Blue Giraffe Island Bar & Grill - Sanibel

Blue Giraffe Island Bar and Grill on Sanibel Island serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily at Periwinkle Place.

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Blue Giraffe Sanibel Island

Blue Giraffe Island Bar and Grill has been part of the Sanibel Island dining scene for years, and its comeback story after Hurricane Ian is one worth knowing. When the island reopened to the public after Ian, Blue Giraffe was already there, operating as a food truck and helping make food-truck permitting on Sanibel possible in the first place. After 863 days, the brick-and-mortar location reopened in March 2025 at Periwinkle Place.

Owner Michael Puente, who purchased the Blue Giraffe in June 2023 and was mentored by former owner Bill Letendre, has built a menu that honors the original while adding new touches. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, a full bar, hand-painted giraffe art mural, and a patio that welcomes pets. The Blue Giraffe is back and running strong.

The Blue Giraffe has long been one of the most recognizable restaurants on Sanibel Island, and the new brick-and-mortar location at Periwinkle Place picks up right where the original left off.

Voted Best Breakfast at Best of the Islands, the restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner seven days a week in a casual, comfortable space filled with the giraffe artwork that has always been part of its identity.

Indoor Seating

The indoor space is casual and comfortable with a relaxed island vibe throughout. Seating is available for both small tables and larger groups.

The air conditioning feels so good on a hot Florida Gulf Coast afternoon.

Indoor Bar

Blue Giraffe has a full-service bar inside serving signature cocktails, wine, domestic and imported beer, and frozen drinks. The bar has counter seating with tall chairs.

Outdoor Seating

The outdoor patio at Blue Giraffe sits within the garden atmosphere of Periwinkle Place and is pet-friendly. A nice option on a good Sanibel morning or evening.

Please be prepared for the Florida Gulf Coast weather and humidity. We had an amazing lunch, soaking in a nice breeze on the patio during our last visit. It was super comfortable, and everyone was having a great time.

Blue Giraffe Sanibel Menu

Breakfast is served from 8:30 AM to 11:00 AM daily. Lunch and dinner run from 11:00 AM through close at 8:00 PM. The full bar is available all day.

Breakfast Menu Highlights

Benedicts - Fisherman's Benedict (a Blue Giraffe signature), Traditional Eggs Benedict. Served with your choice of side.

Breakfast Specialties - Chicken and Biscuits, Breakfast Quiche, & Breakfast Sandwich.

Pancakes and French Toast - Cinnamon French Toast, pancakes with your choice of toppings.

Other Breakfast Favorites - Granola, omelets. Build your own omelet with your choice of fillings. Served with toast and home fries.

Sides - Home fries, toast, fresh fruit.

Lunch and Dinner Menu Highlights

Appetizers - Pelican Wings, Jennifer's Mona Lisa, Nacho Problem, Chi-Town Egg Rolls, Beachview Bavarian Pretzels, Periwinkle Potato Bites, Loco Coco Shrimp, Killer Skins. Chef Geoffrey's Clam Chowder also available.

Salads and Wraps - Caesar Salad, House Salad, BG Bistro Salad (mixed greens, strawberries, mandarin oranges, walnuts, blue cheese, raspberry vinaigrette), Crispy Chicken Asian Salad, Taco Salad. Proteins can be added to any salad.

From the Cocina - BG Fajita, BG Burrito, Crunchy Triple Tail Tacos, Gringo Tacos, Causeway Quesadilla, Blue Giraffe Fish Tacos.

Island Craft Burgers - All burgers served with your choice of side. Bella Burger, Black and Blue, Barnyard Burger, Tex-Mex Burger. Veggie gluten-free patty available.

Sandwiches - Triple Tail Reuben, BG Reuben, Pork and Slaw Signature (slow-cooked pulled pork, creamy slaw, melted cheddar), Turkey Club, Fried Chicken BLT, Chicken Caprese Sandwich, Triple Tail Sandwich, Shrimp and Chips (beer battered shrimp with French fries and Sanibel Slaw), Fish and Chips (beer battered fish with French fries and Sanibel Slaw), Cuban Sandwich (slow-cooked pulled pork, grilled ham, Swiss, pickle spears, dijon mayo, pressed on Miami bakery bread). All sandwiches served with choice of standard side.

