Key West is popular for its beaches, but it’s also a great dining spot. It has much more than seafood, and you can spend your entire trip at its restaurants.Cuban food influenced the culture of Key West, and it’s one of the best places to get authentic meals. You also can’t leave without trying the dessert it helped create; Key Lime Pie. You’ll find fine dining, casual delis, markets, and so much more.Like and subscribe to ViewCation for more on this standout beach town. Keep watching to learn about the best restaurants in Key West, Florida, from small markets to exclusive fine dining eateries.
Blue Heaven
This restaurant opened in 1992 and became one of the most popular restaurants in the area. You can stay inside or eat al fresco surrounded by palm trees and tropical plants. The menu is a mix of American and Caribbean food such as avocado omelets, eggplant salad, carrot-and-curry soup, and blueberry pancakes.
There’s always a crowd here. They accept reservations for dinner, but the popular brunch service is first come, first served.
La Gringote
This is another standout Key West breakfast spot, but it’s a bit easier to get into. Its menu includes French toast, lobster eggs benedicts, almond croissants, Quiche Lorraine, and other delicious dishes. The desserts are also wonderful, especially the Key Lime pie.
Latitudes
This is one of the best restaurants in Key West for fine dining and also has some of the best sunset views. It serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. All of the ingredients for the food and drinks are seasonal, so you never quite know what you’re going to get.
A ferry ride to the restaurant is included in your reservation. Make one as early as possible to avoid missing out on this luxurious experience.
Santiago’s Bodega
This tapas-style restaurant is the perfect place to come for small plates. A few of the best options include the avocado and pear salad, goat-cheese prosciutto-wrapped shrimp, and saganaki. The drinks are also delicious. Make a reservation early on their website.
Cuban Coffee Queen
The motto of this place lets you know exactly what to expect: “Drink more Cuban coffee and do stupid things faster.” It has several locations, with the original sitting on 284 Margaret Street, one on Clinton Square, and another at Southard and Duval.
There’s also delicious Cuban food on offer here, including the standout Cuban sandwich. Lines form at 6:45 am, so make sure to arrive early. You may even be able to snag the breakfast special. It includes half a breakfast sandwich and a 12-ounce cup of coffee for only $6.50.
El Siboney
This is one of the best restaurants in Key West if you want authentic Cuban food after your coffee. It’s been in business since 1984. It may be small, far from tourist hubs, and fail to draw the eye with its architecture, but you won’t be disappointed if you come in for the food anyway.
The menu includes several standouts such as the Cuban Mix sandwich and the Ropa Vieja. You’ll get large portions and won’t have to wait long regardless of what you choose. They also have weekly specials to check for.
Fisherman’s Cafe
This is another spot that shows the influence of Cuban culture on Key West. Food options include shrimp wraps, fish tacos, and guava fish. You can also try hot or iced Cuban coffee.
Amigos Tortilla Bar
This is one of the best restaurants in Key West if you want delicious food for a low price. Its specialty is square tacos. It also has burritos, quesadillas, nachos, and more. Depending on the day, it’s open from noon to 10 or 11 pm.
Conch Republic Seafood Company
This tourist trap gets mixed reviews and has modest decor. The reason to try it is that it’s one of the best places to eat conch fritters or cracked conch. Go get some if you need a snack between your meals.
Kermit’s Key West Key Lime Shoppe
This spot is within walking distance of Conch Republic. As the name suggests, it’s the place to go if you want pie for dessert.
Kermit’s serves Key Lime Pie in a variety of ways, and the most famous of the bunch is putting it on a stick and dipping it in chocolate. The building itself is charming with a green cottage design. Its location on the waterfront is another plus.
Banana Cafe
If you weren’t impressed with Kermit’s Key Lime pie, go here instead. It has a delicious raspberry sauce that makes it stand out. You can also try a variety of breakfast options if you want a full meal.
Salute! On the Beach
This restaurant will improve your time at Higgs Beach. It also has the same owners as Blue Heaven, so going to both is a great idea if you enjoyed your experience at either one. The menu includes a mix of Italian and Caribbean food, and the mussels are a local favorite. The restaurant serves lunch and dinner and takes reservations.
Southern Most Beach
This is another great restaurant if you want to enjoy beach views while you eat. Its menu combines Caribbean and Asian cuisine. The signature dish is drunken scallops with bacon, a beer glaze, lobster mashed potatoes, and glazed carrots.
