Key Lime Pie appears as a signature dish in 2 United States cities. See each city's local variant and where to eat it.
Key Lime Pie · Miami
Florida's signature dessert: a graham-cracker crust filled with tart key lime curd thickened with sweetened condensed milk, topped with whipped cream and a wedge of fresh lime.
Key lime pie was likely invented in the late 19th century in the Florida Keys, where the small, intensely tart key limes (Citrus aurantiifolia) grew wild and sweetened condensed milk (invented by Gail Borden in 1856) was the only available shelf-stable dairy on the islands. The chemistry is unique: the citric acid in lime juice causes the condensed milk to thicken without heat, so the original 19th-century version was uncooked. Joe's Stone Crab in Miami Beach has served the dish since 1913 and is the most-cited Miami canonical address.
Where to eat in Miami:
- Joe's Stone Crab
- Versailles
- Yardbird
Key lime pie · Tampa
Tart Key lime juice mixed with sweetened condensed milk and egg yolks, poured into a graham cracker crust, baked just until set, then chilled.
Key lime pie originated in the Florida Keys in the 1890s when sweetened condensed milk became widely available. The Joe's Stone Crab and Columbia Restaurant versions cemented the regional reputation. Florida designated it the official state pie in 2006. Tampa restaurants serve a version close to the Conch Republic original: pale yellow filling (true Key limes are yellow, not green) in a graham cracker crust with whipped cream.
Where to eat in Tampa:
- Columbia Restaurant
- Bern's Steak House
- Ulele
- Wright's Gourmet House