To fuel up for the exciting escapades that lie ahead, discovering the finest places for breakfast in Key West is a must. Whether you’re a sun-seeking traveler looking to energize before a day of snorkeling and beach hopping or an adventurer gearing up for a kayak journey through crystal-clear waters, Key West offers an array of culinary delights to kickstart your morning.
In this guide, we’ll unveil the top 20 places, ensuring that your day starts with a delectable journey through local flavors and a boost of energy to make the most of your full-day escapade. From cozy cafes exuding the charm of Old Town to beachfront eateries boasting breathtaking views.
1. Southernmost Beach Cafe
- Location: 1405 Duval St, Key West, FL 33040
- Price: $$ – $$$
- Website: southernmostbeachresort.com/dine/southernmost-beach-cafe
Sometimes, you want your meals to feel like a holiday, whether your trip to Key West is a weekend break or a romantic retreat. You can have the most exquisite breakfast in Key West at Southernmost Beach Cafe while admiring the breathtaking views!
The backyard of Southernmost Beach Cafe is only 90 miles from the beaches, the ocean, and Cuba. When you dine here, you may enjoy local cuisine, fresh fish from the boat, and a Caribbean touch. Matt Slattery, the chef, excels in Asian fusion cuisine.
Favorite menu item: Coconut Shrimp – 5 coconut breaded shrimp with sweet chili glaze
2. Hot Tin Roof
- Location: 0 Duval St, Key West, FL 33040
- Price: $$$$
- Website: oceankey.com/key-west-restaurant
Hot Tin Roof is located inside the Ocean Key Resort, close to Mallory Square. The best breakfast in Key West may be at a quaint seaside restaurant with outdoor terraces.
The silhouette of a cat perched on a rooftop can be seen in the restaurant’s emblem. This is due to the restaurant’s name honoring Tennessee Williams’ play Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, which won the Pulitzer Prize. The restaurant’s official dress code is “resort casual.” Make reservations for Sunday brunch if you only intend to eat here for one meal.
Chef Scott Maurer reinvents the classic American cuisine by incorporating elements of Latin America into small servings. He has 20 years of experience working in the food and beverage industry, which he has brought with him.
Favorite menu item: Seared Scallops & Colossal Shrimp – almond mole, maduros, peanuts – (gluten free)
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3. Cuban Coffee Queen
- Location: 5 Key Lime Square, Key West, FL 33040
- Price: $
- Website: cubancoffeequeen.com
Miami may be the destination for real Cuban food in South Florida but Key West is showcasing what it can do in the food scene with its two Cuban Coffee Queen locations: the original storefront on the harbor (284 Margaret Street) and one downtown (5 Key Lime Square). Although there are a few seats outdoors at the downtown site where you can enjoy your food, this is not a sit-down restaurant. Even though it’s primarily a coffee and takeout food establishment, the food is everything from straightforward.
More than 20 different types of sandwiches, burgers, and other finger foods are available on the breakfast menu. Cuban customs heavily influence cooking, and coffee is no exception. Here, you may sample real Cuban coffee and toast prepared traditionally!
Favorite menu item: Cuban Coffee – iced, espresso shot, con leche, frappe, etc.
4. Harpoon Harry’s
Harpoon Harry’s promotional video
- Location: 832 Caroline St, Key West, FL 33040
- Price: $
- Website: harpoonharryskeywest.com
Even though Key West’s Historic Seaport area’sights, sounds, and scents are challenging to match, Harpoon Harry’s has been doing it for more than 20 years. The structure has a striking pink facade and is situated one block from the lake.
What could possibly be even more remarkable? This authentic diner, complete with counter seating, blue-plate specials, and other amenities, is located in one of the busiest tourist sections of the city and takes pleasure in serving hearty comfort cuisine at affordable pricing.
Favorite menu item: Key Lime Pie French Toast – made to order and very popular!
5. Blue Heaven
Unique breakfast experience at Blue Heaven by ActionKid Extra
- Location: 729 Thomas St, Key West, FL 33040
- Price: $$ – $$$
- Website: blueheavenkw.com
It’s difficult to pass Blue Heaven and not notice the restaurant, given its vivid blue fence, huge retro sign, lively conversation, and live music played during lunch and dinner. But an even simpler way to find it is by the constant queue of hungry diners patiently waiting for the next table, especially in the early morning hours.
