New at Doc Ford’s in 2025: Bone-in pork chop, shrimp dishes and Yucatan fried chicken sandwich

Yucatan sauce, the zesty star of Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille’s signature Yucatan shrimp, leaps from seafood to chicken in the new year. The Caribbean-meets-Colombia condiment flavors the crispy fried chicken sandwich and Yucatan baked oysters – among the new salads, sandwiches and entrees introduced for 2025. A blackened shrimp wrap, bone-in pork chop and shrimp salad are also new for the new year.

“We’re excited to introduce these new dishes which are inspired by customer input and comments,” said Joe Harrity, a partner with HM Restaurant Group, the parent company of Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille. “Our Yucatan sauce is a fan favorite and pairs so well with many flavor profiles.”

Served on a toasted brioche bun, the Yucatan chicken sandwich is topped with pickles, mild sambal remoulade and the famed sauce. The new baked oyster dish features fresh-shucked oysters marinated in Yucatan sauce and baked with a creamy Manchego cheese topping. Both dishes offer a playful spin on Doc Ford’s Yucatan shrimp, heralded by The New York Times as “a vacation on a plate.” The savory made-from-scratch sauce is a mélange of butter, garlic, fresh cilantro, Key lime juice and mild Colombian chilis.

For hearty appetites, Doc Ford’s introduces a juicy grilled bone-in pork chop finished with a rich caramelized apple demi-glace and accompanied with creamy garlic mashed red potatoes and buttered broccolini. Lighter bites new for 2025 include the shrimp salad and shrimp wrap, the former featuring chopped shrimp tossed with fresh dill, mayo, celery and a touch of Dijon. It’s served on a bed of organic greens with avocado, cucumber, tomatoes and a drizzle of lemon dressing. For the wrap, blackened shrimp is paired with an avocado-tomato salsa, shredded lettuce, red cabbage, crispy chopped bacon, queso fresco and tangy chimichurri aioli served in a toasted flour tortilla.

“Our new menu items are packed with flavor and give our customers even more options,” Harrity said. “Our chefs have been fine-tuning and perfecting these new recipes the past few months.”

The menu additions are available at Doc Ford’s four locations: Sanibel, Fort Myers Beach, the St. Petersburg Pier and Jungle Terrace in St. Petersburg.

Renowned for its legendary guest experience, Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille is open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Owned and operated by HM Restaurant Group, the award-winning restaurant offers food with a unique balance of flavors inspired by the Caribbean Rim. Revered for its sauces and spices, Doc Ford’s is highly regarded by locals and visitors alike as a spectacular seafood restaurant. Established on Sanibel in 2003, Doc Ford’s is a perennial Tripadvisor Travelers’ Choice winner; the Pier restaurant was named the county’s No. 1 Best of the Best Restaurants for Everyday Eats in 2023.

Doc Ford’s also offers live music most nights at its Fort Myers Beach, Jungle Terrace and St. Petersburg Pier locations.