Key lime pie was a favorite dessert in our family, and we have long made the habit of ordering this tasty tangy pie when we’ve seen it offered on various restaurant menus.
So, when we decided to spend the winter in the Florida Keys, the home of the Key lime pie, we knew we’d be ordering it at a lot of spots. We decided to make it an official search of the best key lime pies in the Florida Keys.
In Search of The Best Key Lime Pies in the Florida Keys
While we haven’t tried all the key lime pies from Key Largo to Key West, we tried enough of them to form a respectable little list. We certainly ate enough key lime pie to have a few favorites!
We’ll keep adding to this list as we have the opportunity to try more pies and restaurants during our travels in the Keys.
The History and Origins of Key Lime Pie
While we know our own personal history with how we came to be key lime pie aficionados, we did have to look up some of the details on the origins of the key lime pie.
The tangy lime filling is made with key limes, a specific type of lime, once native to the Florida Keys, although sadly it is no longer widely grown there. The key lime is smaller and tarter than the Persian lime, the kind of lime we usually see in our grocery stores and drink garnishes.
The pie itself is known for its custard-like filling, although there are also softer, fluffier creamy icebox versions. The filling is most often paired with a graham cracker crust, and sometimes a meringue topping.
Many key lime variations exist and probably hundreds of recipes that offer a slightly different approach.
The Restaurants with the Best Key Lime Pie in the Florida Keys
We discovered that most restaurants in the Keys that have key lime pie strive to be unique with their offering. If they don’t have a special recipe to call their own, they may carry locally-made pies in-house.
A few restaurants bow out altogether from the key lime pie competition and don’t serve it; realizing that superior options abound in the Keys. However, those restaurants that have been able to make remarkable versions of the key lime pie can rely on tourists and locals alike to order the dessert often and on repeat.
After careful consideration of all the pies we sampled, we are excited to present our picks for the best key lime pies in the Florida Keys. We won’t keep you in suspense so we’ll start with the winner!
1. The S.S. Wreck + Galley Grill
58835 Overseas Hwy, Marathon, FL 33050
Our winner! We think the S.S. Wreck and Galley Grill in Marathon, Florida serves the best key lime pie in all of the Keys.
The best! The S.S. Wreck and Galley Grill happened to be next to our RV resort and was a restaurant we went to because it was within walking distance the first night we arrived. While our first dining experience there was a little uneven because of service and bad ordering on our part, we soon learned that the S.S. Wreck was rumored to be one of the best spots for key lime pie. We finally sampled it for ourselves (3 times!) and found we agreed with that opinion.
Now, while we don’t know the full recipe, the S.S. Wreck’s key lime pie is more of a cheesecake-style key lime pie, rather than the classic custard style. It’s a tall and generous slice of pie with a deliciously thick graham cracker crust and the perfect balance of creamy filling and a little bit of tartness. Our personal preference is always for a thicker creamy key lime pie, and this pie is it!
As we learned of others who shared in our opinion that S.S. Wreck has the best key lime pie in all of the Keys we heard stories of people going to great lengths to bring this pie back to friends and family and even to have it as a wedding cake. We understand why it’s legendary!
2. Burdine’s Waterfront
1200 Ocean View Ave, Marathon, FL 33050
For a key lime pie like no other, you have to try the fried key lime pie at Burdine’s Waterfront in Marathon, FL.
Burdine’s Waterfront was recommended to us as a place to check out for a great beach bar atmosphere with a water view, as well as great fries, burgers, and an exceptional key lime pie. We went to Burdine’s once in 2022 with friends, and visited again in 2023 to do a second tasting of their famous fried key lime pie!
In 2022, we ordered both the regular custard-style key lime pie and the fried key lime pie for a comparative taste test. The classic custard key lime was indeed delicious, but the fried key lime pie was again a stand-out. As you can tell, by this point in the review, we’re not key lime pie purists – we appreciate a little variation and ingenuity.
In 2022, the fried key lime pie tasted – and we mean this as the highest compliment – like a deep-fried McDonald’s apple pie, except with key lime in the place of piping hot apple filling. The addition of cinnamon and sugar against the tartness and creamy key lime filling was a delightful combination and it left a lasting impression as one of our favorite desserts of that trip.