Garbo’s Grill and DJ’s Clam Shack
Guy Fieri included both of these restaurants on his Key West episode of Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives. This helped them rise to prominence and become 2 of the most popular in the area.
Who would have thought that one of the best restaurants in Key West would be a food truck? Garbo’s has a permanent location at Hanks Hair of the Dog Saloon.
It mixes Korean and Caribbean food, and the signature dish is its Korean BBQ tacos. Drinks include craft beer and cocktails. You can also sit at a nearby table and enjoy daily live music.
DJ’s Clam Shack is known for its delicious lobster rolls, but it also has clams, conch fritters, and mahi-mahi tacos. It’s open for lunch and dinner, so you can stop in any time.
Like and subscribe to ViewCation for more of Florida’s best cuisine. Keep watching to learn about more of the best restaurants in Key West, including ones set in historic buildings, cafes, delis, and more.
Bagatelle
This restaurant sits within a historic building near Mallory Square. It has not 1 but 2 Happy Hours. The first 1 is from 9-11:30 am, and the next one is from 4-6 pm. Its cocktails are wonderful, but it also has delicious food such as fish and steaks.
Two Friends Patio Restaurant
This is one of the most historic restaurants in Key West, dating back to 1886. It began as a saloon and became an official restaurant in 1967. It was also a favorite hangout of explorer Mel Fisher.
Two Friends is open 7 days a week with live music every day. Try their signature Bloody Mary or any of their delicious food, but be prepared to wait in line.
First Flight Restaurant and Brewery
This restaurant sits on the launch site of Pan American World Airlines. It has appropriate decor and views you can enjoy on the island patio. Its menu is also full of delicious dishes like the street corn and avocado bowl.
Better Than Sex
This restaurant attempts to live up to its name by serving delicious desserts. Enter one of their semi-private booths and enjoy dishes with naughty names such as The Morning After and Peanut Butter Perversion.
The Lobster Shack Key West
There are more variations on lobster salad here than almost anywhere else. They include spicy sriracha and jalapeno, Key West style with butter and Key Lime juice, and more. Every one is wrapped in a New England-style hot dog bun. You can even get a slice of Key Lime pie directly from Kermit’s.
Azur
Locals know that this is one of the best restaurants in Key West, but tourists may miss it. Brunch options include Key Lime French toast and crab cake benedict. A bell signals the switch to dinner, and that’s when you can enjoy dishes such as seafood risotto.
Little Pearl
You’ll feel like you’ve walked onto a boat when you enter this restaurant and see its coastal decorations. It has delicious food such as miso-and-clam soup and Key West shrimp.
The only issue is that Littel Pearl can be a bit difficult to get into. It’s only open for dinner with 3 seatings at night and a 4-course chef-curated menu.
Pepe’s Cafe
This has been a favorite spot since 1909. Look for the sign on top of a white building to make sure you don’t miss it. It’s known for its large portions and casual atmosphere.
The lunch menu includes standouts such as black bean soup and BLTs. Dinner includes options such as baked shrimp and NY strip steak.
Antonia’s Restaurant
This is the place to go if you want traditional Italian food during your trip to Key West. You’ll have a variety of pasta and sauce options, including gnocchi with gorgonzola cheese, linguine with class, and spinach lasagna. Desserts include coconut cream pie, and there’s also an award-winning wine list.
Thirsty Mermaid
Come here if you want to share drinks and food with your friends or family. There’s a rotating menu with clams, oysters, conch, and other fish. You can also try pasta or burgers if you’re not in the mood for seafood.
Glazed Donuts
This spot opens at 7 am but often runs out of its creative wares before it’s set to close at 1 pm. Options include key lime pie, blackberry, pineapple upside-down Brulee, and more.
This is one of the best places to bring your kids. They’ll love sampling everything and seeing the giant robot mural on its walls.
Goldman’s Bagel Deli
This is the place to go if you need plenty of options to choose from and want your order quickly. There are plenty of bagels but you can also try burritos, burgers, paninis, or desserts such as cinnamon buns and danishes.
Eaton Street Seafood Market
There is an onsite restaurant here with crab cake sandwiches, fish tacos, fried conch strips, and more. It’s worth going in, but don’t ignore the cases of fresh fish that fill the area around it.
Do you have a favorite thing to eat on the beach? Let us know in the comments below. Subscribe to ViewCation for more tasty travel guides.