Key West, FL – Where to stay, what to do and where to eat while visiting the Florida Keys!
We just got back from a quick trip to Key West. I was speaking at a food blog conference in Orlando, and I talked Chicken Legs into driving us down to Key West for a couple of nights after I spoke. We had SO much fun. The heat was not fun, but the activities were great!
Sloppy Joe’s
201 Duval St
Key West, FL 33040
305-294-5717
I wanted to do two things in Key West.
See the cats at the Hemingway House and have a drink at Sloppy Joe’s.
I got to mark them both off my list!
We really liked Sloppy Joe’s. It was lively, they had live music and the drinks were good (and cold)!
I got the Key West Lemonade and Chicken Legs got a Mojito.
We loved Sloppy Joe’s!!
Ibis Bay Beach Resort
3101 N Roosevelt Blvd
Key West, FL 33040
305-294-4350
Our dinner at The Stoned Crab was a real treat!
The chef, Paul Menta, made us the most amazing fresh seafood meal.
He also told us all about the incredible program he runs, Dock to Dish.
Dock to Dish partners with local fisherman to provide the community access to fresh fish.
It is farm-to-table for the ocean.
You can buy membership to Dock to Dish. With that membership, you get the right to purchase the amazing fish caught right here in Key West. The fish is always fresh and never frozen.
In addition to providing their individual members with fresh fish, Dock to Dish works with restaurants to provide them with the freshest fish available.
It sounds like an amazing program!
Have you ever eaten Hog Fish? This was our first time and we LOVED it!
The Hog Fish was caught the night before.
I’ve never seen such a beautiful presentation of a cooked whole fish.
Paul cooked the fish curved because that is how the fish is naturally. He said that gives the fish the best taste.
The meat just pulled right off the bones. We’ve never had fish this good.
Chicken Legs was in hog heaven! Get it? Hog Heaven? Hog Fish?
He loved, loved, loved the fish!
You must give The Stoned Crab a try when you are in Key West!!
Cafe Marquesa
http://marquesa.com/cafe-marquesa/
Marquesa Hotel
600 Fleming St
Key West, FL 33040
305-292-1244
Someone on our sunset cruise told us about Cafe Marquesa.
Turns out, it is Zagat’s highest rated restaurant in Key West!
I can see why. It was wonderful!
The meal started with some hummus and bread. OMG! I need this recipe!
Chicken Legs got the phyllo crusted hog fish with veggies and pasta purses filled with pear and cheese. The pasta was like our favorite fiocchi!
I got the steak with boursin mashed potatoes.
We couldn’t pass up dessert. We got the chocolate lava cake. YUM!
Santiago Bodega
207 Petronia St.
Key West, Flordia
305-296-7691
Santiago Bodega was recommend by three people – an Instagram follower, one of the crew on the sunset boat and one of the crew on the shark boat. We figured we had to go! The locals must know the best places.
Well, they were right. It was SO great! I wish I could go again tonight!
Santiago Bodega is a tapas style restaurant.
We got three tapas.
Chicken Skewers
marinated in olive oil, lemon zest, and rosemary and served with a lemon-tarragon sauce
Roman Meatballs
with a nest of angel hair pasta
Patatas Bravas
pan-fried potatoes in a spicy sauce
Everything was SO delicious. We loved the atmosphere.
I saw they have a location in Orlando. I’ve added it to our list for our next visit!
Highly recommend this restaurant!
Latitudes
Sunset Key Cottages
245 Front St
Key West, FL 33040
305-292-5394
Our final meal in Key West was at Latitudes on Sunset Key.
This place came highly recommended from lots of people!
We decided to go for lunch so we had a great view.
Sunset Key is a private island owned by Tom Walsh, the owner of the Westin Key West Resort & Marina. The island (officially called Tank Island) was originally owned by the US Navy. It was used as a fuel tank depot during the Cold War. The island was sold to a developer in 1986. Tom Walsh purchased the island in 1994 and renamed it Sunset Key.
You must have a reservation to get here. It is a MUST. You take a private boat over to the island.
The dock is directly across from the Danger Cruises/Key West Extreme Adventures booth.
The boat leaves every half hour, so plan accordingly.
We started our meal with the Griddled Conch Fritters.
Conch is all the rage in The Keys. We had to try it! The fritters were great!
For our entrees, Chicken Legs got the Blackened Grouper Sandwich. It came with a key lime tartar sauce. He loved it!! I got the Island Pulled Pork Sandwich. It had a mango mustard on it. OMG – SO good! Must recreate it ASAP!
We had a cocktail instead of dessert.
We would definitely come back to Latitudes! It is a true paradise!
Next time we are going to come for dinner.
I’d love to watch the sunset from the island.
View from paradise. I didn’t want to leave!
We had a blast in Key West!
We need SO much more time though.
If you are planning a trip to Key West, make sure to check out the Florida Keys website.
http://www.fla-keys.com
There is TONS of great information on the site to help you make the most of your time in Key West.
It really helped us plan our activities!
What should we do on our next trip?
Where should we eat?
Love the pirate!
Oh this brought back such fantastic memories!! I was there 2 years ago on my honeymoon!!! Love Sloppy Joes also, my husband and I had sloppy joes there, how funny!!? And I loved Hemingways house, I have been so curious about him and his wives since then!! Loved it, its such a special place!!!