In 2023 we ordered it again, and this time there was a slight difference. Perhaps it can be chalked up to the idea that we were anticipating the fried dough, cinnamon, and lime flavor combination this time, whereas we were surprised by it before. In 2023, the pie pastry also had more crispy firmness, and structure. It was presented beautifully like a tightly folded burrito or egg roll fold shape with a delightful golden brown color. The pastry seemed ever so slightly firmer and denser and was perhaps fried for a bit longer, but still, one of our all-time favorite takes on the key lime pie.
3. Keys Fisheries
3502 Gulfview Ave, Marathon, FL 33050
Keys Fisheries became a favorite spot of ours to visit during our stays for the amazing views from the rooftop deck, the fantastic happy hour specials, cocktails, stone crab, and the not-to-be-missed Lobster Reuben! We visited several times, but on one of our first visits with our friends, we decided to sample the key lime pie as a part of our ongoing taste testing.
The Keys Fisheries key lime pie is a generous slice of the classic custard-style key lime pie. It has a low profile and a nice high graham cracker crust. It is very tart and a great pie for those who love the classic custard-style, It’s possibly one of the top examples of that traditional style and a great compliment to the amazing seafood and cocktails available there. Sadly, we ate it up too quickly and didn’t get a picture, but this is one we’ll try again!
4. Porky’s Bayside Restaurant
1400 Overseas Hwy MM47.5, Marathon, FL 33050
With its crispy outer layer and tangy cool key lime pie with a bit of sweet raspberry sauce, Porky’s fried key lime pie is definitely a standout when visiting the Keys.
By now you know that we are a fan of unique takes on the key lime pie, which is one of the things that brought us to Porky’s Bayside Restaurant. In addition to enjoying the happy hour specials and excellent service at the bar, we decided to end one of our meals there with their famous fried key lime pie. Porky’s fried key lime pie is significantly different from that of Burdine’s, but it still earned a place in our hearts as a favorite.
Porky’s fried key lime pie is accented with a crispy breadcrumb and egg crust and is paired with a raspberry sauce. It’s crispy, sweet, tangy, warm, and cool at the same time. It’s definitely a one-of-a-kind treat and we thought it was delicious!
More Key Lime Pies We Tried
These key lime pies didn’t make it to our list of the best, but they still left an impression!
Blue Heaven
729 Thomas Street, Key West, FL 33040
This key lime pie from Blue Heaven is an absolute supermodel! However, Key West’s humid weather and a fragile dollop of meringue don’t always mix. We need a redo of this one!
Blue Heaven’s key lime pie is something out of a Hollywood movie version of what a key lime pie should look like, which is why it’s our cover model for this article! On one of our first trips to Key West we missed out on going to Blue Heaven, which was suggested to us as a fabulous brunch place. A few days later we happened to spot an image of their famous key lime pie in a review online and it was so visually stunning and perfect that serious food FOMO set in, and we started planning a return trip to center around tasting this key lime pie.
What did we see that made the return trip necessary? Well, as you can see, Blue Heaven’s key lime pie has a solid 3 inches of frothy meringue topping with perfectly toasted points looks like a dream. We couldn’t wait for that meringue sugary crunch combined with a tart custard-style key lime pie.
When we did return to Blue Heaven we had a delicious brunch, which we’ll detail in a future post. To make sure we didn’t miss out while we were crunching, we ordered our key lime pie upfront, so that we would miss out in the event that they ran out for the day. Our server agreed with that plan since she said supplies of the pie were already getting low. Even at noon, it seemed like perhaps we got the second to last slice!
However, here’s where the story takes a bit of a sad turn. Our server also mentioned something about the meringue being off that day. We forget the exact reason, something about the heat, or the egg falling, or perhaps a new chef. Which leads us to the actual taste test. Something was indeed off with our otherwise model slice of pie. The mile-high meringue didn’t have that crispy frothy sugary crunch – instead, it had a bit of a gummy, eggy taste, which was a sure sign of something going wrong with the meringue mix. The base of the pie was tangy and good.
So, because of the bad batch of meringue, we’ve put Blue Heaven on our list to revisit. We feel like perhaps we didn’t get a slice of pie that was indicative of the true style of their world-renowned key lime pie. But, if you’re in search of the most gorgeous slice of pie imaginable, this slice looks like a food stylist created it!
