Down toward the Southernmost Point, Duval quiets down to a Key West simmer, and that’s where you’ll find the charming Victorian house that holds Nine One Five. The veranda and split-up dining room are romantic spots for dinner, or head upstairs to the wine bar for a tapas menu and a vibe that turns into an adult version of a party.
The first time I went to Key West, well, let’s just say it’s a bit of a blur. It was like that for time No. 2 through 17. Then came a trip, years later, married and semi-mature, when I wanted something different. I asked for recommendations from a native, a fifth-gen Conch, as the locals are called. She loaded my Google Maps Key West page with places I’ve been hitting since. It’s not that I still don’t have those blurry nights on Duval, hitting Sloppy Joe’s and seeing what happens after. It’s just now I go to the tree-shaded neighborhoods elsewhere on the island to hit happy hour at bars full of locals, and eat truly great food at the corner bistros, and have breakfast the next day, blocks away from the tourist-produced detritus of last night. Want a visit to Key West restaurants that combines the best tourist spots with places locals have been swearing by for, well, five generations? We’ve got you covered.
This guide was updated by South Florida-based writer Eric Barton. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.
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