Two Key West restaurants earned historic MICHELIN recognition
Extremely weighty recognition for two local restaurants has Florida Keys tourism staff understandably upbeat about the local culinary scene.
Mary Haban of Visit Florida Keys & Key West says two Key West restaurants — Blue Heaven and the Moondog Cafe & Bakery – have received MICHELIN recognition, a first for her destination and one that underscores its vibrant food scene.
And, she continues, the recognition is serving her destination well, with tourists increasingly attaching more importance to dining while on holiday.
“This has really put us on the culinary stage,” she said while in Toronto for the Toronto International Film Festival. “When you go on vacation the most important thing is where you’re going to eat.”
Both Blue Heaven and the Moondog Cafe & Bakery are owned by long-time Key West residents.
The Florida Keys has a flourishing restaurant industry, with Cuban dishes among popular options, unsurprising given that the Florida Keys – which at times likes to march to the beat of its own drummer – are, as Haban said, “closer to Cuba than a Walmart.”
Local cuisine is also showcased by the Key West Cooking Show, a “dinnertainment” establishment that serves multi-course meals while familiarizing guests on local food, which includes Key Lime pie and Caribbean influences. “This gives you a blueprint to explore the flavors and influences of the southernmost city in the United State,” Haban reported.
(Among specific dishes that can be sampled in the Florida Keys is lionfish, a fish native to Asia but somehow which entered Caribbean waters, with the invasive species alarming biologists by devouring a lot of Caribbean marine life. Visitors in much of the Caribbean are being urged to catch lionfish as a way of controlling its Caribbean numbers.)
Also available for those curious about local cuisine is the Florida Keys Food Tours, which offers visitors numerous tours, among them the Happy Hour Tour and the Boutique Luxury Golf Cart Food Tour on Islamorada, with Islamorada being one of the Keys. The tours showcase local dishes.
Florida Keys Food Tours also has waterborne tours for food enthusiasts. Haban said that the Florida Keys traditionally have been defined by some of their celebrity residents, such as author Ernest Hemingway, musician Jimmy Buffett and playwright Tennessee Williams.
“I think food was an afterthought,” she continued. “But now it’s been elevated to such a level that it (Florida Keys cuisine) is competitive on the world stage.”
There are few chain restaurants on the islands that make up the Florida Keys, which Haban said is a reflection of the “authenticity” found in a destination known for its “quirkiness.”
The Florida Keys is promoting August, September and October as its Key Season, a period Haban said offers visitors deals on the likes of attractions and hotels. She also notes that the Key Lime Academy – a training portal for travel agents – has been relaunched and enhanced. It is found at KeyLimeAcademy.com and those who complete the online program will be designated Conch Star Specialists, which provides a number of benefits.
Haban also cited developments on the local lodging scene, with the Ocean’s Edge Resort having become the Hilton Key West Resort & Marina.
Early 2027 will see the arrival of the Compass Hotel by Margaritaville Key West. Following a property-wide transformation, the hotel will have reimagined guestrooms, a refreshed pool and cabana experience, and 5 o’Clock Somewhere Bar & Grill, “where island-inspired food and drinks, open-air dining, and live music programming will set the tone for a relaxed Key West stay,” the hotel owner states. The hotel has 106 guestrooms.
