Key West is home to a rich culinary scene with small chain restaurants and independent locations that offer their own interpretation of island cuisine. Eating at the best restaurants on the island often offers stunning views of the coast that you can enjoy at the same time.
Most of the local food has some clear Cuban influences, being just a few miles away from the island nation, but you'll find more variety with some Caribbean and hints of Mediterranean among the selection too. Of course, seafood is a local speciality. Experience it all for yourself with these great restaurants in Key West.
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Blue Heaven
Visit a restaurant with cats and chickens
- Families
- Food
- History
Blue Heaven is a unique restaurant with an expansive outdoor dining area where you'll find cats and chickens wandering the grounds and a central bar in a water tower. This restaurant's long history goes back a century as one of the favourite bars and gambling halls of Hemingway, but the modern-day iteration is family-friendly with delicious food.
The food here is the same all year long, but the relatively small menu is full of common favourites. When you visit, make sure to try their famous high Key lime pie if you're looking for a sweet dessert. You'll find it all in the Bahama Village area on the island's west side.
Location: 729 Thomas St, Key West, FL 33040, USA
Open: Monday–Tuesday and Thursday from 8 am to 2.30 pm, Saturday–Sunday from 8 am to 2 pm, and daily from 5 pm to 10 pm
Mapphoto by Steven Miller (CC BY 2.0) modified
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Latitudes Restaurant
Enjoy oceanfront fine dining
- Food
- Luxury
Latitudes Restaurant is a fine-dining restaurant that offers a pristine menu along with a reputation that has cemented it as one of the most renowned restaurants in the Keys. Part of Sunset Key Cottage, this restaurant offers island cuisine alongside stunning views of the ocean.
The menu is designed to be a work of art that utilises freshly caught local fish along with tropical fruits and other ingredients native to the island. You can enjoy the luxurious dining experience here for yourself just off the northeastern coast of Key West proper after a short ferry ride from city centre.
Location: 245 Front St, Key West, FL 33040, USA
Open: Sunday–Thursday from 5 pm to 10 pm, Friday–Saturday from 5 pm to 11 pm
Phone: +1 305-292-5394
Map - 3
Café Marquesa
Try top-tier contemporary American cuisine
- Food
Café Marquesa is one of the best places in town to get modern American fare and see the magic happen yourself with a bit of kitchen theatre. Large mirrors around the restaurant let diners see the entire restaurant, including glimpses of the kitchen.
The menu consists of a variety of items based on the seasonal availability of top-level ingredients. You'll find seafood and grilled meats all year long, but the actual details can vary based on the season. Additionally, you can enjoy fresh-baked bread and inventive starters crafted by the executive chef. It's all located city centre on the corner of Fleming and Simonton.
Location: 600 Fleming St, Key West, FL 33040, USA
Open: Daily from 5.30 pm to 10 pm
Phone: +1 305-292-1244
Map - 4
Azure Restaurant
Taste inventive Mediterranean cuisine
- Food
Azure Restaurant is a Mediterranean spot that offers contemporary and creative cuisine served up in a welcoming blue-colored dining room and shaded terrace. You can enjoy a casually elegant atmosphere along with opportunities for breakfast, lunch, and dinner with the long hours here, though there are some closing hours before dinner.
On the menu, you can find delicious Mediterranean cuisine that's particularly creative, as the chefs are free to put their own twists on classic dishes. When it comes to innovative, chef-driven restaurants in Key West, this is one of the crown jewels. You'll find it on the north side of the historic district.
Location: 425 Grinnell St, Key West, FL 33040, USA
Open: Tuesday–Sunday from 9 am to 3 pm, 5.30 to 10 pm (closed on Mondays)
Phone: +1 305-292-2987
Map - 5
El Siboney Restaurant
Experience authentic Cuban
- Food
El Siboney Restaurant is a Cuban eatery that offers delicious cuisine focused on authenticity while sporting a family-friendly atmosphere and budget-friendly prices. While there's no children's menu, many of the regular menu items like steak, pork, and Cuban sandwiches are often enjoyed by kids and adults alike.
