The Restaurants Making Key West a Culinary Destination
Key West features many lively restaurants serving fresh seafood in the form of local favorites and forward-thinking culinary creations. Beyond the amazing saltwater-sourced bounty, these local restaurants are also known for upscale cocktails, Southern-inspired cuisine, and plenty of outdoor seating. The strong sense of local flavor combined with variety and inventiveness make Key West a culinary destination unlike any other.
Here are some of our favorite places around the island to eat.
The Grove Kitchen & Bar
Stop by The Grove Kitchen & Bar at Parrot Key Hotel & Villas which features daily happy hours, breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Begin your day here with a Cuban breakfast sandwich and a bloody mary, or a Key West Omelet with fresh fruit. For lunch, dinner, and snacks in between — you can munch on raw and chilled ceviche or Key West pink shrimp. In addition to these dishes, the restaurant offers more filling menu items like burgers, sandwiches, blackened Mahi tacos, pizza, and more.
If The Grove’s options seem plentiful, it’s because they are. Reserve daily three-course lunches, dinners, and free eating for children under 10 with one of these Parrot Key Culinary Escape packages.
The Grove Kitchen & Bar. Parrot Key Hotel & Villas, Key West, FL
Firefly
This independent, chef-driven restaurant takes an elevated approach to Southern classics. Featuring two floors and outdoor seating, Firefly serves brunch, lunch, supper, and desserts. If you stop by, be sure to indulge in a fresh-baked buttermilk biscuit. The Nashville hot chicken sandwich is another must, served with challah toast for those who like a little spice.
Supper at Firefly is difficult to narrow down to because of all the amazing options. Our pick is the shrimp and grits with ingredients from Anson Mills, a chef-loved proprietor of organic heirloom grains. Additional hits include a buffalo pig ear, fried green tomatoes, braised buffalo back rib, and their famous Low-Country Gumbo.
Firefly. 223 Petronia St. Key West, FL
Santiago’s Bodega
Santiago’s Bodega is a popular tapas bar just a few blocks from Duval in Bahama Village. The original location of a brand that’s added two more Florida locations since opening in 2004, Santiago’s is proven to be a Key West favorite. Be sure to indulge in some of the more popular cold tapas — i.e. yellowfin tuna ceviche and Gruyere-covered green beans — as well as hot ones like the pan-grilled shrimp and chorizo, patatas bravas, and mini quesadillas.
Santiago’s Bodega. 7305, 207 Petronia St #101, Key West, FL
Conch Republic Seafood Company
Conch — the eponymous pink mollusk featured in the title of this restaurant — is a local favorite that you will see at many Key West restaurants. The Conch Republic Seafood Company serves theirs fried with a signature orange horseradish marmalade. It’s tangy, spicy, complex, and widely considered delicious. People also love this spot for its outdoor waterside porch and seafood menu. Highlights include baked oysters, stuffed mushrooms, bacon-wrapped stuffed shrimp, and Caribbean-spiced Mahi Mahi.
Conch Republic Seafood Company. 631 Greene St. Key West, FL
Little Pearl
The intimate space at Little Pearl makes dining here feel elegant and exclusive. This neighborhood restaurant and wine bar take a fine-dining approach to its focus on local seafood. The chef’s tasting menu is a must-try with highlights such as pink-shrimp thom kha gai, grilled octopus, short rib tortellini, and the Hurricane Shelter Crab with fried garlic and bird chili.
Little Pearl. 632 Olivia St. Key West, FL
