Stone crab season 2021: 12 restaurants in Naples, Fort Myers for stonies

The traps have been baited, set and left to soak for more than a week. Friday morning, in the pre-dawn darkness, crabbers around the state will pull up their first stone crabs of the season. 

"If it goes like it did last year, it'll be great," said Dallas Ryan, manager of Island Crab Co. in St. James City. "Last year and the year before that were both really good."

Ryan's hoping for a three-peat. 

Stone crab is a $30 million annual industry in Florida. Stone crab claws are one of the priciest Gulf of Mexico seafoods, fetching $40 to $70 or more per pound at restaurants during the 2020-2021 season. Crabbers like to say stone crab is also one of the more environmentally friendly forms of fishing, since only one claw per crustacean is harvested and the crabs are tossed back to regenerate. 

The season for stone crab, which used to run Oct. 15-May 15, was shortened to May 1 starting last year in an attempt to protect female crabs who carry their eggs in the spring. Despite the shorter time frame, crabbers like Ryan are hopeful for good weather, strong prices and plentiful claws. 

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Island Crab has two stone crab boats and two more local boats with which it partners. Ryan said his crews hauled in 600-800 pounds of stone crab claws on the first day of the 2020 season.

Island Crab supplies Phelan Family Brands — which owns the Pinchers and Deep Lagoon Seafood chains — as well as several more locally owned restaurants throughout Southwest Florida. Bushels of stone crab claws go straight from the company's boats, into its massive steamers, then on to markets and restaurants. 

"We'll get them there before dinnertime (Friday)," Ryan said, "at least that's the plan."

For lovers of stone crab, there are no words more mouthwatering. The crustaceans are known to be sweeter, juicier and more tender than even lobster. Purists insists the cracked claws are perfect on their own, dipped in melted butter or classic mustard sauce. 

Since most claws are steamed dockside, they're usually served chilled or lightly sauteed to preserve the tender meat. Smaller claws sell for lower prices while the jumbo and colossal-sized claws can sell for $100 per pound in a fine-dining setting. 

However, according to research by the Sun-Sentinel, medium-sized stone crab claws pack the most crab per dollar with no discernible difference in taste from their larger counterparts. 

Whether you're a stone-crab rookie or a longtime aficionado, here are 12 Southwest Florida restaurants where you can get stonies. 

Blue Dog Bar & Grill

Run by a pair of native Floridians, this Matlacha restaurant celebrates all things local — be it produce, craft beer, or plump, buttery stone crabs. Co-owner John Lynch said he's certain to have stonies in stock Saturday, though he has his fingers crossed that some might make it in Friday night. While on Matlacha, head across the street and buy some stone crabs to go from the local crabbers at Island Seafood Market. 

(4597 Pine Island Road, Matlacha; 239-558-4970; bluedogmatlacha.com)

JLB REVIEW:Blue Dog Bar & Grill is deliciously un-revolutionary

Captain & Krewe 

Part market, part oyster bar, part delicious restaurant (loaded hush puppies! mmm), Naples' Captain & Krewe partners with local anglers and crabbers to keep their catches fresh. 

(629 Eighth St. S., Naples; 239-263-1976; cknaples.com)

Fishtale Grill

Attached to the decades-old Merrick Seafood in Cape Coral, Fishtale takes the fresh offerings from the market, local stonies included, and gives them a chef's touch. 

(1229 SE 47th Terrace, Cape Coral; 239-257-3167; facebook.com/fishtalegrillbymerrickseafood)

Kelly's Fish House Dining Room

Naples' oldest restaurant is also one of its best for stone crabs. At the 68-year-old Kelly's, you can crack open a heap of claws while soaking in views of the Gordon River. 

(1302 Fifth Ave. S., Naples; 239-774-0494; kellysfishhousediningroom.com)

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Lobster Lady Seafood

During stone crab season, Lobster Lady's seafood cases make you feel like a kid in a candy store. Piles and piles of claws — small claws, giant claws, colossal claws — practically beg to be eaten. It's hard not to oblige. 

(1715 Cape Coral Parkway, Cape Coral; 239-471-0136; lobsterladyseafood.com)

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Pinchers, Deep Lagoon, The Bay House, Phuzzy's

Phelan Family Brands has grown the Bonita Springs-born Pinchers to 11 locations from Tampa to Key West. The Phelans also own two Deep Lagoon Seafood restaurants, The Bay House in North Naples, and Phuzzy's Boat Shack on Pine Island. That's some serious seafood buying power, which explains why Pinchers partners with Island Crab to ensure a steady supply of stonies flowing into its many doors. 

(pinchersusa.com, deeplagoon.com, bayhousenaples.com, phuzzysboatshack.com)

Skip One Seafood

Since the 1960s, this cozy market and restaurant has been selling some of the area's freshest seafood. Skip One has its own fleet of shrimp boats and partners with local stone crabbers during season. You can also find stone crabs at Skip One's sister market, Trico Seafood on Fort Myers Beach. 

(15820 S. Tamiami Trail, south Fort Myers; 239-482-0433; skipone41.com)

Swan River Seafood 

A local favorite since 1996, Swan River gets its stone crabs from Kirk Fish Co. on Buzzard's Bay in Goodland. "One of the last working waterfront fish houses left in Southwest Florida," Swan River recently posted on Facebook. 

(3741 Tamiami Trail N., Naples; 239-403-7000; swanriverseafood.com)

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Truluck's

For beautiful stone crabs in an equally beautiful setting, Truluck's is hard to top. This luxurious restaurant feels like a private club, but one where no one will judge you for tearing into some serious stonies. 

(698 Fourth Ave. S., Naples; 239-530-3131; trulucks.com)

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Annabelle Tometich is a staff writer and food editor for The News-Press and Naples Daily News. Email atometich@news-press.com; connect on Instagram (@abellewrites) and Twitter (@atometich).