Key West Florida
What’s all the hype about Key West Florida? We’ve heard so much about Key West over the years that we had to find out what all the noise was about. We learned that Key West is much more than just a party town! Here are some surprising facts about Key West’s food culture and history along with other fun things to do. As you would expect, seafood restaurants are plentiful, and we’ll feature our favorites. If you’ve been there, feel free to leave a comment and tell us what you liked best about Key West?
History of Key West
Since the early 1600’s, Key West was plagued by pirating given its large harbor and access to the Gulf Coast. In 1822, the US Government dispatched the US Navy to the Florida Keys to protect shipping cargo from pirating. The southernmost point of the US was chosen as a base for the Navy Anti-Pirate Squadron because of the proximity to the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean and Cuba known to harbor pirates and illegal slavers. In a politically bold move, Navy Lt. Commander Matthew Perry claimed what was known as “North Havana” as part of the US.
Recognizing the value of the natural southern harbor, the Navy began construction of Fort Zachary Taylor in 1845, shortly after Florida became a state. The fort served as headquarters for the U.S. Navy’s East Gulf Coast blockade squadron that cut off supply to Confederate forces during the Civil War. The fort remained in Union hands throughout the Civil War, and many would say, helped win the war. Fort Zachary was also instrumental protecting the harbor during the Spanish-American War.
The island itself is roughly two by four miles and when you add 26,000 residents and umpteen visitors, it gets pretty dense. The homes are typically wood, with decorative facades and rod iron fencing reminiscent of the French and Spanish influence. It did remind me a bit of the Queen Cities such as New Orleans, regarding architecture and the party atmosphere on Duval Street.
The locals proudly call themselves the Conch Republic since they successfully seceded from the Union after a conflict arising from a blockade that caused a 17 mile back up. Law enforcement erected the blockade to search for drugs and undocumented immigrants coming to the US through Key West. Once word got out of the traffic back-up, visitors canceled reservations and therefore, affected tourism.
After many attempts to appeal to the government to remove the blockage failed, the mayor declared independence of Key West on April 23, 1982. He claimed that since the government was treating the Florida Keys like a foreign nation, they may as well be one. The Conch Republic flag flew over city hall and the Schooner Western Union attacked the Coast Guard Cutter Diligence with water balloons, conch fritters and stale Cuban bread. The Diligence returned fire with water hoses. The mayor surrendered after one minute and demanded $1 billion in foreign aid. This event generated a great deal of publicity and soon, the roadblock was removed.
Transportation
Getting around the island is a bit tricky. There are bikes, scooters, golf carts, cars, and people milling about that make riding a bike a bit hazardous. I settled on Uber or Lyft, the hotel shuttle, and walking. There are scads of Uber or Lyft drivers, never more than a few minutes wait. Next time, I would stay within walking distance to downtown but a little away from the noise of Duvall Street. With the traffic comes noise, sirens, horns honking, not exactly the laid back, calm atmosphere that I imagined.
Beaches? It is an island after all
Vast sandy beaches are sparse on Key West so if you’re hoping for a relaxing, lay on the beach vacation, this may not be the place. The best beach is at Fort Zachary Taylor state park that provides shade, picnic tables and a sandy beach. Lots of broken coral line the shore so water shoes are a must. Most of the water activities are centered around excursions such as snorkeling, kayaking, parasailing, diving, and sunset cruises. we explored the reef and sea life on a one-day dive trip and half day snorkel but they paled in comparison to other dive sites we’ve seen. The sunset cruise was by far the best, on a small charter sailboat called Argo Navis. The staff were gracious and served us unlimited drinks and savory bites throughout the 2-hour sail. The other tours were crowded and impersonal. Call me a kid at heart but I liked the Conch Train. If you’re so inclined, I would recommend taking either the Conch Train or the Trolley when you first arrive to get the lay of the land and get a taste of the sites you may want to revisit and spend a bit more time.
Food culture in Key West
We embarked on a local history and food tour which turned out to be the highlight of my trip. Our tour guide said, “in Key West, we tell a story through food.” Our first stop was Garbo’s, one of the few food trucks operating in Key West. A young couple realized their dream after years of making fish tacos for their friends. They were even featured on Diner’s Drive-Ins and Dives. We sampled fish tacos with mango slices and a Caribbean remoulade sauce. Fresh flaky grouper with sweet mango and a squeeze of lime, were divine. One of the best deals in town is their happy hour serving 3 tacos or 2 sliders for $11.00.
Our next stop was the Cuban Coffee Queen, a Key West icon with three locations. When they first started, they served coffee and toast. Now, they’ve expanded to the most delicious Cuban sandwiches and a variety of breakfast treats. According to our tour guide, our version of a Cuban sandwich really isn’t Cuban at all. It originated out of necessity to alleviate the boredom of the ham and cheese sandwich. The tobacco factory workers got tired of ham and cheese on white bread, so they added lettuce, tomato, onion, and the Cubans added the slow cooked shredded pork and wonderful soft crunchy bread and finally the Germans added the pickle to make it what it is today. The coffee is delicious and what makes the ice coffee unique is the ice cubes are made from coffee so your coffee doesn’t get watered down as the ice melts. Genius!