The fact that Blue Heaven has been a popular dining spot for more than 25 years should make you consider dining here. You should eat outside for the most authentic experience; it’s more private than most other outdoor eating options because the tables are set back from the road and behind the blue fence. Just be prepared if a pet cat or rooster from the restaurant decides to join you. (If the idea of a rooster approaching you makes you queasy, there are indoor, rooster-free dining options.)
Favorite menu item: Betty’s Banana Bread – housemade and highly recommended by patrons
6. Banana Cafe
- Location: 1215 Duval St, Key West, FL 33040
- Price: $$ – $$$
- Website: bananacafekw.com
The Banana Cafe, a French restaurant in the center of town, serves some of Key West’s greatest breakfast. Enjoy casual food only two minutes from the Key West Butterfly & Nature Conservatory!
Classic dishes with a Caribbean flavor can be found on the menu. Choose from egg sandwiches, omelets, and crepes for breakfast that are made to your preferences. The French Egg Sandwich is a local favorite!
Even if you arrive later in the morning and decide against breakfast, you may still choose from various selections.
Favorite menu item: Breakfast Crêpes and Savory Crêpes – you can add mushroom sauce or béchamel sauce.
7. Old Town Bakery
A sneak peek of Old Town Bakery by Wonderdog Studios
- Location: 930 Eaton St, Key West, FL 33040
- Price: $
- Website: oldtownbakerykeywest.com
The Old Town Bakery is a family-run business that opened in May 2010. The bakery sells artisan breads and pastries baked on the premises in the old-world, conventional manner. On oven-fresh bread, sandwiches for breakfast and lunch are cooked to order. There are numerous varieties of freshly ground coffee, including espresso, latte, and cappuccino, either hot or cold, as well as tea and cold beverages, to go with them. Gourmet cheeses are available, and custom party platters can be ordered.
Over the years, the small bakery on the corner has become a fixture in the community. Locals frequently drop by to chat over coffee, pick up bread, or get pastries and sandwiches to go on any given day. Even though it is well-liked by residents, tourists in Key West have also discovered that Old Town Bakery is the finest place to enjoy Key West’s award-winning key lime pie, pick up lunch for a day on the water, or simply start their day with hot coffee and breakfast sandwiches.
Favorite menu item: Breakfast Sandwich – scrambled eggs, cheddar, on classic croissant
8. Two Friends Patio Restaurant
- Location: 512 Front St, Key West, FL 33040
- Price: $$ – $$$
- Website: facebook.com/twofriendspatio
The old 19th-century bordello, Two Friends, embraces and expertly executes American breakfast staples. The extensive menu also features a few unusual items, such as a Key lime-stuffed French toast with strawberries and strawberry puree and a crab cake Benedict prepared in the Caribbean way.
Favorite menu item: Stella’s Famous Hashbrowns – prepared with cream cheese and cheddar cheese and served with sour cream
9. the breakfast club, too
A review of the breakfast club, too by Kamoni Renee
- Location: 610 Greene St, Key West, FL 33040
- Price: $$ – $$$
- Website: thebctoo.com
If you’re looking for Key West’s top breakfast spot, try the breakfast club, too. It also serves up filling amounts of regional specialties, sure to satisfy both your stomach and your spirit.
Is brunch really brunch without a cocktail? There are 11 distinct Bloody Marys and 11 Signature Mimosas available at the breakfast club. Each and every cocktail is freshly crafted to order. If you prefer not to indulge in alcoholic beverages, sample treats from the Gratitude Island Coffee from the artisan espresso bar.
Favorite menu item: Pancake Charcuterie Board – 14 mini pancakes, fresh strawberries, blueberries and bananas, raspberry jam, peanut butter, Nutella, homemade pastry cream, maple whipped cream, and pure ADK maple syrup
10. Keys Coffee Co.
- Location: 505 Southard St, Key West, FL 33040
- Price: $
- Website: keyscoffee.co
Three friends, Alena, Geno, and Dan, formed Keys Coffee Co. Their friendship dates back to the late 2000s in Cape May, New Jersey, where they all spent their summers working in some of the island’s top eateries. The idea was to establish a quick-service café serving top-notch coffee and freshly prepared food to locals and tourists.
Today, Keys Coffee Co. is still dedicated to providing freshly roasted local beans and hand-made breakfast and lunch sandwiches made from the finest regional ingredients. All spreads and sauces are homemade, and all eggs are prepared upon request.
