Tiny Cortez on Florida’s Gulf Coast is big on seafood

Lots of coastal cities in Florida depict themselves as fishing villages, but few have the bona fides of Cortez, a speck of a town on the Gulf Coast.

While today it is surrounded by the suburban sprawl of Bradenton, Cortez started as a rural community of fishing families in the 1890s. Descendants of those settlers still live here and a few dozen of the original little cottages are still homes to proud Cortez residents. Some of the commercial fishing operations here date back many decades.

Cortez has a funky old Florida feel; it might remind you a bit of the Florida Keys. But it’s quite tiny, with a small, free maritime museum, a few blocks of a cute, historic cottages, and some picturesque scenes along the waterfront.

There’s a really good reason to visit, though: To eat in one of the classic Florida fish shack restaurants that dot the shoreline.

At these restaurants, you’ll eat outdoors with views of the water while pelicans, herons and egrets gather nearby to pose for scenic photos. Starting in October, you might catch sight of a flock of big white pelicans off the fishing docks.

Since seafood is shipped all over the country from the docks in Cortez, this really is a place to find the freshest seafood.

If you consult Yelp or TripAdvisor, you’ll see a half dozen competing seafood spots, all based on a similar premise – an open air fishing dock/marina atmosphere and a variety of fresh fish, simply prepared. We’d long heard about Star Fish Company Restaurant (12306 46th Ave. West, Cortez, 941-794-1243, starfishcompany.com) one of the top ranked spots, so that’s where we headed.

The Star Fish restaurant is an outgrowth of and is adjacent to the large wholesale seafood company that was founded in the 1920s. Its current owner opened the small waterfront restaurant in 1996 and its fame has grown, thanks in part to Emeril Lagasse, who featured it in his TV series.

Star Fish has perhaps 15 tables overlooking a beautiful expanse of water and mangrove islands in the northern end of Sarasota Bay. The view includes an iconic fish shack on stilts that appears on all the Cortez marketing materials.

At Star Fish you stand in line to order your meal at the counter and it gets delivered to your table in a to-go box with plastic utensils. At peak times during the winter season, the line can take an hour. We waited about 30 minutes to order, with one member of our group holding down a table, sipping a beer and enjoying the scene.

If you’re in a hurry or want table service, Star Fish is not for you.

Starfish is for those who want an experience, not just a meal. Bring cash – no credit cards are accepted.

Star Fish, however, is just one of your excellent choices in Cortez.

We walked around the peninsula checking out other waterfront restaurants, each with outdoor seating and great views.

Right at the causeway that takes you from Cortez to Anna Maria Island, you’ll find Tide Tables restaurant (12507 Cortez Road West, 941-567-6206, tidetablescortez.com), a seafood restaurant with a mighty reputation for super-fresh fish and great views. (Tide Table currently occupies the No. 1 ranking for Cortez on both Yelp and TripAdvisor.)

Tide Tables does offer table service and people rave about the grouper, fish tacos and mahi. It overlooks the wide Intracoastal and causeway facing west — ideal for sunsets.

Tide Table and Star Fish are in the top two spots on most lists, but there are actually other well liked seafood spots in Cortez too, so read reviews and consider alternatives.

If you visit the island during the day Tuesdays to Saturdays, you should stop at the free Florida Maritime Museum (4415 119th St. West, Cortez, 941-708-6120, floridamaritimemuseum.org). It tells the history of Cortez and includes shells, ship models and changing exhibits. Opening Oct. 12, 2107, is an exhibit on Cuban ranchos. It is located in the restored 1912 Cortez Rural Graded Schoolhouse. Volunteer docents make the visit memorable for many. Parking is adjacent. Nearby is the 1890 general store and post office, which was moved to this location from its original waterfront site.

The museum runs a school that teaches traditional skills that would have been used in early fishing villages. Info: floridafolkschool.org.

Keep in mind: Cortez may feel like a throwback in time, but it contends with all the modern afflictions – like bad traffic. The only through-street in town is the causeway to Anna Maria Island (just five minutes away) and when the drawbridge opens, you have no choice but to be patient.

Bonnie Gross gives tips on visiting the natural and authentic Florida at www.FloridaRambler.com

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