Dining & Restaurants
The Florida Keys ahave a rich and storied history that includes the romance of the high seas, as a hub for privateers commissioned by foreign governments to capture merchant ships carrying goods from the new world back to locales like Spain and France. The privateers gone rougue that became known as pirates. Ship salvagers that made a living off nearby shipwrecks, sponge fishermen, commercial fishing enterprises, vibrant communities of writers and artists, and more recently as a vacation destination for tourists.
Key Largo
There are several options for tent and RV camping in Key Largo. Almost all of the campgrounds offer amenities that include ocean or bayside access, electric and water hookups, picnic benches, grills plus public restrooms and showers.
THE FISH HOUSE
102401 Overseas Highway, Key Largo
305-451-4665
Specializing in the finest seafood available, The Fish House opened just as the Conch Republic was born. Since the key to terrific seafood lies in the freshness, they made that their trademark. Fresh-caught fish arrives daily at the dock and is brought directly to The Fish House. Try the smoked fish dip appetizer, fried fish sandwich or blue crab stuffed lobster. The atmosphere is laid-back keys casual. The interior features wood walls. lots of keys kitsch, and a ceiling covered in fish nets and campy patio lights. The outdoor patio is more elegant and romantic. They also have a fresh fish market.
www.fishhouse.com
SUNDOWNERS
Since 1985 Sundowners restaurant in Key Largo has been serving sunsets, seafood and steaks. Enjoy the view from the dramatic glass-walled dining room, or sit outside on the covered deck. SunDowners can accommodate up to 100 guests for inside seating, and up to 200 guests for outside seating. This is the place to take large groups of visiting guests. They have some really innovative drinks and dishes. To start try the key lime pie martini, fried olives with fig sauce or coconut bread with pineapple butter. For an entree try the crab cakes, steak and shrimp skewers or Portugese pan roast.
www.sundownerskeylargo.com
HOBO’S CAFE
101691 Overseas Highway, Key Largo
305-451-5888
Hobo’s is a keys staple, with affordable food done just right. Hobo’s was originally a small conch house with adjacent marina, the “Cheers” of Key Largo. It was the favored water hole for the locals, but the food and service was so good, they outgrew the original location. Order the sampler platter as an appetizer. You’ll be tempted to order a seafood dish, which I highly recommend, but don’t overlook the garlic wings, they are addictive. Come early and often, but plan to wait for a table, as this is a really busy restaurant. It’s a great post-dive spot, they play videos of the reef on a continuous loop on the TV’s, but will switch to a sporting event upon request. The atmosphere is very casual, but the staff is very attentive. You are sure to feel welcome and come away very full and satisfied.
www.hoboscafe.net
MRS. MACS KITCHEN
99336 Overseas Hwy
Key Largo, FL 33037
305-451-3722
Sisters, Paula & Angie have operated Mrs. Mac’s kitchen since 1988. Mr’s Macs has continuously been voted “The Best” in the People’s Choice Awards and Best Hometown Café . The food is simple, delicious and affordable. They are open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. They serve really regional fare including conch fritters, alligator tenders, lobster bites, smoked fish dip, crabcakes, and yellowtail snapper. They have great fried fish, shrimp. oyster and lobster baskets that come with cottage fries and cole slaw. They also surprisingly sell lots of East Coast favorites, patty melts, chili cheese dogs, 6 different Philly sandwiches, deli sandwiches. The atmosphere is keysey – and it feels very much like you are eating in the kitchen of someone’s conch home.
www.mrsmacskitchen.com
THE BUZZARDS ROOST
21 Garden Cove Dr, Key Largo, FL 33037
305-453-3746
The Buzzard’s Roost offers waterside dining indoors and out. Relax inside in air-conditioned comfort, or out on the patio or at the tiki bar. Enjoy live music at the tiki bar on Friday nights. They also have a fabulous brunch on the weekends. Enjoy appetizers like fresh oysters, ceviche and peel and eat shrimp. For your meal, we recommend the cracked conch, lobster reuben, fish tacos or chicken wings. The patio is especially beautiful at night with views down the canal.
