From Key Lime Pie to Cuban Coffee: A Key West Foodie’s Bucket List

There are so many beach destinations that have their very own food cultures. They’ve spawned menu items that have made their way across the country. When you just say the name of that certain item, people automatically know what beach town you’re talking about.

Take, for example, a very certain tangy, tempting, citrus-forward pie. 

Today we’re talking about the 10 foods you need to try during a Key West beach vacation and obviously the first thing that anyone’s going to think about when they hear the words “Key West” and “food,” is key lime pie. That said, as glorious as key lime pie may be, Key West has a whole lot more to offer in terms of foodie favorites.

Here, Floridian fare meets Caribbean and Cuban cuisine for a broad mix of flavors and cultures. However, no matter what you’re ordering up, you’re sure to enjoy fresh seafood, unforgettable flavors, and beachy decadence you won’t find anywhere else. Let’s take a look.

We’ll get the obvious (and amazing) key lime pie out of the way first.

The key lime pie’s origins are murky, but most can agree that this tart treat gets its name from the small limes that grow within the Florida Keys. Supposedly, years and years ago, someone known as Aunt Sally (it’s debated) created this pie and the wealthy recreators of the islands fell in love.

Whatever the story may be, I don’t frankly care. Key lime pie is worth the hype. I will eat it regardless of origins—and you should, too.

Where to Try It: There are a few top spots for key lime pie in Key West, including Kermit’s (a name that’s seemingly fitting, right?), Blue Heaven, and Moondog Café. Why not try them all and decide on your own which is the best? I can think of few better ways to spend an afternoon.

Yes, it’s not a food per se, but it’s still a part of Key West foodie culture and one that you should pay attention to.

I’ve already discussed Cuban coffee to some degree in my article on foods you should try in Miami during a beach trip, and the trend continues on in Key West. After all, Cuba is not at all very far away from the Key.

And take note that this isn’t just coffee either. Cuban coffee is an experience. It’s cultural, it’s social, it’s something you have to feel for yourself.

There are a few drinks to consider (and I’m defining these very, very basically): the cafecito, or espresso brewed with sugar; the colada, a larger portion of the cafecito; and the café con leche, or espresso mixed with milk.

Where to Try It: Try Cuban Coffee Queen or 5 Brothers.

I’m going to do you a favor and advise you to not actually look up what exactly a hogfish is or looks like. Let’s just say that it’s a reef fish that swims around the Florida Keys, and it has an appearance that’s… well… hog-ish.

It’s an occasional special for a lot of restaurants, rather than a menu staple, because hogfish is not like your typical white fish that is just available abundantly. You have to get this locally, in most cases, and getting the fish locally depends on a lot of factors, such as the local fish population, weather, etc.

Hogfish is mild and sweet, and a lot of people think that this fish tastes more like a crustacean than an actual fish.

Where to Try It: You can’t go wrong with the aptly named Hogfish Bar & Grill. You can get hogfish and chips, hogfish sliders, and hogfish stuffed with crabmeat, among other choices. Of course, if you don’t care for this particular fish, you have plenty of other seafood options on the restaurant’s menu as well.

Another seafood specialty associated with southern Florida is the conch fritter. You can find it all around the state, but go to Key West for some of the freshest. Conch meat is battered and fried and then you can dunk those succulent fried bites into your choice of dips, like aioli, tartar sauce, or hot pepper ketchup.

Where to Try It: There are tons and tons of places to find conch fritters in Key West, so rest assured that you’ll be able to snag some with ease. Try The Conch Shack, Conch Republic Seafood Company, Thirsty Mermaid, Half Shell Raw Bar—and that’s just the start.

During a work trip to Florida several years ago, I weirdly kept hearing tons of travelers talking about the grouper sandwich at the resort we were staying at. People kept talking about the grouper sandwich. It was so good, so amazing, so unlike anything they’d ever had—to the point that now, me and my husband make a joke of “have you tried the grouper sandwich yet?”, as if that is a marker of good taste.

Grouper is mild, flaky, and served in a variety of ways. You can get it blackened, grilled, or fried. It’s often served on a bun and topped with basic items like lettuce, tomato, pickles, and tartar sauce. You can find this sandwich all along the Gulf Coast and in Florida, but definitely look out for it in Key West, where fresh is the name of the game.

Where to Try It: Favorite spots for a grouper sandwich include the Square Grouper, Docks Restaurant and Raw Bar, BO’s Fish Wagon, and Fisherman’s Café.

These aren’t your average shrimp. Key West pink shrimp are a local favorite, sweet, and tender. You can find them served up in various dishes throughout the destination, but however you enjoy them, you won’t be able to deny that there’s a difference between these shrimp and what you’ll get on the mainland.

Where to Try It: Try the pink shrimp at Hogfish Bar & Grill, where they’re served up Maryland, Old Bay-style, spiced and chilled. Or, go to Conch Republic Seafood Company. You can also purchase the shrimp at a variety of seafood markets, if you’d like to try your hand at preparing them yourself, at your home rental.

Who wouldn’t love rum cake? While the exact recipe may differ according to the baker, you can expect a moist, buttery cake that incorporates chocolate and pecans, as well as maybe some Key lime juice and, of course, rum. It’s like if you gave your standard pound cake, bundt cake, or coffee cake a real kick.

Where to Try It: You have a variety of bakeries from which you can source this treat, but try Kermit’s at the same time that you’re picking up your key lime pie, or head to Old Town Bakery.

This might not be a very famous Key West dish (at least not if you live on the mainland), but it is one that you should still seek out. Bollos equals black-eyed pea fritters. Think kind of like hush puppies. They’re Cuban in origin and, once upon a time, you could buy them from stands on the street in an oily brown bag.

Where to Try It: Today, you can pick up this humble snack at 5 Brothers Key West, the same place you’ll get that authentic Cuban coffee.

And along those lines, we should definitely call out the Cuban sandwiches—hot pressed and filled with melted cheese, pickles, mustard, and roasted pork—that you can find throughout Key West at beloved restaurants.

Where to Try It: Sandy’s Café is a long-standing top pick, with a huge menu also featuring Mexican eats and guava and cheese pastries. Get your authentic Cuban sandwich served with a side of rice and beans. Kim’s Kuban is another reliable fav, as is, again, 5 Brothers.

Lionfish isn’t available just anywhere and at all times in the Keys, but if you can find it, people say that it’s absolutely something that you need to try, as one of the best fresh seafoods you can get in this part of the country. Your best bet is to keep your eyes peeled for restaurant specials. It’s an invasive species that’s only safe to eat after careful prep, and availability is limited due to the fact that they’re often harvested via hand spearfishing.

(However, all this means that if you are interested in catching your own dinner, you may be able to hop on a local tour operator’s boat to try your own hand at catching the lionfish; due to the damage the fish cause local reefs, hunting them is highly encouraged.) 

Where to Try It: In Key West, you might be able to find this delicacy at Eaton Seafood. If you drive further afield to the other keys, you may also be able to find it at restaurants such as The Castaway in Marathon, or Lazy Days Restaurant in Islamorada.