Buckingham Farms
12931 Orange River Blvd, Fort Myers – (239)206-2303
If you’re willing to wait, because Buckingham Farms does not take reservations, this sweet farm-to-table restaurant offers a perfect Mother’s Day outing. As your table is prepared, stroll the farm and gardens. Many items on the menu are grown right on the property, and if a sweet brunch is on mom’s to-do list for the day, she will be delighted by Buckingham Farms’ candied bacon Belgian waffle or bananas foster Belgian waffle. If savory is the theme of your Mother’s Day, the crab cake salad or roasted beet salad provides a crispy alternative to the sweet. The menu here is dynamic, with everything from a Granny Smith grilled cheese to an avocado and egg biscuit. Arrive early and stay for the rustic charm. Buckingham Farms closes at 4 p.m.
Wickies Lighthouse Restaurant
362 Periwinkle Way #2, Sanibel – (239)472-0011
This quaint eatery, just off the Causeway toward Sanibel’s historic lighthouse, offers several outdoor tables along with indoor dining. Wickies also accepts reservations. Upon this printing, there were no reservations available until after 12 p.m. Mother’s Day. To start, Wickies serves an elaborate Bloody Mary, topped with bacon and a sweet pink shrimp. Homemade biscuits are perfect in the morning, but their strawberry zinfandel salad may be just the taste Mom is looking for at lunch. Fried green tomatoes and shrimp and grits round out Wickies’ southern fare. After your meal, a walk around the tip of the island might be nice. Enjoy exceptional fare – linger for a visit on Sanibel.
Izzy’s Fish and Oyster
2282 1st St., Fort Myers – (239)337-4999…