From the moment my husband and I arrived in Key West, we felt like we were in a different country. The culture is so diverse, the air is extremely humid and hot, and everyone there is from somewhere else. We wanted a casual vacation where we could walk around with a drink in our hand with no worries. This was it. We also wanted to pick a place that our kids wouldn’t necessarily miss. We hit the mark there, too. You can certainly go with kids and have a wonderful time, but you can also experience it in a way that only adults can. In fact, after the sun goes down, Duval street comes alive.
When we decided to go to Key West my expectations were low. I was expecting a Jimmy Buffett-drinking-frozen-margarittas-in-a-yard-glass type place. We saw only just a bit of that thankfully. So, we talked to a few friends that have spent some time there as well as doing our own research and found some fantastic restaurants.
Breakfast
Blue Heaven
Can’t leave without trying a slice of key lime pie….even for breakfast.
Blue Heaven was one of our favorites. It doesn’t look like much on the outside, but you walk in and it’s a backyard party with the best breakfast in Key West. This place is a must go! No reservations needed. Just put your name on the list and walk around and see some sights for a few minutes.
Blue Heaven
729 Thomas Street, Key West
La Creperie French Cafe
If you even mildly like crepes, you need to try this place. I had the L’ile Plaisir crepe, which is homemade caramel au beurre sale’ and banana. All I caught out of that was caramel and banana. It was fantastic to say the least.
La Creperie French Cafe
300 Petronia St #1
http://www.lacreperiekeywest.com
Lunch
Latitudes on Sunset Key
When my husband and I were watching the sunset one night, we noticed a tiny island filled with beautiful homes across the way. That is Sunset Key. We found out about Latitudes and decided to give it a try. You can book on OpenTable and for dinner I suggest reserving several weeks in advance. You can sit on the patio with a beautiful view of the sunset. We had lunch and then spent time at the spa, which as great for us! Either way is a win.
To get there, first reserve on OpenTable. To get to the restaurant, you take a ferry about 30 minutes before your reservation from the pier on Front Street. It’s just a 5 minute ferry ride straight to the restaurant. A hostess checks you in at the dock before you board the ferry. We shared the griddled conch fritters for an appetizer and I had a Harvest Salad with chicken. As you can see, it’s far from a basic salad.
Latitudes
Take Ferry from:
245 Front Street, Key West
https://www.sunsetkeycottages.com/latitudes-restaurant/
Dinner
Sarabeth’s
Sarabeth’s is a must in Key West and so is the tomato soup! We were told it’s one of Oprah’s favorites. It was amazing so if you stop by, you have to give it a try. It’s in an adorable house in the middle of town with an intimate atmosphere. Make your reservation on OpenTable.
Sarabeth’s
530 Simonton St, Key West
Reservations can be made on Open Table
Onlywood Pizzeria Trattoria
Onlywood is really cool because it’s in an alley way off of Duval, away from the riffraff. It’s full scale Italian. I had the Bucatini Carbonara, which is a dish I make at home. It blew mine outta the water. We just needed to call an hour ahead to make a reservation.
Onlywood Pizzeria Trattoria
613 1/2 Duval Street, Key West
Drinks
For an upscale cocktail!
Caroline’s Other Side
My husband and I really wanted a nice place to sit and have a nice cocktail after dinner in a quiet place where we weren’t having to yell over each other. We walked up Duval Street and didn’t see anything remotely close to that and toward the end of the street there was a mansion with a pathway and a sign. Very inconspicuous. We stumbled into this place not really knowing anything about it. Sat at the bar and ordered one of the best drinks I’ve had. She was a mixologist that knew what she was doing. You can sit at the bar like we did or sit anywhere throughout the house on a couch. So much fun.
Caroline’s Other Side
429 Caroline Street
http://carolinescafe.com/other-side/
All-in-all, Key West is a fun casual place you can experience in about 3 days. You’ll want to plan it out so you know where to eat, drink and relax at it’s best. It was a fun little trip!
xo-Megan
