Like most Key West resident, our chefs have no tolerance for the ordinary. Here, restaurants are galleries, showcasing such creations as sesame-encrusted tuna over seaweed in a riot of color and flavor.  The scenery’s picture-perfect, too.  Step out for a leisurely walk and you’ll discover simple waterfront restaurants, posh Duval Street bistros, neighborhood sushi bars, and gregarious outdoor spots with people-watching perches.

Key West’s culinary influences and offerings are as diverse as its population. Savory picadillo and marinated pork are piled high at family-owned Cuban restaurants, where menus are in two languages and waitresses know every local’s name.  Cozy Italian bistros serve up lobster-filled ravioli and fine wines.  The Counters and outdoor tables are always filled at local sushi bars, where diners pore over menus and pass around the sake. For those who want their fish fresh, but not raw, most waterfront restaurants will “cook your catch” after a successful day of fishing.

Caribbean seasonings add heat to the legendary jerk chicken dishes for those n the mood for something bold.  There are chopped salads topped with shrimp for hot nights, and oysters Rockefeller heaped with spinach and cheese.  Crabmeat sits atop eggs Benedict during brunch and steak regularly shares the plate with lobster in decadent surf and turf meals all over town.

Key West’s award winning restaurants combine casual elegance with decadent fare in settings as varied as their menus and as tasteful as their wine lists. Come, pull up a chair.