The Sanibel and Captiva communities recently celebrated the return of the annual “Best of the Islands” awards, a tradition honoring top local businesses for the first time since Hurricane Ian in 2022. Hosted by Breeze Newspapers’ Sanibel-Captiva Islander and Island Reporter, the awards luncheon was held on September 9 at Sundial Beach Resort & Spa. More than 100 categories recognized the best of the best, with winners determined by community votes submitted online and via ballots in the local papers.
A total of 115 awards were distributed, with several businesses earning multiple accolades. The top winners included:
- Sundial Beach Resort & Spa, which took home six awards, including a remarkable tenth consecutive win for Best Full Service Resort. The resort was also recognized for its Gulf Front Dining, Pickleball Courts, and Wedding Venue. Its restaurants were also honored, with Shima Japanese Steakhouse & Sushi Bar winning Best Sushi and Turtle’s Tiki Bar taking Best Tiki Bar.
- Cielo, which received five awards: Best Fine Dining, Best Martini, Best Steak, and Best Wine Selection. Additionally, Cielo’s Chef Taylor Trinkle was named Best Chef.
- Kingfisher, which earned five awards across its businesses: Kingfisher Vacation Rentals won Best Cottage Rentals, Best Property Vacation Management, and Best Vacation Rental Agency. Kingfisher Real Estate was named Best Real Estate Agency, and Phaidra McDermott earned Best Real Estate Agent.
- Pinocchio’s Original Italian Ice Cream, which won five awards for Best Dessert Cafe, Best Dessert Item, Best Frozen Yogurt, Best Gelato, and Best Ice Cream.
First-time winner Wickies Lighthouse Restaurant, which opened in 2024, received two awards, including Best New Restaurant. Co-owners Max and Bridget Kolshak and Brian and Elke Podlasek expressed their pride and gratitude for the community’s support. Wickies’ staff member Robin Roberts was also honored as Best Server, an acknowledgment of her long-standing dedication to the islands’ service industry.
Individual honors were also given to members of the community. Sanibel Fire and Rescue District Assistant Fire Chief Chris Jackson was named Best Firefighter, and Sanibel Police Department Officer Steven Royka earned Best Police Officer. The Humanitarian award was given to Roger Grogman, a dedicated community member involved with organizations like Community Housing & Resources (CHR), the Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife (CROW), and the Sanibel-Captiva Rotary Club.
2025 Best of the Islands Winners
- Air Conditioning Company: Sanibel Air & Electric
- Art Gallery: Tower Gallery
- Association Management: Island Management
- Attorney: Jason Maughan
- Auto Service: Island Garage
- Bakery: Jerry’s Foods
- Bank: Bank of the Islands
- Bar: MudBugs Cajun Kitchen
- Bartender: Kerri St. John at MudBugs Cajun Kitchen
- Beer Selection: MudBugs Cajun Kitchen
- Bicycle Rental: Billy’s Rentals
- Book Store: MacIntosh Books + Paper
- Breakfast: Over Easy Cafe
- Builder: Dan Hahn Custom Builders
- Burger: The Original Cheeburger Cheeburger
- Chef: Chef Taylor Trinkle at Cielo
- Chiropractor: Dr. Greg Walsh at Sanibel Chiropractic
- Coffee Bar: Jerry’s Foods
- Convenience Store: Huxter’s Market & Deli
- Cottage Rentals: Kingfisher Vacation Rentals
- Craft Shop: She Sells Sea Shells
- Custard: The Shack of Sanibel
- Deli: Sanibel Deli & Coffee Factory
- Design Center: Sanibel Design Center
- Dessert Cafe: Pinocchio’s Original Italian Ice Cream
- Dessert Item: Pinocchio’s Original Italian Ice Cream
- Diner: The Sanibel Cafe
- Electrical Company: Sanibel Air & Electric
- Event Facility: The Community House/Sanibel Community Association
- Family Dining: Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille
- Financial Services: Bank of the Islands
- Fine Dining: Cielo
- Fire Fighter: Assistant Fire Chief Chris Jackson at Sanibel Fire and Rescue District
- Florist: Floral Artistry Studios
- Frozen Yogurt: Pinocchio’s Original Italian Ice Cream
- Full Service Resort: Sundial Beach Resort & Spa
- Furniture: Home by Rachel Pierce
- Garden Center: Forever Green Ace Hardware
- Gelato: Pinocchio’s Original Italian Ice Cream
- Gift Shop: Suncatchers’ Dream
- Glass and Mirror Company: Sanibel Glass & Mirror
- Golf Course: The Dunes Golf & Tennis Club
- Grocery Store: Jerry’s Foods
- Gulf Front Dining: Sundial Beach Resort & Spa
- Hair Salon/Barber: Sanibel Day Spa
- Happy Hour: MudBugs Cajun Kitchen
- Hardware Store: Forever Green Ace Hardware
- Health Club: Sanibel Recreation Department
- Hidden Gem: Sanibel Island Farmers Market
- Home Interior Design: Decorating Den Interiors
- Home Watch Services: Palm Paradise Handyman Services
- Hotel/Inn: Sanibel Inn
- Humanitarian: Roger Grogman
- Ice Cream: Pinocchio’s Original Italian Ice Cream
- Insurance Agency: Heidrick & Co. Insurance and Risk Management
- Insurance Agent: Holli Martin at Heidrick & Co. Insurance and Risk Management
- Island Gear Rental: Billy’s Rentals
- Italian Dining: Tutti Pazzi Italian Kitchen
- Jeweler: Congress Jewelers
- Landscape Contractor: R.S. Walsh Landscaping
- Local Entertainer/Band: Danny Morgan
- Locksmith: Island Locksmith
- Lunch: Over Easy Cafe
- Marina: Sanibel Island Marina
- Martini: Cielo
- Massage Therapy: Sanibel Day Spa
- Mortgage Broker: Bank of the Islands
- Museum: Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum & Aquarium
- Nail Salon: Sanibel Day Spa
- New Business: The Bel Bagels & Deli
- New Restaurant: Wickies Lighthouse Restaurant
- Non-Profit: FISH of Sanibel-Captiva
- Optometrist: Dr. Michael Pham at Sanibel Eyecare
- Painting Company: Barefoot Charley’s Painting
- Personal Trainer: Mahnaz Bassiri at Island Therapy Center
- Pet Store: Pierce’s Paw Paradise
- Pharmacy: CVS Pharmacy
- Pickleball Courts: Sundial Beach Resort & Spa
- Pizza: The Great White Grill
- Place For Entertainment: BIG ARTS
- Place For Family Fun: J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge
- Place To Watch The Game: The Sanibel Grill
- Plumber: Walker Plumbing
- Police Officer: Officer Steven Royka at Sanibel Police Department
- Pool Service: Banner Pool Service
- Pool Store: Banner Pool Service
- Primary Care Physician: Dr. Danielle Olson-Basora at Lee Physician Group
- Printer: SanCap Pak-N-Ship
- Private Jet Charter: Air Trek
- Property Vacation Management: Kingfisher Vacation Rentals
- Real Estate Agency: Kingfisher Real Estate
- Real Estate Agent: Phaidra McDermott at Kingfisher Real Estate
- Real Estate Team: Pfeifer Realty Group
- Remodeling Contractor: Total Access Builders
- Roofing Company: Roman Roofing
- Seafood: Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille
- Server: Robin Roberts at Wickies Lighthouse Restaurant
- Service Organization/Club: Sanibel-Captiva Rotary Club
- Shell Shop: She Sells Sea Shells
- Shopping Experience: Periwinkle Place Shops
- Sightseeing Cruise: Captiva Cruises
- Spa: Sanibel Day Spa
- Steak: Cielo
- Sushi: Shima Japanese Steakhouse & Sushi Bar
- Swimwear: Everything But Water
- Taxi/Limo Service: Island Taxi
- Tennis Courts: The Dunes Golf & Tennis Club
- Tiki Bar: Turtle’s Tiki Bar at Sundial Beach Resort & Spa
- Title Company: Superior Title
- Trust Company: Florida Trust Wealth Management
- Vacation Rental Agency: Kingfisher Vacation Rentals
- Veterinarian: VCA Sanibel Animal Hospital
- Wedding Venue: Sundial Beach Resort & Spa
- Wine Selection: Cielo
- Women’s Clothing: On Island Sanibel
