Conch fritters, Cuban coffee windows and key lime pie at mile zero
Key West eats like the port town it has always been. Bahamian settlers brought conch fritters and souse, Cuban cigar workers brought the con leche window and the pressed mix sandwich, and the shrimp fleet that struck pink gold in 1949 still lands Key West pinks at Stock Island docks. The result is a four-mile island that holds both a Michelin-listed courtyard and a laundromat lunch counter, where Kermit's and the Key West Key Lime Pie Co both sell pie by the slice before noon, and where the 2026 Michelin Florida guide handed Moondog Cafe the first Bib Gourmand in the Keys. Eat conch ceviche at the raw bar, drink a buchi at 5 Brothers, and finish on Duval with a shot of key lime pie liqueur. September is the quiet month, when kitchens from Blue Heaven to Cafe Sole close for hurricane-season holidays.
Order Key lime pie with the towering meringue
Order Smoked salmon carpaccio and a round of croquettes
Order Yellowtail snapper with Thai curry sauce
Order Bacon-wrapped dates from the porch menu
Order Hogfish from the local catch, then the duck a l'orange
Order Ropa vieja with black beans and plantains
Guided tour · 3.5 hours
Explore Old Town Key West beyond Duval Street. Taste local favorites like conch fritters, Cuban bites, iced coffee, and Key lime pie, plus a delicious secret dish.
Viator · 2 h
The Wind & Wine Sunset Sail offers a boutique experience unlike any other in Key West! This isn’t your typical party boat, it’s a calm, uncrowded sail aboard a histori...
Viator · 3 h
Enjoy a taste of Key West on this 3-hour food walking tour, led by an expert guide. Along the way visit 5 locally-run “mom and pop” establishments in historic old town...
Going to Key West Food & Wine Festival? Hotels for 27-31 Jan 2027, from USD 370 a night.
Hotels for these dates
Seashell Motel & Key West Hostel
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NYAH Key West-Adults Only
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The Cabana Inn Key West-Adults Only
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Authors of Key West Guest House
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Fairfield Inn & Suites Key West at The Keys Collection
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The Gates Hotel Key West
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24 North Hotel Key West
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Fairfield Inn and Suites by Marriott Key West
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Paradise Inn Key West-Adults Only
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Courtyard by Marriott Key West Waterfront
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The Laureate Key West
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Key West Villas
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Hotels are listed by our booking partners, not picked by our editors. We earn a commission if you book, at no cost to you.
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Every restaurant, cafe, market and bar we cover in Key West, pinned. Click a pin for the page.
Key West's signature dishes include Key lime pie, Conch fritters, Cracked conch, Conch ceviche, Key West pink shrimp. See our signature dishes chapter for where to eat each.
TableJourney editors map Key West by district. Old Town, Duval Street, Historic Seaport, Bahama Village are among the strongest for food, each with its own guide.
Editor picks in Key West include Latitudes, Little Pearl, Cafe Marquesa, plus the full fine dining chapter on TableJourney.
TableJourney covers 3 editor-picked food tours in Key West, with what each shows you and how much to budget.
TableJourney's Key West dietary chapter covers vegan, vegetarian, gluten_free, halal, kosher venues, each editor-picked with what to order and how to ask.
