The place: Annie’s Bait & Tackle, 4334 127th St. W. (a stone’s throw north of the bridge), Cortez, (941) 794-3580.
The fare: Hot grub and cold beer for fishermen and adventurous diners in on the secret.
The bottom line: This really is a bait shop (the only air conditioning comes courtesy of a breeze off the Intracoastal) and fuel dock. Unless you regularly drop a line into the saltwater surrounding the commercial fishing village of Cortez on three sides, chances are good you’d never notice it. Too bad. At maybe a dozen stools at the bar and a handful of tables on the dock under a canvas shade, you can sink your teeth into one of the best straight-ahead fried grouper sandwiches on this stretch of the coast ($12.50 with fries and slaw) or an honest-to-goodness pressed Cuban (go for the version with spicy mustard) for $8.35 with black beans and chips. You’ll even get a 1 percent discount on your tab if you pay with cash!