It's important to remember that this is a far more relaxing restaurant than many of the others in Key West. Its casual atmosphere makes it easy to enjoy its Cuban dishes. The Paella Valenciana is particularly popular, but you'll want to call an hour ahead if you plan to enjoy it, as it takes quite a while to make. You'll find it all city centre.
Location: 900 Catherine St, Key West, FL 33040, USA
Open: Daily from 11 am to 9.30 pm
Phone: +1 305-296-4184
Mapphoto by Florida Keys--Public Libraries (CC BY 2.0) modified
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Caroline's Café
Discover generous portions at generous prices
- Budget
- Food
Caroline's Café is a budget-friendly casual restaurant where you'll find classic American fare like sandwiches along with some speciality items like jerk chicken and jambalaya. Island fare tends to be mixed in with the more widespread American cuisine, offering a bit of diversity in a restaurant that officially has 1 focus.
The menu is massive, with food options that let you choose between hearty meals or something quick to help get you through the day. Keep in mind that the place is typically pretty busy, thanks to its convenient location right on Duval Street city centre.
Location: 310 Duval St, Key West, FL 33040, USA
Open: Daily from 11 am to 11.30 pm
Phone: +1 305-294-7511
Map - 7
Santiago's Bodega
Relax in a cosy, hidden restaurant
- Food
Santiago's Bodega is tucked away behind vibrant landscaping in a relatively small building, but its Spanish tapas offer an immense amount of flavour. When you visit for lunch, you'll find light tapas on offer, but portion sizes get bigger for dinner to a far greater degree than you might expect from a Spanish tapas restaurant.
The decor at this restaurant is notably relaxing with comfortable seating and a location that lets you feel as if you've escaped the city's hustle and bustle. Plus, the special drinks and numerous dishes that use alcohol in their preparation make it especially easy to relax. It's located in Bahama Village.
Location: 7305, 207 Petronia St #101, Key West, FL 33040, USA
Open: Monday from 4 pm to 10 pm, Tuesday–Saturday from 11 am to 10 pm (closed on Sundays)
Phone: +1 305-296-7691
Map - 8
Louie's Backyard
Get fancy with a fine-dining experience
- Food
- Luxury
Louie's Backyard is a pristine fine-dining restaurant that offers a scenic oceanfront view and a menu that features fresh ingredients prepared by renowned seafood chefs. The head chef here is Doug Shook, a master of his craft with decades of experience and a tendency to change the menu about 4 or 5 times every year.
When you eat here, you can always expect top-quality ingredients used in every dish. The produce is sourced by local growers, including some local farms that produce specifically for this restaurant. You'll find it all near the southern coast in Casa Marina.
Location: 700 Waddell Ave, Key West, FL 33040, USA
Open: Daily from 11.30 am to 11.30 pm
Phone: +1 305-294-1061
Map - 9
Garbo's Grill
Explore next-level food lorry fare
- Food
Garbo's Grill started as a food lorry but has since grown to be one of the best eateries in town, serving tacos, burgers, burritos, and more, all with some kick. Among the most popular items are the Cayo Fish Mahi Mahi tacos, which include mango and red cabbage in addition to the fish, all complemented with some jalapeno mayonnaise.
A lot of the items on the menu are unique combinations of several styles of cuisine, creating new and bold flavours like the Korean BBQ beef short rib burrito that's both sweet and spicy. It's all located right city centre near the coast.
Location: 409 Caroline St, Key West, FL 33040, USA
Open: Daily from 11 am to midnight
Phone: +1 305-304-3004
Map - 10
Tavern N Town
Dine in casual elegance
- Food
Tavern N Town is a growing restaurant in town that offers American fare along with some Spanish tapas in grand yet simple surroundings. Quite a few different items are available on the menu, from small plates to hearty steaks.
This restaurant is part of the Marriott Beachside, but everyone is welcome to give it a try. In fact, this hotel restaurant is becoming a local favourite. You'll find it all on the east side of town where the Overseas Highway meets S Roosevelt Boulevard in the Poinciana Plaza area.
Location: 3841 N Roosevelt Blvd, Key West, FL 33040, USA
Open: Daily from 8 am to 11.30 pm and from 5 pm to 10 pm
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