SAN CARLOS ISLAND, Fla. — The group behind Doc Ford's and Dixie Fish Company is reimagining an entire block on San Carlos Island, turning the former Bonita Bill's into a community gathering space with dining, entertainment, and marina access.
Watch as Fort Myers Beach Community Correspondent, Anvar Ruziev, takes you inside the soon-to-be restaurant.
The former Bonita Bill's property was sold back in December and has been closed for remodeling since then.
The group behind Doc Ford's and Dixie Fish Company bought Bonita Bill's around the New Year. They plan to transform this area into a destination—a place where visitors can eat, drink, walk along the water, and listen to live music.
"We've discussed maybe naming it Fisherman's Wharf Fort Myers Beach and making it like a destination, almost like Tin City in Naples or something along those lines to where there's multiple options for people all hours of the day," said Joe Harrity, HM Restaurant Group managing partner.
Bonita Fish Company will feature a brand-new menu, a relocated center bar, and a floating dock marina behind the restaurant with 40 slips for boaters. The group says this renovation isn't about erasing history—it's about building on it.
"The heart and soul of what Bonita Bill's was is going to maintain. So, you know, it's important to preserve that and not change it, I think," Harrity said.
Bonita Bill's wasn't just a restaurant—it was a community gathering place for painters, club meetings, and non-profit events.
The new owners say that spirit will stay. The catering hall right next door is being remodeled to host weddings, parties, and club gatherings of up to 150 people, and it will remain open to the community.
"We want to take full advantage and allow people to have their events here and make it a really, really awesome community space," Harrity said.
The group hopes to open Bonita Fish Company by October, with the floating dock being added next year.
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