www.buzzardsroostkeylargo.com
THE LAZY LOBSTER
102770 Overseas Highway, Key Largo
(305) 451-0565
The Lazy Lobster offers fresh seafood, seafood pastas, vegetarian pastas, sandwiches, steaks and chicken all prepared by chefs. They will also cook your catch. They cook lobster in a myriad of ways including an incredible lobster thermidor. Try the seafood Provencal, Tuna Tartar or Sooper Dooper Grouper sandwhich.
lazylobsterinthekeys.com
JIMMY JOHNSON’S BIG CHILL
104000 Overseas Highway, Key Largo
305-453-9066
The Big Chill offers waterfront dining while taking in breathtaking Sunset Views of the Florida Bay. Enjoy tuna nachos, the Italian fisherman seafood pizza topped with a whole lobster, New England clam chowder, poorboy shrimp sandwiches, lobster mac and cheese plus a very lively happy hour poolside. This is a great place to gather to watch the big game, as the owner is the famed former coach of the Miami Dolphins.
www.jjsbigchill.com
THE PILOT HOUSE
13 Seagate Blvd, Key Largo, FL 33037
305-451-3142
The Pilot House has been operating continually in Key Largo for over 50 years. It’s a restaurant, bar and 55 slip marina. They offer live entertainment nearly every night of the week. The menu includes lots of appetizers including oysters, Ahi Tuna Nachos, Conch Fritters, Baked Brie and a Creamy Crab Dip. Popular entrees include lobster mac and cheese, macadamia crusted hogfish, paella, St. Louis ribs and grilled Churrasco steak.
The outdoor bar is unique because it overlooks the marina and has a partially glass bottomed floor. They have been featured on the Food Network show Diners, Drive-Inns and Dives.
www.pilothousemarina.com
NUM THAI & SUSHI BAR
103200 Overseas Highway, Key Largo FL 33037
305-451-5955
Num Thai is authentic Thai food and sushi. The owners are originally from Thailand. They serve fresh sushi rolls and entire boats. They have delicious soups like Tom Ka Kai and Tom Yum, warm, salty and crunchy edamame bowls, Thai curries, Pad Thai, Yakitori and Tempura dishes. They are located in a small strip center at mile marker 103 and are a favorite with the locals.
Find them on facebook at Num Thai & Sushi Bar
Tavernier/Islamorada
There are several options for tent and RV camping in Tevernier and Islamorada. Almost all of the campgrounds offer amenities that include ocean or bayside access, electric and water hookups, picnic benches, grills plus public restrooms and showers.
San Pedro Carefree RV Resort
87401 Old Highway, Islamorada, FL 33036
(305) 289-0011
Café Moka Coffee and Bakery
A great place for breakfast or lunch, Café Moka feels like a quaint French café. They serve fresh brewed coffee, breakfast croissants, quiche, baked goods, sandwiches like prosciutto and mozzerella, roast beef and cheddar and smoked salmon on French baguettes, salads plus a soup du jour. This is a great place to go and take it slow. Sit by a window and watch the world go by or out in the tranquil garden. If you go after 6pm they offer a selection of fine wines, baked brie, cheese plates, a tapas plate and delicious oven baked flatbreads..
