Frita’s Cuban Burger Cafe once again presents the Cuban Sandwich Throwdown on Saturday,  April 27 at the Green Parrot Bar from noon to 3 p.m. Twelve contestants have signed on for this year’s competition, which features a panel of “local celebrity” judges. Everyone in the bar that day can also partake in the judging for a $20 donation, which will provide each person with 12 sandwiches to blind taste test.  The audience will select the People’s Choice Award winner while the judges will determine first, second and third place. Marcia Weaver, owner of Frita’s Cuban Burger Cafe, created ..read more

The 29th ‘Taste of Key West’ will feature Key West and Lower Keys chefs specializing in seafood, Caribbean and Cuban flavors, European delicacies, Asian fusion cuisine, vegetarian dishes and more. On Monday, March 25, the islands’ top culinary professionals — and hundreds of residents and visitors who enjoy their tasty creations — gather from 6-9 p.m. at Truman Waterfront Park, overlooking Key West Harbor at the end of Southard Street, all to benefit the mission of A.H. of Monroe County. Chefs from leading local restaurants, catering companies, food trucks and other emporiums donate their tim ..read more

Want to get 34 free dinner entrees at Key West’s finest restaurants and several discounted theater tickets for a mere $100 while helping dozens of Key West charities?  With an average entree costing, say, $20, 34 entrees would cost $680. Not any more, thanks to the Key West Woman’s Club, 319 Duval St., which once again has launched its annual Restaurant & Theater Tour Card. The cards cost $100 and are valid through September 2024. Each restaurant’s BOGO entree and ticket discount may be redeemed once. “Our club lost a longtime member earlier this year in Diane Eliopoulos, whose favor ..read more

Let’s be clear, once and for all: Everyone is welcome at the VFW — and its V Restaurant — on the boulevard in Key West. Everyone.  Sure, you’ll always run into fascinating veterans and active-duty service members who hail from all over the country and have served all over the world. But all are welcome, including civilians, who need not be accompanied or sponsored by a veteran.  On a recent Tuesday afternoon, a couple from Wichita, Kansas had come straight from the airport for their first Key West cocktail. A contingent of Coast Guard officers convened in the large meeting room in t ..read more

Remember when home-brewed beer swept the country a decade or so ago? Wives gave their husbands beer-brewing kits for Christmas and the Willy Wonka-style tubes and kettles would burp occasionally in a corner, or stowed in a bathtub when company came over for poker night. Key West native Jorge Quintana was one of those home brewers. He was also a recipient, in 2011, of one of the home-brewing kits from his then-girlfriend, now wife. But unlike most other initially committed beer creators, Quintana stuck with it. “It turns out I was good at it. The science behind it made sense to me, and the res ..read more

By Jen Alexander MacDooBBQ, a new barbecue food truck at the weekly farmer’s market at Truman Waterfront,  has been sending out smoke signals that are wafting throughout the Keys. On Thursdays from 2 to 7 p.m., Adam Sikora, owner of MacDooBBQ, shares his love of all things barbecue with the residents and visitors. Traditional USDA prime brisket, antibiotic-free chicken, and specialities such as spare ribs and pulled pork are the staples. Sikora is the lead singer of the Key West rock band the Durtbags that plays Wednesdays through Sundays at Durty Harry’s Bar in Key West. But music clear ..read more

Acclaimed celebrity chef and popular television personality Richard Blais welcomed community members to his newest food endeavor, a summertime pop-up restaurant called Four Flamingos, A Richard Blais Key West Kitchen, at the Hyatt Centric Key West Resort & Spa. The waterfront sea-to-table concept pays homage to the original Four Flamingos in Orlando, offering a modern dining experience that celebrates the saltwater bounty of the southernmost city. In a nod to its dockside location on the surrounding coastal waters, sustainability will be a focus of the restaurant with fresh, seasonal ingre ..read more

The Florida Keys boast some of the most iconic eateries and bars in the world.  Creative culinary minds elevate local seafood to new levels and celebrate contemporary fusion, Cuban, Caribbean, Asian, French and other international influences. Our chain of islands is one of the world’s top food and drink destinations.  But our magnetic appeal goes beyond the menu. The skilled professionals who define our local hospitality industry do much more than mix creative cocktails and serve delicious meals. These hard-working men and women are ambassadors, social directors, travel advisors and ..read more

The Florida Keys boast some of the most iconic eateries and bars in the world.  Creative culinary minds elevate local seafood to new levels and celebrate contemporary fusion, Cuban, Caribbean, Asian, French and other international influences. Our chain of islands is one of the world’s top food and drink destinations.  But our magnetic appeal goes beyond the menu. The skilled professionals who define our local hospitality industry do much more than mix creative cocktails and serve delicious meals. These hard-working men and women are ambassadors, social directors, travel advisors and ..read more

Let’s get a few things straight. Yes, Pepe’s Cafe has been sold. And yes, the new owners are Key West locals. No, it’s not closing. No, it’s not becoming an Applebee’s or a Thai restaurant. Key West’s — and the Florida Keys’ — oldest restaurant at 806 Caroline St. is and will remain just as it’s always been — casual and comfortable with some of the freshest food around, from the fish and oysters to the hand-squeezed fruit juices at the bar. At Pepe’s, things have to be fresh, because the timeless treasure tucked into a weathered, formerly white building, doesn’t have a freezer — at least not o ..read more