Dinner Entrees (4:00 PM to 8:00 PM) - Island Chicken Piccata, Pork Osso Buco, Coconut Shrimp Dinner, Coconut Mahi-Mahi, Pasta Pacifico, Triple Tail Sunset, Tropical Salmon.

Gluten-Free - Veggie gluten-free burger patty available. Confirm additional gluten-free options with your server on the day of your visit.

Vegetarian - Veggie gluten-free burger patty, Causeway Quesadilla (confirm filling), salads with vinaigrette dressings, and select pasta dishes. Confirm current options with your server.

Vegan - Select salads with oil-based dressing. Confirm specifics with your server.

Why you will love Blue Giraffe Sanibel

• Voted Best Breakfast at Best of the Islands
• Breakfast, lunch, and dinner seven days a week
• Full bar with signature frozen cocktails
• Pet-friendly outdoor patio
• Gluten-free options available
• Kids menu
• One of the great comeback stories on Sanibel Island post-Hurricane Ian
• Centrally located in Periwinkle Place with easy parking

 

Things to know when planning a visit to Blue Giraffe Sanibel Island

Address - 2075 Periwinkle Way #14, Sanibel, Florida 33957 (located in Periwinkle Place shopping center)

Phone - 239-579-0024

Hours - Open daily 8:30 AM to 8:00 PM. Breakfast served 8:30 AM to 11:00 AM. Thursday through Saturday limited menu available until 11:00 PM.

Please confirm with the restaurant to ensure that the hours have not changed.

Accessibility - Periwinkle Place has accessible parking and a ramp to the level entrance to the restaurant. One floor with space between tables.

Plus Size Seating - The seats did not have arms and were comfortable

Dress Code/Suggestions - Casual

Pets - Pets are allowed on the outside patio

Parking  - There is a nice size parking area for Periwinkle Place shopping center/

Sanibel Restaurants and Attractions nearby

 Pinocchio's Original Italian Ice Cream - Right in Periwinkle Place, steps from the Blue Giraffe. A great after-meal stop.

Tutti Pazzi Italian Kitchen - Wood-fired pizza and Italian food just off Periwinkle Way. Great for dinner.

Doc Ford's Rum Bar and Grille - A Sanibel staple for lunch or dinner with a full bar and great Gulf seafood.

Over Easy Cafe - Voted Best Breakfast and Best Lunch on Sanibel. Just down Periwinkle Way.

The Shack of Sanibel - Fresh frozen custard on the east end of Periwinkle Way.

The Magic Bus Sanibel - Ice cream, smoothies, acai bowls, and a bright yellow VW bus that makes for a great photo.

Sanibel Cafe - Breakfast and lunch with the famous fossilized shell tabletops. A Sanibel classic.

Bowman's Beach - The best shelling beach on the island. A short drive from Periwinkle Place.

Gulfside City Park Beach - A quieter stretch of beach with great shelling and Gulf views.

Captiva and Sanibel Island Beaches Guide - Full guide to every beach park on both islands.

Best Ice Cream on Sanibel and Captiva Island - Full guide to every ice cream shop on both islands.

Sanibel & Captiva Island Tours

Sunset Dolphin Cruise with Sanibel Lighthouse Views Rated 4.9 with over 370 reviews. A 1.5-hour cruise that passes the Sanibel Lighthouse at sunset with dolphin sightings along the way. One of the most consistently well-reviewed tours in the area.

Daytime Dolphin Cruise Near Sanibel Rated 4.9. Passes the Sanibel Lighthouse and Twin Sister Key, a secluded island only reachable by boat.

Private Boat Tour - Fort Myers Beach and Sanibel A private option for groups or families who want a more personal experience on the water.

Sanibel Captiva Island Moke Adventure Day Trip Rental Rated 4.9 with 16 reviews. A self-guided day trip around Sanibel and Captiva in a vintage electric Moke vehicle. A genuinely fun and different way to see the islands.

Check out all of the nearby tours here