provided to The Santiva Chronicle
HM Restaurant Group, which manages Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille, Dixie Fish Company and Bonita Fish Company, is a sponsor for the 12th annual Beer in the Bushes presented by the nonprofit Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation. The company donated $2,500 as the Food Truck Alley sponsor for the April 4 season-end island celebration featuring live music, craft beer and food at the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation, 3333 Sanibel Captiva Road.
“HM Restaurant Group and our restaurants have a deep history of supporting the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation,” said Joe Harrity, a partner with HM Restaurant Group. “We believe in the foundation’s important work of protecting Southwest Florida’s unique sanctuary islands and coastal ecosystems.”
Offered from 6 to 10 p.m., Beer in the Bushes features musical headliner Squirrel Nut Zippers and a diverse array of food trucks. Guests will also enjoy wine and craft beer tastings from regional breweries, all included in the price of admission. Tickets are on sale now and the proceeds directly support SCCF’s mission.
The largest private landowner on Sanibel Island, the foundation manages more than 1,800 acres, plus over 300 addition acres on surrounding islands, South Fort Myers and Cape Coral. Founded in 1967 as a land trust, the organization protects and cares for coastal ecosystems through a focus on conservation, science, education and advocacy. For more information on SCCF, visit sccf.org.
Conservation and environmental initiatives are at the core of HM Restaurant Group’s philanthropic philosophy and support of homegrown nonprofit organizations throughout Southwest Florida. The company sponsors SCCF’s Wines in the Wild, The Cause for Conservation gala and raises money for the Sea School environmental camp for high school students. Employees recently participated in a beach cleanup, which also benefited the organization.
HM Restaurant Group also donates $1 from specialty cocktail sales at Doc Ford’s and Dixie Fish Company to Captains For Clean Water’s mission of improving the health of the Florida Everglades and Florida Bay. The program has raised $11,072 since its inception in April 2024.
Doc Ford’s recently announced open registration and sponsorship opportunities for the 14th annual “Ding” Darling Doc Ford’s Tarpon Tournament Tarpon. Founded in 2012, the tourney has raised over $1.57 million for conservation and water-quality research at Sanibel’s J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge. This year’s competition is May 15, 2026.
HM Restaurant Group’s popular restaurants include award-winning Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille, beloved for mouth-watering sauces, spices and fresh seafood featuring Caribbean Rim flavors, including its signature Yucatán shrimp. A local favorite for residents and visitors alike, Doc Ford’s offers four locations, including Sanibel, Fort Myers Beach, Jungle Terrace in St. Petersburg and the St. Petersburg Pier. A perennial Tripadvisor Travelers’ Choice winner, the pier restaurant was named the No. 1 restaurant in the country on the global travel site’s Best of the Best Restaurants for Everyday Eats in 2023. Visit docfords.com for menus and locations.
Recognized as a 2023 Yelp Top 100 Florida Restaurant and ranked Tripadvisor’s No. 1 restaurant in the Fort Myers area, Dixie Fish Company on Fort Myers Beach is revered for delicious fresh seafood in an ideal location. Its beach ambiance is complemented by live music and picturesque waterfront views of Matanzas Pass. An original Florida fish house, the restaurant’s origins date back to 1937 when it was a fish market. Visit dixiefishfmb.com for menus.
The newest addition to the HM Restaurant Group family, Bonita Fish Company on Fort Myers Beach offers fresh Gulf seafood, casual bites and cold drinks. Featuring daily live entertainment, a central bar, breathtaking sunsets views and dockside dining along Matanzas Pass, the restaurant serves brunch Friday through Sunday from a century-old former fish-packing house and offers Bayside Private Events, an indoor-outdoor waterfront event venue. Visit bonitafishco.com for menus.
Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille, Dixie Fish Company and Bonita Fish Company are open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.