Key West Restaurants Guide: Where To Eat in Key West, Florida

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Key West

Restaurants

Hungry? Your choices are legion: some 240 dining spots from simple diner-style joints and old Conch hangouts to cutting-edge kitchens lauded by the world's fanciest bibles of cuisine and travel. On the upscale side, Louie's Backyard (700 Waddell Ave.; 305/294-1061; www.louiesbackyard.com) has been a local favorite since the 1983, with a historic-home setting, fabulous waterfront views, and current chef Doug Shook's blend of Florida, Caribbean, and world cuisine. Though only open since 1999, Alice Weingarten has nonetheless made Alice's Key West Restaurant (1114 Duval St.; 305/292-5733; www.aliceskeywest.com) a local institution with her tropical one-room eatery and inventive fare she has cheerfully dubbed "new world fusion confusion." One of the newest and most appealing dining spots in town is Nine One Five (915 Duval St.; 305/296-0669; www.915duval.com), set in a romantic Victorian manse; sit on the porch and watch the world go by on Duval while nibbling at a superb nouvelle American/international menu built around tapas-style portions (dinner only).

Brunch is big in Key West, and we've got two favorites (both of which also serve excellent lunch and dinner fare, by the way). Blue Heaven (729 Thomas St.; 305/296-8666; www.blueheavenkw.com) is a one-of-a-kind experience set back a couple of blocks from Duval in an area called Bahama Village. A former whorehouse where Ernest Hemingway used to referee boxing matches, it's got an artsy-hippie vibe, live chickens wandering amid the outdoor tables, and a waiting list on most weekend mornings – if you can get a table, order the pecan or fruit pancakes. A little more conventional, but also with a charming hideaway feel, Martin's (416 Appelrouth Lane; 305/296-1183), tucked down a quiet side lane, does German, American, and Continental delectably, and for brunch specializes in several variations on eggs Benedict; opt to sit under the towering ficus on the lovely outdoor deck (at night, it's lit by candlelight and very romantic).

On the more moderately priced side, we urge you not to miss two fairly unique standouts: Pepe’s Café (806 Caroline St.; 305/294-7192), a venerable Conch stalwart, with an old-time vibe (it's been around since 1909), whether you hang out in the leafy brick courtyard or in the rustic boathouse-inspired interior, and great fish sandwiches and the oysters; and the homey El Siboney (900 Catherine St.; 305/296-4184), which dishes up solid Cuban home-cooking – chicken and rice, tangy Cuban-style pork, paella, and island sandwich classics – in an unpretentious diner-like setting (sometimes laid-back, sometimes bustling).