Favorite menu item: Breakfast Sandwiches – can be prepared as an omelet and served with your choice of English muffin or multigrain toast
11. La Crêperie French Café
- Location: 300 Petronia St #1, Key West, FL 33040
- Price: $$ – $$$
- Website: lacreperiekeywest.com
It doesn’t matter if you prefer savory or sweet breakfasts at La Crêperie French Café. You may have both!
The cafe has been operating for 19 years, and Key West locals and tourists have been enjoying the best breakfast on Duval Street in a tropical garden beneath a lovely terrace. Of course, crepes are a part of this best breakfast in Key West! Choosing between a crepe and a galette will be your most important.
Despite looking similar, crepes and galettes are significantly different from one another. Wheat flour is used to make crepes, which have a sweet filling. Buckwheat flour is used to make galettes, typically served with savory flavors.
Favorite menu item: Crêpes – the sweet batter is made fresh using salted butter and organic eggs, milk, and flour
12. Moondog Cafe
- Location: 823 Whitehead St, Key West, FL 33040
- Price: $$ – $$$
- Website: moondogcafe.com
One of Key West’s nicest breakfast spots may be near the Ernest Hemingway House. The lovely Moondog Cafe is located in a cozy garden home. You will hear the hiss and smell of an espresso machine at the bar as you look at a wall-mounted, lighted bicycle whose wheels form the vowels in the word “moon.”
No matter what time of day, there is always something delectable on the menu. A diverse environment with murals can be found within. Between stylized flowers and plants, cats and a French bulldog can be seen peeking through.
You’re in luck if you’re seeking something sweet. Moondog Cafe has a complete bakery as well! Along with croissants, cinnamon rolls, and Gateau Breton, you’ll adore baked morning treats like blueberry-lemon quinoa pancakes and brioche french toast.
Favorite menu item: Moon Burgers – 1/2 pound house blend burger on brioche with potato chips that can be upgraded to fries, sweet potato fries, petite salad, or truffle fries
13. Sarabeth's
- Location: 530 Simonton St, Key West, FL 33040
- Price: $$ – $$$
- Website: sarabethskw.com
In what was the Sunshine State’s first synagogue, Sarabeth’s, the bright brunch spot that New Yorkers have been going to for over 40 years, launched its Florida counterpart in 2005.
The chefs reinvent traditional breakfast dishes like the Fat and Fluffy French Toast, which has been the hallmark dish of Sarabeth‘s for over 30 years, using organic and regional ingredients. The Goldie Lox, scrambled eggs with smoked salmon and cream cheese, is the dish you order if you want eggs.
Favorite menu item: Sarabeth’s Velvety Cream of Tomato Soup – with chunks of tomato, cream, dill, cheddar cheese
14. Frenchie's Cafe
- Location: 529 United St, Key West, FL 33040
- Price: $$ – $$$
- Website: frenchieskeywest.com
Frenchie’s Cafe is a short stroll from all of the island’s major attractions and is only a block from Duval Street and two blocks from the Atlantic Ocean.
Everyone enjoys the cafe’s visitor and local favorites, which range from coffee, espresso, pastries, and deliciously French morning meals to gourmet cheeses and chevre chaud salad or salade niçoise, to pan bagnat and a large selection of French bread paninis.
Favorite menu item: Quiche Lorraine – traditional quiche with ham, bacon & Swiss
15. Ana's Café Cubano
- Location: 531 Greene St, Key West, FL 33040
- Price: $
- Website: anascafecubanofl.com
Ana’s Café Cubano serves delectable breakfast and lunch. Try the menu’s Spicy Cuban, BBQ Pork, or Hot Ham and Cheese sandwiches. Coffee, shakes, and smoothies are also available!
You can find the cafe near Mallory Square and the Key West Shipwreck Museum at Simonton Street and Greene Street.
Favorite menu item: Cuban Coffee – Cortadito, Colada, Bucci, etc.
16. Pepe’s Cafe
Presenting Pepe’s Cafe by Key TV
- Location: 806 Caroline St, Key West, FL 33040
- Price: $$ – $$$
- Website: pepeskeywest.com
Pepe’s, which started in 1909, proudly displays its heritage inside and out. Old photographs of Key West overlook the worn-out wooden booths and tables, and at 7:30 a.m., hungry diners start to arrive.
