Dixie Fish Company marks a decade of serving fresh seafood with a side of local history

Dixie Fish Company is celebrating its 10th anniversary as the current restaurant in January, while honoring over 85 years of history as a destination for the freshest seafood in Southwest Florida. Originally established on Fort Myers Beach in 1937 as The Dixie Fish Co., a wholesale and retail fish market, the award-winning waterfront restaurant honors its origins by serving the catch of the day and signature menu items, including apple moonshine-spiked mussels, grouper “cheeks” and Yucatan shrimp. 

“Dixie Fish Company partners with top produce farms, cattle ranches and fisheries, ensuring every dish is the best and the freshest. Our seafood is an authentic taste of the Gulf,” said Joe Harrity, a partner with HM Restaurant Group, which owns and operates Dixie Fish Company. “The restaurant carries on the tradition and heritage of the original fish house as the premier place for seafood and as a proprietor of the area’s culinary history.”

The historic building has weathered numerous hurricanes over the decades, including Hurricane Ian and most recently Hurricane Milton, a testament to its resilience and enduring legacy of Fort Myers Beach’s commercial fishing and seafood traditions.

Offering open-air waterfront dining, live music most nights and a touch of Southern charm, Dixie Fish Company is a 2023 Yelp Top 100 Florida Restaurant and Tripadvisor’s No. 1 ranked of 74 Fort Myers Beach restaurants. Its buttermilk-battered fried whole fish, served the “Dixie way” with garlic butter sauce, was featured on The Food Network. Menu items are made from scratch and made to order.

“While we love the recognition the restaurant receives, what’s most important are our satisfied customers,” said Harrity. “We have a lot of locals who dine with us frequently, as well as seasonal residents and vacationers who make a point of visiting Dixie Fish Company as soon as they’re back in Southwest Florida. We are honored and humbled by the loyalty and community support we’ve received over the past decade.”

Overlooking scenic Matanzas Pass, the restaurant offers a lively and vibrant atmosphere often accompanied by acoustic island-inspired music. With a tin roof, a wide-open windowless interior and waterfront patios. It was also the epicenter of the “pink gold” Gulf shrimp industry in the 1950s.

Today, Dixie Fish Company is a beacon of the deep ties to Fort Myers Beach’s historic commercial fishing.

In addition to peel-and-eat shrimp, a raw bar, smoked fish dip and a changing menu determined by the catches of the day, the restaurant also offers non-seafood selections, including salads, sandwiches and burgers – all best followed by a slice of homemade Key lime pie.

Open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., the restaurant is renowned for delivering a legendary guest experience. Dixie Fish Company is located at 714 Fishermans Wharf, Fort Myers Beach. Visit dixiefishfmb.com or call 239-233-8837 for more information.