Stilts Bar & Grill – Marco Island, Florida

 

Stilts Bar & Grill is a popular beach-front restaurant on Marco Island – an island located in Southwest Florida. This classic lunch spot accommodates the sandy beach-goers and sun bums with filling, tasty meals. Stilts was built about five years ago, with its’ most popular item on the menu being the chicken-pineapple-queso cheese quesadillas. There is a bar in the central part of the restaurant, so they are also known for their fruity cocktails and smoothies. The establishment and popularity of Stilts is symbolic of the incredible growth and tourism the small senior citizen community of Marco Island has experienced in the past few years. Ever since being rated as the best island in all of the United States by a popular travel magazine in 2010, developers and large hotel chains have flocked to the island to develop every last piece of beachfront property as possible. Stilts is owned by the Marriott Beach Resort which is just down the street from the restaurant. The restaurant is very popular among vacationers and non-natives, and even natives of the island. Because of it’s convenience, tasty food, and ideal setup (open walls allowing breezes/warm air yet simultaneously shading patrons) it is a staple in the Marco Island community – one of the few establishments that blurs the line between places that locals go to and visitors of the island go to.

While I was on spring break in Marco Island, I dined at Stilts. After walking the length of the beach, my friends and I decided to stop there for lunch before we headed back to the pool. We were staying with my grandparents who live on Marco Island for half of the year – I consider them natives to the island (they have been going there since 1983). As much as possible, they try and avoid the tourism of the island – mostly because they are resentful of the excessive development and loss of island character. They feel their “old folks” oasis has been snatched from them and turned into a getaway destination. Stilts is the exception for my grandparents – it is a favorite for them. In Global Cities Local Streets, we learn about the importance of local establishments as being a place for gathering and community building. While the feeling of community is almost nonexistent on vacation – because the time spent is fleeting – a spark of community can be felt at Stilts. Stilts offers a bridge between the opposing tourists and natives on Marco Island, as it is beloved and valued by both groups.

 

Alyssa Heath ’20