Dining Out at a Florida Keys Restaurant

Dining at a Florida Keys restaurant is a memorable experience. Waterfront bistros, outdoor cafes, comfortable delis, and traditional eateries offer everything from casual fare to fine dining.

Fresh seafood abounds on just about every restaurant menu. Some favorite local crustaceans include Key West pink shrimp, Florida lobster, and locally caught stone crab claws. Top fin fish favorites are dolphin or mahi mahi, yellowtail snapper, grouper, hog fish, and tuna. A number of Key Largo restaurants specialize in this type of cuisine.

Local ethnic restaurants serve Japanese sushi, Italian pasta dishes, Cuban cuisine, and Greek pitas. A few other ethnic choices are scattered throughout the Keys and our Islamorada restaurants too.

Fine wines, beer, a bevy of tropical drinks, and other beverages are available at most establishments and local hotels. If a particular libation is important to you check with the restaurant as some have limited selections.

Don’t forget to ask about dessert. Choices are many, but locally made Key lime pie is one of the most requested sweet endings to any meal served at a Keys bistro.

The atmosphere among Keys eateries varies widely and can range from beachfront dining beneath swaying palm trees to candle lit dinners with crisp white table cloths.

One thing is sure in the Florida Keys, almost any attire is acceptable in the local establishments including our Tavernier restaurants as long as you are fully clothed and wearing some sort of footwear.

Feel free to wear sandals, flip flops, sundresses, T-shirts, shorts, or blue jeans—fashion is pretty relaxed down here. If you prefer a little more glam, high heels and more formal dress wear is also appropriate at a few of the more upscale bistros.

Some establishments include music to add to your dining pleasure. Anything from jazz to blues to father-son guitar duets will soothe you and serenade your party to the rhythm of the Keys.

Marathon restaurants include funky fisheries, crowded bars, and quaint bistros which will invite you to dig into tropical cuisine and Key’s specials. These will tantalize your taste buds and help make your vacation in the Keys a delicious one.

Some Added Tidbits

Prices at a Florida Keys restaurant can be high when compared to other parts of the country. As an example at a mid-priced Keys eatery expect to pay around $10 for a lunch entrée and $15 to $20 for a dinner. Drinks, appetizers, tax, and tips would be extra. You could spend a bunch more at some places, but it would be more difficult to spend less without visiting a fast food chain.

In the winter months when many visitors are in town you may need to make reservations to get timely service at your favorite eatery. Also, you should be aware that some of our local restaurants do not accept credit cards so you’ll need to be prepared to pay cash.