And of course, the tour wouldn’t be complete without Key Lime Pie from Old Town Bakery. Just the right amount of tartness, a crust made from ginger snaps makes for a different spin on the traditional Key Lime Pie. Key West claims to be the originator of Key Lime Pie. Originally it was called Fisherman’s Pie. The Fishermen would take sweetened condensed milk on their long fishing voyages since it didn’t need refrigeration, add egg yolks for protein, then they would squeeze in some Key Limes to prevent scurvy. Later, the women added the crust and baked it to make the modern-day Key Lime Pie.
The area’s French influences in food are plentiful throughout the city from small brasseries to fine dining such as Bagatelli’s which means a spring flirty romance. Added to this, the flavors of tropical fruits, Caribbean, and Cuban influences, make the food scene quite unique. When you get past the standard fried seafood fare and party bars near the harbor, the food scene gets more sophisticated as you travel up Duvall away from the harbor. One of the highlights, Bagatelli’s Lobster Mac & Cheese with of course, a base of Béchamel sauce followed by cream cheese, American and Parmesan cheeses with chunks of sweet warm water lobster with a subtle hint of spice.
Nine One Five is a sister restaurant to Bagatelli’s and a local favorite. They have a good happy hour, and you can usually get a spot in the upstairs bar. We sampled the lobster ravioli, rich and creamy with chunks of lobster.
Another standout was Moondog Café, a French Bakery Café where we savored the most spectacular breakfast starting with a Guava Cream Cheese Pinwheel Croissant that melded together in creamy, fruity deliciousness. This followed by Quiche Lorraine, herb roasted potatoes, and salad greens, all superb.
Ocean Seafood Restaurant was recommended by a local and did not disappoint. A fresh green salad with a Saffron Seafood Risotto, giving it a Spanish twist. It was topped with a huge chunk of octopus. This seafood restaurant in Key West tops my list. It was creamy and delicious and loaded with fish, scallops, and shrimp. An island favorite is the Key Lime Martini and was spectacular with the right amount of tart followed by creaminess.
First Flight restaurant is located in a building that was Pan Am Airlines headquarters founded in 1927 as mail and passenger service between Key West and Havana, Cuba. Pan Am was the first over water international flight between the US and Cuba. The building fell into disarray and was restored by actress Kelly McGillis, who starred in her last movie role in the film “Top Gun”.
Museums
If you’re a history nerd like me, there is a plethora of museums on the Island. Ever heard of Mel Fisher? Mel Fisher was the greatest treasure hunter; he was a pioneer in the scuba diving industry and owned several shops in Southern California in the late 1960’s. He became obsessed with the idea of sunken treasure, so he picked up and moved his entire family to Key West in search of a shipwreck called “Our Lady of Atocha”. The Spanish galleon sailed in September of 1622 as part of a Twenty-eight ship fleet loaded with enormous treasure from the New World headed to Spain. The fleet carried gold, silver, and copper to fund the Spanish government, and passengers with substantial personal wealth. The cargo was so massive that it took an extra six weeks to load which ultimately proved deadly.
On September 6, only two days after setting sail, a hurricane drove the Atocha onto coral reefs and given the weight of the ship, quickly sunk in 55 feet of water, drowning all except a few. A second hurricane scattered the remains, and the Spaniards spent the next 40 years searching for the sunken treasure to no avail. The economic impact of this wreck on the Spanish government changed the course of history. Mel thought he knew exactly where it was and spent the next 16 years searching for this vast sunken treasure, unearthing it on July 20, 1985. Prior to discovering the treasure, he was nearly destitute, and people thought he was a fraud, but he never gave up hope, he would always say to his crew, “today’s the day”. In 1985, he proved all the naysayers wrong and unearthed this vast treasure valued at $400 million. It is the largest treasure ever found in history and he became an overnight celebrity. Key West commemorates him every year with Mel Fisher Days on Labor Day weekend.
Another standout museum was the Hemingway House and the seventy cats that call it home. If I were a cat, that’s where I would live. Drinking ice water from a Magarita glass and sleeping on a bed just for them, is cat heaven. It was fascinating learning about Hemingway, his journalism career as a war correspondent in World War II and the Spanish Civil War and his love of fishing that brought him to Key West.
Overall, Key West is a fun, active place with something for everyone. We spent time at the beach, explored the town and museums, experienced the food culture, and embarked on a few excursions. It was a busy week with some down time to relax and enjoy the beautiful aquamarine waters. We’d love to hear your experiences in Key West by leaving a comment. Sign up for my newsletter to be the first to hear about my next adventure and receive my top 5 most requested recipes.
