Nine One five
A decadent seafood restaurant hidden in Old Town Key West. The building was built as a family home in the 1850s and most of the seating is on the veranda with a view of Duval Street. The menu at Nine One Five is locally driven with ingredients sourced at the docks in stock island daily. With options like whole roasted snapper, pasta made fresh in house and shareable tapas this spot is an easy island favorite.
Bagatelle
A treat to locals and visitors alike, Bagatelle sits in the heart of the downtown bustle, but offers a quiet break from the crowds of Mallory Square and Duval Street. Built as a captain’s home in 1884, this stunning building was converted to a restaurant in 1979. Bagatelle offers brunch 7 days a week with a “hangover happy hour” from 9-11:30am. Too early for you? A second happy hour kicks off from 4-6pm with $5 tasing plates. Bagatelle serves American Caribbean fare with everything from deep fried French toast to their famous lobster macaroni and cheese that is not to be missed!
First Flight
The historical home of Pan American Airlines in Key West has been reinvented into First Flight - an island restaurant and the southernmost micro-brewery. Step away from the crowds on Duval Street and explore the impressive property where the first commercial flights to Havana were booked and international travel was changed forever.
First Flight offers seating indoors or in the beautiful bricked garden under a tropical tree canopy.
The menu at First Flight takes you around the world with street corn avocado, Caribbean pork, mouth watering burgers and, of course, local seafood. Cocktails are made fresh and with a daily happy hour from 4-6pm you have a chance to try the original brews on tap that include the “Havana Red”and “Maverick IPA”. amcorper.
fisherman’s cafe
Located in the historic Key West seaport, this local gem is tucked away on the sleepy Lazy Way lane. The Fisherman’s Cafe is known to serve “killer grub” from its “chill” takeaway window. Timeless favorites are made with fresh ingredients like Key West Pink shrimp, saltwater lobster and caribbean conch and served with a smile. Open early for a sunrise breakfast with Cuban style cheese toast served through lunchtime. You know you’ve found a good spot when the soup of the day is often “cuban coffee”.
little pearl
If you want fresh local seafood with friendly neighborhood dining, look no further than Little Pearl. Nestled in one the island’s oldest neighborhoods between narrow one way streets, this intimate bistro will make you feel like you are dining among close friends. The owners often cut out the middle man and buy directly from the fisherman to obtain the freshest seafood available and the menu reflects that. Little Pearl has an innovative menu driven by tropical cuisine like king crab and papaya salad, grilled swordfish with miso brown butter and the ever popular lobster and shrimp crab pot pie. Pair your sense of adventure with a nice bottle from their curated wine list and be ready to experience something special at Little Pearl.
Thirsty Mermaid
Thirsty mermaid likes to say it has a menu that is “locally sourced and created with love” and they couldn’t say it any better. Thirsty Mermaid’s cuisine is driven by fresh seafood. Period. The head chef and part owner happens to source the local seafood on the menu through his own commercial fishing fleet and is just as particular about the Oysters sourced from the East and West coast. A full raw bar is offered daily with a happy hour serving $5 tasting plates and $2 “mermaid lager” from 4-6pm. Expect specials like Tile fish and Key West Pinks with standard menu items including shrimp and lobster cakes with tarragon aioli, Yellowfin Tuna carpaccio and the incredible Mac & cheese croquettes.
TIKI HOUSE
This Tiki bar is in the center of downtown Key West, ear shot from the island’s haunts like Sloppy Joe’s and Captain Tony’s, but with its very own tropical vibe. Bust out your flowered shirt and get ready to sip a stiff from a tall ceramic mug. This unique cocktail bar even offers craft cocktails classes where students learn the history of the tiki and how to master an authentic tiki style cocktail. No sugar filled punches or juices from concentrate here… Live music everyday, happy hour from 4-6pm with two for one drinks and $6 mojitos all day long. Add this to your “Duval Crawl” for an authentic island experience.