91865 Overseas Highway
Tavernier, FL 33070
305-453-6271
Chad’s Deli
92330 Overseas Highway
Tavernier, Florida 33070
(305) 853-5566
Chad’s has been a fan favorite for many years with their large menu of oversized deli sandwiches served on their own signature breads that include rye, pumpernickel, sourdought and Italian. Offerings include all your deli favorites including chicken salad, turkey and bacon, Reubens, pulled pork, meatball and more. They have really inventive one-of-a-kind soups like tomato bisque, creamy white cheddar spinach and feta chowder and red pepper Gouda. They also offer large entrée sized salads. pizza, calzones burgers and baked goods. The entire restaurant is decorated in Chad’s extensive Coca-Cola memorabilia and it’s hard not to find Chad himself manning the counter
www.chadsdeli.com
Sunrise Cuban Café & Market
91885 Overseas Highway
(305) 852-7216
A Cuban café serving Café Con Leche, Cuban sandwiches with matchstick potatoes, huevos rancheros, slow roasted pork and black beans and rice. The menu board is written in Spanish and the decor is sparse, just a few banquet chairs and tables, but the experience is very authentic.
Made 2 Order Café
90691 Overseas Highway
(305) 852-3251
This restaurant is a little bit difficult to find as it’s tucked away on the old highway. You’ll want to visit their website for directions, but it’s well worth it. This is a really popular breakfast and brunch spot. They have beautiful dockside seating, and a large menu offering eggs Benedict, their signature grilled banana bread with peanut butter, orange French toast, corn beef hash, house fried potatoes, Popeye and Olive Oyl omelettes and fish and grits.
Dillon’s Pub and Grill
91200 Overseas Highway
Tavernier, Florida 33070
This is an Irish pub and sports bar popular with the locals. It’s located in a shopping center next to the Winn Dixie Grocery Store. Inside it’s dimly lit and cold with flickering TV’s tuned to sporting events. There are plenty of ice cold beers on tap, including Guinness. The menu features plenty of fresh seafood, but also departs from the usual to offer prime rib, French onion soup, corned beef and cabbage, BBQ baby back ribs, sesame seared Ahi tuna, loaded potato skins and chicken wings.
Dillonspubandgrill.com
Snappers Oceanfront Restaurant and Bar
139 Seaside Avenue
Key Largo, Florida 33037
(305) 852-5956
Snapper’s is a large historic Ocean front restaurant and several smaller more casual bars located in its various nooks and crannies. Many of the locals come by boat and venture no further than the dockside bar known as the Turtle Club. There’s a lively crowd, live music, a full bar and lots of small bites and sandwiches on the menu. Up the dock there’s a food truck court with various offerings. Continue on to the main restaurant and you’ll encounter more formal surroundings with world-class cuisine and a Sunday Brunch so popular it requires reservations. This is fine dining and the prices reflect that. For starters you can order Wahoo ceviche, garlic steamed mussels, shrimp cocktails, Alligator, Nachos with sushi grade tuna and fresh oysters on the ½ shell. For diner they offer Bleu cheese encrusted filet mignon, shellfish scampi, Surf and Turf, and fresh fish cooked 6 different ways by the chef. This a memorable place to celebrate a special occasion.
www.snapperskeylargo.com
What The Fish Rolls
90775 Old Highway
Tavernier, Florida 33070
(305) 440-3650
A quaint seafood shack serving delicious lobster and shrimp rolls. There’s no inside seating, but lot’s of comfortable outdoor seating under the large outdoor Tiki hut.
www.whatthefishrolls.com
Old Tavernier Restaurant and Lounge
90311 Old Highway
(305) 852-6012
An elegant restaurant serving chef prepared Surf and Turf, stuffed lobster, Chicken Florentine, seafood pasta, duck with cranberry sauce, Greek style whole yellowtail snapper and extravagant desserts on crisp white tablecloths. Top notch service and an extensive wine list round out the experience.
www.oldtavernier.com
Harriette’s Restaurant
95710 Overseas Highway
Key Largo, Florida 33037
(305) 852-8689
Harriettes has been serving breakfast, lunch and brunch for over 30 years. They serve over 2o different types of house-made muffins, fresh squeezed orange juice, biscuits and gravy, breakfast burritos, omelets, pancakes, grits and eggs your way. For lunch they have club sandwiches, Ruebens on rye, a conch burger, chipped beef, a fried oyser sandwhich, egg salad and more.
