Key West Restaurants

-come hungry... leave happy.

Key West is paradise for your pallette. The freshest seafood combines with a wide array of styles.

Long acclaimed for its laid-back lifestyle and fun & funky personality, Key West is equally renowned for its wonderful restaurants and bars. The burgeoning number of established and brand new eateries have attracted award-winning chefs and rising new stars fresh from the top culinary schools who continue to make this tiny island a draw for “foodies” from all over the world.

Local dining choices range from five-star gourmet establishments to casual cafes and raw bars. From Duval Street and the waterfront, to hidden Old Town gems or the Historic Seaport, restaurants occupy old homes and other buildings featuring widely diverse architectural styles. Dining in Key West is more than just a meal – it’s a real experience.

Of course, frozen pina coladas and conch fritters are not what make this island a culinary paradise. The town’s tropical climate and proximity to Cuba, only 90 miles away, play unmistakable roles in the creation of Key West cuisine. Fresh seafood, Florida citrus and exotic fruits figure prominently on island menus, as do plantains, black beans and other Cuban and Caribbean specialties. Be sure to stop in at one of the many little Spanish cafes to sample the inexpensive and delicious fare, or simply to try a cup of authentic café con leche (Cuban espresso with steamed milk).

Seafood is what visitors to Florida are always asking for, and Key West is certainly the star in that department. Stone crab claws, spiny lobster, and yellowtail snapper – you name it: if it swims, crawls or grows in the ocean, you can be sure its on a menu in this food-loving city. Among the most sought-after Key West delicacies are pink shrimp, which are harvested from fisheries in and around the Dry Tortugas. So desirable that they are often referred to as “pink gold,” these incredibly sweet shrimp are served in every style imaginable – from broiled and baked to marinated, sautéed, fried and grilled. Sit down with a pound of fresh “peel ‘n’ eat” shrimp and a frosty mug of beer for a reasonably priced slice of Key West heaven.

Speaking of slices, let us now pay tribute to the legendary key lime pie. So much has been said and written about this fabled signature sweet, that few people know the real deal from frozen or chain restaurant versions. Real key lime pie is made from authentic key limes (about the size of a small egg with very tart pulp), and the true test of the product is its color: it has a yellow (not green!) custard in a pressed graham-cracker crust and tastes like nothing else. Some restaurants top off the pie with whipped cream, but any local worth his salt knows that a lightly-browned merengue topping makes it the “real McCoy.”

Seafood lovers! Want a few suggestions? Here are some of our favorite Key West seafood restaurants

Or, Click on the links below, arranged by price, to learn more about all of Key West's restaurants.

$ Abbondonza Billie's B.O.'s Fish Wagon Crabby Bill's Crabby Dick's China Garden West Downtown Diner Shores El Siboney 5 Brothers (menu) Half Shell Raw Bar Harpoon Harry's Iguana Cafe Kozuchi Lobos (menu) Margaritaville Cafe (menu) Old Town Mexican Cafe Sloppy Joe's (menu) The Deli Restaurant Two Friends Upper Crust Willie T's (menu) Harbor Lights

$$ Alonzo's Oyster Bar (menu) Ambrosia Banana Cafe Blue Heaven Cafe Sole Camille's Conch Republic Seafood Company (menu) Croissants de France Duffy's El Meson de Pepe Fogarty's Grand Cafe Hard Rock Cafe Kelly's Caribbean Key West Seafood Garden Mangia Mangia (menu) Meteor Smokehouse Origami Pepe's Cafe Rum Barrel (menu) Thai Cuisine The Cafe Turtle Kraals

$$$ A & B Lobster House (menu) Alice's Antonia's Bagatelle (menu) Cafe Marquesa Commodore Hot Tin Roof (menu) La Te Da La Trattoria Mangoes Martin's (menu) Michael's Nine One Five Opera Restaurant Pisces Rooftop Cafe (menu) Seven Fish Shula's Square One Restaurant

Coming soon! Coupons for Key West Restaurants!