We can’t help it, our favorite part of nearly any vacation we have ever taken is the food we enjoy from sunup to sundown, but even as we have experienced cuisine from all over the world, both sophisticated and casual, we find ourselves longing to get home to the meals offered in our own piece of paradise! If this is your first time in Florida, the treats that await are destined to become your new obsession, and for those returning for the second, tenth, or even hundredth time, welcome back to yet another “episode” of The Taste of the Keys! This guide to the best food in Key West will ensure that you taste the best we have to offer.
Day 1: All About the Breakfast
We could divide this up into three days of breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but what would be the fun in that? Instead, we have decided to take each day and focus on a specific meal, which means, of course, we are starting with the meal that sets the pace for every day, one that is arguably the most important meal!
Begin your breakfast tour with a visit to Bradenton; Sage Biscuit Café has become our breakfast home away from home and one of the best places to eat in Key West, Florida. They offer perfect, fresh, and tasty meals that will start your day out right. Their Crab Cake Benedict never fails to feed our soul, and for those who love to begin the day on a sweet note, their Bananas Foster Waffle will be the taste you dream about for years to come!
Moving on to Sarasota, our next stop on the breakfast train takes us to Station 400, where their truffle eggs benedict taste even better because you are enjoying them in a restored train depot dating back to 1852! There are two locations in Sarasota, and the menus are identical, but we suggest the Lemon Avenue location that mixes historic ambiance with their Station 400 Omelette!
Finally, Keke’s Breakfast Café is a favorite in Cape Coral, offering a sweet start to every morning with a breakfast menu filled with fluffy pancakes and waffles. We may be biased, but we do think the Florida Waffle, topped with fresh strawberries, bananas, and blueberries, is the best on the menu!
Day 2: The Best Food in Key West to Fuel Your Engine
Even if you do nothing more than laze around on the beach or frolic in the ocean, about halfway through your day you will still need to fuel up for the second part, and these lunch restaurants (most of which serve breakfast as well) do the job right!
Looking for a taste of classic Florida and not willing to leave the views of the water? The Rod & Reel Pier on Anna Maria Island is located at the end of a historic pier and offers the classic all-American foods you are destined to love, including the “required” Grouper Sandwich. Your Longboat Key vacation experience will be much improved with a midday break at the Dry Dock Waterfront Grill, offering patio dining with views of the bobbing boats on the bay! Their Boathouse Tacos come with grouper, shrimp, and lobster fillings, and when accompanied by an icy cold beer, well, this is the meal that absolutely exemplifies the Florida vibe!
The final lunch spot we are going to talk about today takes us to North Port and a visit to the Blue Tequila Mexican Restaurant, Grill & Cantina. Not all the meals you enjoy during your stay with us have to consist of seafood, especially when this authentic place serves such delicious meals! Offering massively sized plates filled to the brim with tacos, burritos, and chimichangas, we can promise that this is one restaurant you will miss when you return home.
Day 3: The Epic Conclusion of Each Day
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, lunch fills the empty spots in our stomachs, but dinner at these restaurants will make the memories you will happily embrace!
Take a tour over the pond with a visit to Café l’Europe, a shining and elegant star located at St. Armand’s Circle. Offering a classic European menu filled with the richest of foods, we love everything we have tried here, but their Potato Crusted Grouper holds a special place in our hearts. The Cottage on Siesta Key features fresh and sweet seafood served up at the tables of a typical Florida cottage; hand painted signs, tongue and groove paneled walls, and a charming patio surrounded by greenery and rock walls give the Cottage a homey and welcoming ambience.
Because atmosphere matters, the Old Salty Dog in Sarasota is destined to give you the experience that best represents our Florida lifestyle. Offering a beachfront patio, the pub grub found here may not be innovative, but the dishes on the menu will fill you up and make it one of the best places to eat in Key West, Florida!
Taste The Best Food in Key West
Our Rent The Keys vacation escapes offer fully equipped kitchens designed to make your cooking experiences fun, so it is quite possible that your epicurean adventures will include a few meals made “at home!” Contact us now and reserve your favorite Rent The Keys sanctuary today!