Port Charlotte and Punta Gorda, Florida Restaurant Recommendations for a Romantic Dinner

Just south across the bridge from Port Charlotte is Punta Gorda. There, you will find a beautiful, romantic restaurant, Laishley Crab House. The Crab House is located at 150 Laishley Court. Built in 2009, Laishley Crab House offers a full array of succulent dishes from the sea.

Atmosphere at Laishley Crab House

If you and your partner stop at the bar to have a drink before dining, you'll be fascinated with the giant crab suspended over the bar. Lightly stained wood barn siding covers the non-windowed walls of the Laishley Crab House. Light and airy, the Crab House has wide, tall windows facing the Peace River. Looking north and west over the Peace River, you can celebrate your love and watch the waters glisten. Ask for a booth facing the windows to watch the show that only nature can perform.

For outdoor dining, the screened-in deck overlooking the water assures bugs will not be dining with you. The windows have shades to pull down to block the sunlight if need be.

Menu at Laishley Crab House

Entrees range in price from $13.00 to $35.00. Market price seafood is also available. When it comes to seafood, Laishley's Crab House fills the bill. Crab legs, blue crab and stone crab, when in season, provide a tactile, dining experience best shared by two. Menu selections include a variety of shrimp, catfish, lobster, salmon, and mahi.

If your partner is a landlubber, steak and chicken entrees are also on the menu. Believe it or not, Laishley also offers a great sushi menu. Sharing sushi is a lovely gesture between two lovers, don't you think?

Portofino's

A great place for a night of cooing and staring into one's eyes is Portofino's. Perched on the shore of the Peace River in Port Charlotte, Portofino's promises a lovely evening by the water's edge with gourmet-prepared entrees to please the palate. Located at 23241 Bayshore Road, Portofino's serves great seafood and Italian fare.

Atmosphere at Portofino's

Sporting a comfortable wood bar with a wall of windows facing the Peace River, there's no table where you won't see rippling waters from main floor seating at Portofino's. If you are lucky, you'll get a table beside the full-length glass windows. The Panini bar on the main floor has a variety of alcohol and non-alcohol beverages for partners to toast.

If it's not too hot outdoors, choose a table on the deck facing the river. Watch the sun's reflection shimmer across the water as you sip your cocktails and talk about your latest adventures together. If you prefer a fancier place for lovebirds, then the upstairs Tuscany Room is the place.

Menu at Portofino's

With entrees priced from $12.00 to $24.00 , most anyone can find a dish to enjoy. Delicious fish dishes like Shrimp and Scallop Alfredo and Lobster Ravioli are on the menu. Sausages, Peppers, and Meatballs or Steak Sinatra can be ordered. A variety of chicken, veal, steaks, and pork entrees are offerings as well.

The Captain's Table

The third restaurant to have a romantic dinner with your honey is The Captain's Table in Fisherman's Village. On the second story of the Fisherman's Village shopping area, The Captain's Table is located at 1200 West Retta Esplanade, #55 in Punta Gorda.

Atmosphere at The Captain's Table

The Captain's Table has a lovely, upscale waiting area and a beautiful bar lined with windows to the water on two sides. If you prefer, dine al fresco on the deck over the Peace River as you watch the sun descend. Couples visiting the area love to dine at The Captain's Table. The two level main dining area offers water views from nearly every table and booth. Flickering low candles on the tables are lit once the sun goes down. The wait staff are cordial and can tell you how entrees are prepared.

Menu at The Captain's Table

Entrees range from $17.00 to $32.00. Market price seafood like lobster and grouper are also available. Other seafood choices include Seafood Fettucini, Barcelona Chicken, Dry Rub Delmonico Steak, or Surf and Turf. Although this restaurant is known to be a little pricey, this author finds the romantic and intimate dining experiences at The Captain's Table to be consistently well-worth the costs.

Sources

Laishley Crab House website.

Personal Experience Dining at All 3 Restaurants.

Portofino's website.

The Captain's Table website.