The 10 Local Best Restaurants in Islamorada, Florida

We lived in Big Basin, Islamorada, for three months on our boat in 2023. Since this was our second time in Islamorada, we’ve been both tourists and locals, and here are the 10 best local restaurants in Islamorada, Florida! We have a mix of local bars, small breakfast spots, and great places only open for lunch, so scroll to the bottom to find your next bite! All our spots offer vegetarian-friendly options as well!

Where to Eat in Islamorada

Here are our quick picks if you’re looking for our recommendation on where to go if you only have one day. Scroll below to read more about these options and others!

Lorelei Restaurant & Cabana Bar

No list of local Islamorada restaurants would be complete without mention of Lorelei’s. Lorelei’s Restaurant & Cabana Bar is the place to be for sunset. We spent many sunsets at Lorelei’s over the months, and while we visited by dock, they have plenty of parking!

The best time to get to Loreleis is at minimum 1 hour before Sunset. You’ll get the best of both worlds: no wait time and the best happy hour in the Florida Keys! With live music every night starting at 5 pm and a magic show on Friday night, Lorelei’s is the best place to relax for sunset. Their happy hour runs from 4 pm to 6 pm, and with $1.50 beers and $3 Margaritas (among other specials), we would frequently stop by for drinks before moving on to somewhere else for food.

We ate dinner at Loreleis a few times, and you can’t go wrong with any of their dishes. I wouldn’t say it’s as good as some of the other spots to eat, but they offer a typical bar-and-grill menu with burgers and local fish dishes. You definitely shouldn’t go to Islamorada and miss the sunset at Lorelei’s.

Bad Boy Burrito

Bad Boy Burrito is a lunch-only spot with some incredible… you guessed it, Burritos! They also sell tacos and other things, but their burritos are truly incredible. You could easily miss Bad Boy Burrito because they are located behind an inconspicuous parking lot in a gated shared garden. Once you walk in, you are surrounded by a few boutique shops, including a coffee shop. We would have come to Bad Boy Burrito every day we lived in Islamorada if our budget permitted it! After going to Bad Boy Burrito, you need to stop by our next option (which you won’t find in any other Islamorada restaurant guide).

Check out our blog post on the best Snorkeling in the Florida Keys!

The Trading Post

When looking for restaurants, you’d most likely skip over The Trading Post because it’s a grocery store! The Trading Post (open 24 hours) has been an Islamorada staple since the 1960s with many people ordering subs before going out fishing for the day. Still, they didn’t make our blog post for their sandwiches (although they are delicious). You need to go to The Trading Post to pick up their Frozen Key Lime Pie Bars, which are in a freezer right near the entrance. Even if you are driving through Islamorada, you shouldn’t skip stopping here! Honestly, my mouth is watering now, as I remember living in Islamorada and eating this delicious treat.

There are two options of chocolate-covered frozen Key Lime Pie Bars, and neither are made by The Trading Post, but they are locally made in the Florida Keys. We’ve tried both, and we recommend you try both, but we liked the bar made by “The Key Lime Pie Lady” the best! They are roughly $4 and worth every penny!

Florida Keys Brewing Co

Outside of Lorelei’s, we spent many days at the Florida Keys Brewing Co. The reason is simple: great local beers and an amazing taco truck. It’s no surprise that there is another Hispanic stop on our list since we’re in South Florida. Still, the Florida Keys Brewing Co has everything you need to enjoy an afternoon outside (or in the AC inside) in Islamorada. I especially liked their local IPA, which is only sold at the brewery, and Jen liked their local sour! There is also live music frequently, so you shouldn’t miss stopping here! Living on a boat, we especially liked the vibe inside with Captain Ron playing on repeat.

If you are planning your afternoon to Florida Keys Brewing Co, we recommend trying to align it with the local band, The Barstool Sailor Band! They frequently play at the Florida Keys Brewing Co., and there’s nothing like a cold beer, hot tacos, queso and salsa, and listening to some local music about the Florida Keys.

Islamorada Brewery & Distillery

You can’t mention Florida Keys Brewing Co. without mentioning the other brewery, Islamorada Brewery & Distillery, only a few blocks north. They also have a local food truck, and instead of tacos, they sell typical bar food like burgers and fries, which are delicious! When living in Islamorada, we would have “date night” at the Islamorada Brewery any day we had to do laundry. Since we couldn’t do our laundry on the boat, we would stop by the closest place, the Islamorada Brewery & Distillery was conveniently located just across the street. Typically, I’ll go for an IPA, but they have many other mixed drinks you can try, including one of Jen’s favorites, the spiked Kombucha!

If you’re interested in how we lived in the Keys, read our three-year boating story!

Bob’s Bunz

A great breakfast joint with two locations in Islamorada is Bob’s Bunz, named after their Cinnamon Rolls! We have a hot take, and instead of going for their Cinnamon Rolls, peruse their traditional breakfast options. Their egg croissant was delicious, and if you still want a Bob’s Bunz, order a roll on the side! They also sell other pastries, but we’d skip the key lime pie. Instead, walk to the Trading Post and get the frozen bar mentioned earlier; you won’t regret it!

Midway Cafe & Coffee Bar

Midway Cafe & Coffee Bar is an excellent stop if you are driving to the Lower Keys (or driving home from Key West). Named “Midway” because it is about 80 miles from Miami and 80 miles from Key West! When we visited, we had their Green Eggs Sandwich, Veggie Lovers omelet, and a refreshing Tropical Sunrise Smoothie. If you have one breakfast available, go to Bob’s Buns, but if you have more than one day in Islamorada, stop at Midway Cafe & Coffee Bar!

F-ing Bagels

We have a fantastic bagel shop, F-ing Bagels, keeping with the breakfast theme. Now, they aren’t New York Bagels, but they tasted fantastic nonetheless! It’s just a small local shop with a few tables, great for a quick stop or breakfast to go. They have a huge espresso machine, too, so you can leave caffeinated from your beverage of choice.

The best day to go to F-ing Bagels is on Sunday morning. This is because F-ing Bagels is located next to the Florida Keys Farmers Market, open every Sunday from 10 am to 3 pm! You can grab a toasted bagel with cream cheese and a latte and then walk it off as you explore the local artisans of the Keys.

Meze Morada

Meze Morada strays from both the breakfast theme and the Hispanic restaurant theme, but not from the delicious eats! Meze Morada is a bit more expensive than the taco truck at Florida Keys Brewing Co but still within the budget for most travelers. Meze Morada focuses on a Mediterranean theme with pita bread, hummus, lamb, falafel, and, in general, fresh, healthy foods. They make their pitas fresh in-house, so you have to order something with that. Similarly to Bad Boy Burrito, Meze Morada was just outside our budget so we only went once. However, it was so fresh and tasty that if our budget allowed, we would have been back on the weekly!

Islamorada Shrimp Shack

Islamorada is the only restaurant on this list that we didn’t go to ourselves, but if we were back anchored in Big Basin, we absolutely would give it a go. Featured on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives for their shrimp (of course), the Islamorada Shrimp Shack has a long history on the Key. Considering it is almost right across the street from Lorelei’s, it’s the perfect place to go after your sunset sundowners!

Map of the Best Local Restaurants in Islamorada

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