If you were at Sanibel City Hall on March 21, you already know this year's Taste of the Islands had that happy, shoulder-to-shoulder island energy that makes you want to keep circling back for "just one more bite." The 44th annual event brought together some of Sanibel's best-loved restaurants for an afternoon of friendly competition, and as always, it all benefited CROW, the Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife.
And now that the judges have had their say, the Taste of the Islands 2026 winners are official.
There were a few big storylines this year: Cielo made it three straight Taste of the Taste wins, Tutti Pazzi picked up two awards, and Sanibel Deli took People's Choice for the second year in a row. If you missed the event, or if you were there and want the full recap, here's the complete winners list plus the local color that made this year's Taste feel extra fun.
If you want the full lead-up to this year's event, start with our earlier guide to Taste of the Islands 2026. And if reading this makes you immediately hungry, our roundup of the Best Restaurants on Sanibel Island in 2026 is the next click.
Every Taste of the Islands 2026 Winner
Here's the full winners board from this year's event:
- Best Appetizer: Tutti Pazzi — Funghi Stufati
- Best Pizza: Scooters — Detroit Style Pepperoni
- Best Dessert: The Green Flash — Chocolate Mousse with Ice Cream
- Best Meat: BRGR — Double Jam Cheeseburger Slider
- Best Seafood: Cielo — U10 Scallops
- Best Vegetarian: Tutti Pazzi — Butternut Squash and Pumpkin Ravioli
- Best Adult Beverage: Green Flash — Green Flash Colada
- Taste of the Taste: Cielo — U10 Scallops
- People's Choice: Sanibel Deli
That's a strong board from top to bottom, and honestly, it felt like one of those years where there really weren't any bad stops.
The Storylines Everyone Was Talking About
The headline win belongs to Cielo, which took Taste of the Taste again with its U10 Scallops. That makes it a three-peat, which is no small thing at an event where the competition is always stacked and island diners absolutely know what they like. When one dish keeps cutting through a crowd like that, you pay attention.
Then there was Tutti Pazzi, which had one of the strongest showings of the day with two category wins: Best Appetizer for Funghi Stufati and Best Vegetarian for Butternut Squash and Pumpkin Ravioli. That's the kind of double win that says a kitchen came in prepared to impress from more than one angle.
And locals will appreciate this one: Sanibel Deli won People's Choice for the second straight year. That award always says something different than the judges' board. It's the crowd award. The regulars' award. The "we came, we tasted everything, and this is who we're still thinking about on the drive home" award.
A Closer Look at the Winners
Cielo
Cielo's U10 Scallops did exactly what a Taste of the Taste winner is supposed to do: stop people mid-bite and make them look up. Cielo has built a reputation for polished, memorable food, and winning the top award three years running makes it one of the event's modern standard-bearers.
Tutti Pazzi
Tutti Pazzi had one of the most complete performances of the event, landing wins for both Funghi Stufati and Butternut Squash and Pumpkin Ravioli. It felt like a reminder of why the restaurant has such a loyal following: bold flavors, comfort, and enough personality on the plate to stand out in a crowded field.
Scooters
Scooters grabbed Best Pizza with its Detroit Style Pepperoni, and that tracks. Thick, crisp-edged, unapologetically satisfying pizza is the kind of thing that gets people talking fast, especially in an event setting where one memorable bite can carry a whole category.
The Green Flash
The Green Flash doubled up with Best Dessert for Chocolate Mousse with Ice Cream and Best Adult Beverage for the Green Flash Colada. That's a pretty perfect island pairing: one sweet finish, one tropical sip, and two reasons people were lingering around that station.
BRGR
BRGR took Best Meat with its Double Jam Cheeseburger Slider, which sounds exactly like the kind of rich, savory, slightly over-the-top bite that wins over a festival crowd. It's hard to beat a great slider when everyone's wandering, tasting, and comparing notes.
Sanibel Deli
Sanibel Deli didn't need a category dish title to make noise because it walked away with People's Choice, and that one matters. Back-to-back crowd wins say the deli has really carved out a place in people's routines, not just their event-day snack strategy.
More Than an Awards List
What makes Taste of the Islands fun isn't just who wins. It's seeing Sanibel's restaurant community show up in one place, all at once, and watching locals and visitors bounce from booth to booth debating who deserved what. You overhear strong opinions. You see people waving over friends to try a favorite bite. You get that familiar island mix of neighbors, seasonal visitors, and first-timers all having the same conversation: "Okay, where are we going for dinner next?"
That's part of why this event matters beyond the trophies. It gives people a snapshot of what Sanibel dining feels like right now. It also supports CROW, one of the island's most important organizations, which makes spending an afternoon eating your way across City Hall grounds feel even better.
This year's winners also say something real about the range of the food scene here. On one board you've got scallops, ravioli, Detroit-style pizza, a cheeseburger slider, mousse, and a frozen colada. That's not a one-note island dining scene. That's variety, and it's one of the reasons Sanibel remains such a satisfying place to eat.
Final Takeaway
If you're looking at the 2026 results and building a short list, start with Cielo for the dish everyone will be talking about, Tutti Pazzi for the two-award flex, and Sanibel Deli for the crowd favorite momentum. Then leave room for The Green Flash, Scooters, and BRGR, because every one of them earned a spot in the conversation.
Taste of the Islands is always a good reminder that one of the best ways to understand Sanibel is to eat your way through it. This year's winners gave everyone a pretty great place to start.
Want more food planning? Read our full Taste of the Islands 2026 guide, browse our Best Restaurants on Sanibel Island in 2026 roundup, and keep the full Sanibel dining guide handy next.
