For those looking to grab some claws for home, Captain Kirk’s Stone Crab Fresh Seafood Market is the go-to spot for the Neapolitan in the know. Mostly a take-out type of place with a few tables dotting the sidewalk out front and a few inside, Captain Kirk’s has been supplying the seafood faithful of the Paradise Coast for 17 years with a seemingly unending supply of fresh-caught fish right off local shores.
Run by husband-wife duo Damas and Patty Kirk, Captain Kirk’s has been in the Naples Eighth Street South location for 10 years, following a move from the Marco Island location first established in 1996. “My husband jokes I moved him to the big city,” Patty quips.
Part commercial fishery, part retail outlet, Captain Kirk’s Stone Crab gets its goods from parent company Kirk Fish Co., a commercial fishery based in Goodland and owned by the Kirk family for more than 50 years. Specializing in fresh Florida seafood, the selection of goods on ice at Captain Kirk’s ranges from seasonal catches like Florida lobster and an array of grouper species, to fresh pink Gulf shrimp and locally sourced clams. And while the local and regional goods are second to none in terms of sea-to-plate freshness, the seafood market is not just limited to what’s swimming and scurrying around off our shores. Flown-in favorites like Maine lobster, Alaskan king crab and Norwegian salmon are also usually always on hand.
If you are seeking prepared goods, Captain Kirk’s has you covered with items such as fresh-catch sandwiches and tacos, seafood salad and crab cakes. The menu is constantly changing, so making this a regular stop on the lunch routine won’t get dull. Blackened anything is worth a stop alone.
But come October 15, it’s stone crab claws all day, every day. Running five boats out of the Goodland fishery, Captain Kirk is checking traps daily with hopes of bringing a bounty of medium to jumbo claws from the sea to the table within 24 hours. Last season’s catches were low, but hopes are high for 2013-2014.
“We’re optimistic but you never know, it’s quite early in the season,” says Patty with note of caution on the first day of season. Only time will tell, but making a trek to the downtown location is still worth the time; whatever you find behind the glass is bound to be an absolute treat—we’ve even come across pompano!
- Hours are from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- For more information, call 239-263-1976 or visit Captain Kirk’s Facebook page here.
Location:
629 Eighth St. S.
Naples, FL 34102
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