Marathon
There are several options for tent and RV camping in Marathon. Almost all of the campgrounds offer amenities that include ocean or bayside access, electric and water hookups, picnic benches, grills plus public restrooms and showers.
Porky’s Bayside
1410 Overseas Highway
Marathon, Florida 33050
(786) 401-5470
This is a very casual place located adjacent to a marina. It’s a collection of picnic tables under a giant tiki huts. They have live entertainment nightly in season. It’s a popular place for bikers touring the Overseas Highway. It’ more of a bar than a restaurant, but they do serve barbecue and seafood. Menu items consist of pulled pork, brisket, baby back ribs, peel and eat shrimp and fish tacos. www.porkysbaysidebbq.com
Brutus Seafood
6950 Overseas Highway
Marathon, Florida 33050
(305) 743-9181
This is a seafood market and casual tiki bar restaurant. It’s very clean wit fresh flowers on the table and lots of lush tropical plants under the tiki. The portions are very generous, fresh and delicious. Try the stone crab claws in season, house made clam chowder , fried seafood platter hogfish or mahi-mahi sandwhich.. www.brutusseafood.com
Sparky’s Landing
400 Sadowsky Causeway
Key colony Beach, Florida 33050
(305) 289-7445
Rustic dockside bar and restaurant with lots of fresh seafood dishes. They have live entertainment and a lively happy hour. They will cook your catch for you. A great casual place to go after a day on the water. Try the fish tacos, conch fritters, or oyster poor boy sandwich. www.sparkyslanding.com
The Island Fish Co.
12648 Overseas Highway
Marathon, Florida 33050
(305) 743-4191
Guests can come by car boat or helicopter..as they have a helicopter pad. It is a restaurant and tiki bar. The restaurant is very large and menu is rather extensive. The food is primarily seafood, but it’s done more creatively than most. They offer a fun seafood tower consisting of one pound of Key West Pink Peel & Eat Shrimp, half dozen Gulf oysters and Indian River clams on the half shell and a pound of Florida Keys Stone Crab claws served chilled on crushed ice with cocktail sauce, Key Lime Mustard sauce, horseradish sauce, Island Park mignonette and lemon. It’s great for a large group. Other innovative offerings include a she Krab soup, seafood quesadlillas, Barbecued shrimp wrapped in bacon, tempura shrimp served with a jalapeno chutney and crispy fried lobster sandwich. www.islandfishco.com
Franks Grill
11400 Overseas Highway Ste 116
Marathon, Florida 33050
(305) 289-7772
An unassuming Italian restaurant located in a strip mall offering a extensive menu of Italian standards. They offer spaghetti and meatballs, lasagna, ziti, stuffed shells, manicotti, ravioli, eggplant parmigiana and more.
Kings Seafood and Market
10925 Overseas Highway
Marathon, Florida 330350
(305) 735-4132
This is a large seafood market and fast casual. Place your order at the counter and pay for it in advance. The menu is Caribbean inspired with plantains, yellow rice, whole fried fish, stone crab claws, stuffed plantains, cold mango milkshakes and seafood stew. The décor is very simple, but also very clean.
Dave’s Big Mouth Eatery
61 53rd Street
Marathon, Florida 33050
(305) 922-2630
Sandwiches, pizza and vegetarian food. Clean modern décor with a large lunch counter. Lots of soups, deli sandwiches and salads. A great place to grab a quick bite.
Barracuda Grill
4290 Overseas Highway
Marathon, Florida 33050
(305) 743-3314
Key West
There are several options for tent and RV camping in the lower keys and Key West. Almost all of the campgrounds offer amenities that include ocean or bayside access, electric and water hookups, picnic benches, grills plus public restrooms and showers.
Key Plaza Creperie
1105 Key Plaza
(305) 517-6032
www.keyplazacreperie
A European style restaurant serving breakfast and lunch. Specializing in crepes, both savory and sweet, breakfast staples, salads and Panini.