Favorite menu item: Homemade bread – white, wheat, or rye for sandwiches and other breakfast options
17. The Garden Cafè Key West
The Garden Cafe commercial by Vice City Media Management
- Location: 1105 Simonton St, Key West, FL 33040
- Price: $$ – $$$
- Website: gardencafekeywest.com
If you’re looking for the greatest locations in Key West to eat breakfast, lunch, or snacks, check out the menu at The Garden Cafe. Indulge in the ideal fusion of comfort and flavor, where each sip and bite takes you on a delectable journey.
They aim to create a cafe-like ambiance in the garden that is welcoming and practical for people by establishing a new twist on the conventional food truck concept. Customers can relax in the outdoor seating while drinking coffee or eating a meal and enjoying the lovely garden views.
Favorite menu item: Salads and crêpes are always the special mentions from patrons
18. The Cafe
A video of the place and food by David Hardy
- Location: 509 Southard St, Key West, FL 33040
- Price: $$ – $$$
- Website: thecafekw.com
The Cafe is a laid-back eatery in Old Town Key West that serves globally influenced vegetable and seafood dishes and an interesting beer and wine menu decorated with local art. Fresh ingredients form the foundation of every dish, which are then lovingly prepared and delivered in a welcoming environment.
Favorite menu item: Veggie Burger – housemade with legumes, carrots, broccoli, mushroom, scallions, sunflower seeds
19. Bagatelle
Bagatelle Restaurant Key West, Florida by Key West Bar Card
- Location: 115 Duval St #6505, Key West, FL 33040
- Price: $$ – $$$
- Website: bagatellekeywest.com
One of Key West’s best brunches can be found at Bagatelle. The main course, eggs, is prepared in several ways, such as with biscuits and gravy or chicken and waffles. The Benedicts are one of the most popular menu items, and the tangy lobster version is created with sautéed local lobster meat and a Key lime Hollandaise.
Every day from 9 to 11:30 AM, the restaurant bar also offers a breakfast “hangover” happy hour when you can chow down on $5 hair-of-the-dogs and smaller, tapas-style breakfast plates.
Favorite menu item: Swordfish – “Key West Master Chef Award Winner,” lightly blackened swordfish roaster corn and black bean risotto, broccolini, poblano cream saice
20. Fisherman’s Cafe
- Location: 205 Elizabeth S, Unit D, Key West, FL 33040
- Price: $
- Website: fishermanscafekeywest.com
They serve Cuban-style coffee made with Italian coffee beans at Fisherman’s Cafe. These beans are utilized in Europe and are valued for their strength, potency, and caffeine content.
Each dish on the menu is a throwback to a bygone period when chefs only utilized fresh ingredients to create homemade specialties and local fishermen brought their day’s catch straight from the boat into the kitchen. For breakfast, stop over and have a fresh sandwich, and for lunch, try one of their burgers, sandwiches, or seafood dishes!
Favorite menu item: Breakfast Sandwiches – pressed Cuban bread and toast. Love this!
Take Your Fill With The Best Breakfast In Key West
As the sun climbs higher in the sky over the enchanting Key West, so does your excitement for the day’s adventures. Nourishing both body and soul, the culinary treasures found in the island’s top breakfast spots have invigorated you for the journey ahead.
The diverse flavors, friendly faces, and inviting ambiance of these breakfast havens have offered a glimpse into the heart of Key West’s vibrant culture. So, as you step out into the sun-drenched streets again, take with you the lingering warmth of Key West’s breakfast delights.
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Breakfast In Key West FAQs
Key West offers diverse breakfast options, including traditional American breakfasts, Cuban-inspired dishes, fresh seafood choices, and healthy alternatives like acai bowls and yogurt parfaits.
Absolutely! Blue Heaven, known for its outdoor seating and delicious pancakes, and Cuban Coffee Queen, famous for its Cuban coffee and sandwiches, are two highly recommended cafes.
Breakfast prices vary widely depending on the establishment and the items you order. A breakfast meal costs anywhere from $10 to $20 per person.
Yes, Key West boasts several oceanfront restaurants where you can enjoy your breakfast with stunning views of the turquoise waters, creating a truly memorable dining experience.
Definitely! Key West’s diverse culinary scene means you can enjoy unique local dishes such as conch fritters, Cuban toast (tostada), and shrimp and grits as part of your breakfast experience.
