single Barrel. (1715 Cape Coral Parkway W, Cape Coral, 239-673-8816, prime239.com)
Millennial Brewing: The St. Paddy’s celebration begins at 5 p.m. Friday, March 15, and runs all weekend with Irish food from five food trucks, music by The Rowdy Bards (7-10 p.m. Friday) and The Lineup (6-9 p.m. Saturday), house brewed Irish stout and red, games, activities, contests and more. (1811 Royal Palm Ave., Fort Myers, 239-271-2255, millennialbrewing.com)
And more: Many other local restaurants will be serving up Irish fare including Overtime Pizzeria, Bayside Burger & Beer, Mel’s, Ralph’s Place, 10 Twenty Five, Fish Tale Grill, First Round Draft, Sunflower Cafe, Nervous Nellie’s, Bayside Grill and Buster’s to name a few. Check with your favorite eatery to see what they’re cooking up special this weekend.
Dave Osborn is the regional features editor of the Naples Daily News and News-Press. Follow him on Instagram and Threads @lacrossewriter and on X (formerly Twitter) @NDN_dosborn.
Robyn George is a food and dining reporter for The News-Press. Connect at [email protected]
This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: 6 places to eat, drink for St. Paddy's Day in Fort Myers, Cape, Bonita