Bien Caribbean Latin
100 Eaton Street
Key West, Florida 33040
(305) 517-6740
www.bienkeywest.com
Outdoor patio restaurant featuring Caribbean food. Spicy roasted pork and chicken and seafood dishes served with beans and rice, warm tortillas or Cuban bread. Street corn, tropical salsas and tapenades round out the menu.
Cuban Coffee Queen
284 Margaret Street
Key West, Florida 33040
www.cubancoffeequeen.net
This tiny coffee house with it’s iconic Key West mural is really just a really popular walk up stand serving Cuban coffee and delicious pressed sandwiches. Try the to-go box of pulled pork with black beans and rice and an iced coffee con leche for a sure-fire eye opener before starting your day.
Old Town Bakery
930 Eaton Street
Key West, Florida 33040
(305) 396-7450
www.oldtownbakery.com
A beautiful old building re-purposed into a bakery serving artisanal breads, pastries, gourmet cheese, breakfast and lunch sandwiches and soup.
Seven Fish
921 Truman Avenue
Key West, Florida 33040
(305)296-2777
www.7fish.com
A tiny restaurant on the corner of a residential neighborhood that packs a big punch. The interior is very modern and contemporary and the food is inventive .Try the red snapper with Thai curry sauce over rice, Gnocci with fresh fish, crabcakes, crab with shitake mushrooms or grouper sushi.
Garbo’s Grill
409 Caroline Street
Key West, Florida 33040
(305) 304-3004
www.garbosgrillkw.com
A tiny conch hose serving out-of-this-world tacos, umami burgers and mongo hot dogs. Try the Cayo’s fish toaco, the Korean Bulgogi short-rib or the Yum-Yum shrimp tacos.
Incas Restaurant
800 white Street
Key West, Florida 33040
(305) 292-1616
www.incasrestaurant.wix.com
And now for something completely different…Peruvian food. Fresh ceviches, crisp fried yucca sticks with sauce for dipping, fried Incan corn, beef and rice platters and a really good paella. Step out of your comfort zone and give it a try. The menu features photos of all the dishes to facilitate ordering.
Duetto Pizza and Gelato
540 Greene Street
Key West, Florida 33040
(305) 848-4981
A tiny parlor restaurant with great take-out pizza and dozens of flavors of creamy, dreamy gelato.
Deuce’s “Of the Hook” Grill
728 Simonton Street
Key West, Florida 33040
(305) 414-8428
www.offthehookkeywest.com
Small neighborhood bar and grill with chef-prepared food. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner with lots of daily specials. Try the Grouper Ceviche with plantain chips, fried green tomatoes with crab, lobster Gnocchi, clams with duck bacon or jerk chicken.
Blossoms Cajun Kitchen
408 White Street
Key West, Florida 33040
(305) 294-9496
This tiny restaurant with only a few tables is New Orleans food through and through. Try the cheese grits with Andouie sausage, Muffaletta sandwiches, crawfish Etoufee, and the Bayou trio.
Mo’s Restaurant
1116 White Street
Key West, Florida 33040
(305) 296-8955
A small restaurant serving Haitian food including roasted Caribbean chicken with dirty rice, oxtail, red snapper and potatoes, Creole shrimp and seafood Ragu.
Café Sole
1029 Southard Street
Key West, Florida 33040
(786) 472-8249
www.cafesole.com
An elegant restaurant with lots of ambience. A large airy patio with bistro tables covered in crisp white tablecloths, ceiling fans twirling overhead. Fresh flowers and candles. The food is all chef prepared with care. Try the seafood risotto, buttery pan fried hogfish, steak Diane, salmon and lobster with hollandaise or Grouper Romesco. A great date-night spot.
The Café
509 Southard Street
Key West, Florida 33040
(305) 296-5515
www.thecafekw.com
Vegan and vegetarian food. Cute ittle café serving items like “chicken” and waffles with mashed potatoes, unwings, stir fry with tofu, Quinoa salad with Mahi-Mahi