Herbie’s Bar and Chowder House
6350 Overseas Hwy, Marathon, FL 33050
While we didn’t have the chance to have a meal at the legendary Herbie’s, my husband rode by the restaurant one day on his bike and thoughtfully brought back a slice of their famous key lime pie for me to try. While the pie arrived a little worse for wear after being in a bike bag, I am sure that it was originally a beautiful presentation. Herbie’s Key Lime Pie is definitely an authentic recipe, and rumored to be created the authentic hand-squeezed key limes. If you’re a key lime pie purist in search of the real thing, this is a fine example of it! No picture was taken, because of the bumpy transport via his bike bag.
Key West Key Lime Pie Company
Online and with various distribution locations. Headquarters at 511 Greene Street, Key West FL 33040
Another treat brought to me was a personal-sized key lime pie from the Key West Lime Pie Company that my husband found while doing some grocery shopping. It was frozen at the time, and I barely let it thaw before eating it. Because of the size, there is a high ratio of graham cracker crust to filling, which makes for a tasty treat. This was a great little portable key lime pie to bring home to family and friends. These are readily available at various grocery stores and convenience stores in the Keys.
The No Name Pub
30813 Watson Blvd, Big Pine Key, FL 33043
No Name Pub is rumored to be hard to find, and we can imagine back in the day that it was. However, with modern GPS devices and Google Maps, finding the No Name Pub is fairly easy to do.
We went for the famously delicious pizza as well as to see this bit of Keys history with our own eyes. We also wanted to see some of the famous Key deer (from a safe distance of course).
Since it had been a few days since our last key lime pie taste test, we ordered a slice to go here even though we were stuffed from the wonderful pizza.
The No Name Pub key lime pie is soft and creamy. It has almost a whipped cream or whipped topping texture. This pie scoops up in much lighter spoonfuls than the cheesecake style or the classic custard style. It’s also a very light flavor and color. While this pie was certainly refreshing, it’s more of an ice box key lime pie style. While it’s not our personal favorite style of pie, it’s a great light way end to a big meal, and always better than skipping a slice altogether.
This is a simple, light, and refreshing slice of key lime pie, and an easy way to end a big meal of pizza from No Name Pub in Big Pine Key, FL.
Key Lime Pies We Need to Still Try
We could only consume so many key lime pies during our trip. We averaged about 2 or 3 a week and honestly came back home 10 pounds heavier. So, because of timing and trying to pace our key lime pie consumption, we didn’t make it to a few notable spots. We we do visit these, we’ll update this article with our thoughts and perhaps some new rankings!
Mrs. Mac’s Kitchen
99336 Overseas Hwy Key Largo, FL 33037
Mrs. Mac’s Kitchen is on our list of key lime pies to try the next time we are in the Keys. We stopped there for breakfast and had the coconut cream waffles instead of a key lime pie, but we heard their key lime pie outstanding. If our yummy breakfast was any indication, we definitely believe the hype! With two locations and easy access from both sides of Route 1, we really need to plan a stop!
Publix
Various locations
If you spend a lot of time in Florida or in the Keys you’ll almost certainly be popping in for groceries at Publix. And since we mentioned to a few people in Florida our love of (and search for) key lime pie, Publix key lime pies were mentioned to us several times as being some of of the best around. Since we were already sampling at least 2-3 slices of key lime pie a week, we didn’t feel the need to buy a Publix key lime pie on our grocery runs. However, we keep hearing about how good it is, so we’ll have to pick one up the next time we’re there to make our own determination of how good they are.
The Fish House
102401 Overseas Highway, Key Largo, FL 33037
We had two great meals at The Fish House, in Key Largo and we have heard that their key lime pie is one of the best. Sadly, though, we neglected to try it! Instead, we were tempted by the coconut cream pie on our first dinner there. The second time we visited we stopped for a late lunch and were too stuffed to order pie! However, we try to visit each time we are near John Pennekamp, so we will certainly add it to the pies we need to try!
Sparky’s Landing – Fish n’ Cocktails
13205 Overseas Hwy, Marathon, FL 33050
Sparky’s was one of our favorite restaurants in all of Marathon, Florida. We visited several times throughout our stay and always tried to make it by e-bike to enjoy the Happy Hour Specials! However, we didn’t order dessert except for one night when we were tempted by the waitress’s praise of the special Tres Leches cake that evening. So while we have heard that Sparky’s key lime pie is one of the best, we still need to taste it ourselves before adding it to our list of top picks!
Havana Jacks
401 E Ocean Dr, Key Colony Beach, FL 33051
We visited Havana Jacks in Key Colony a few times for lunch, happy hour, and dinner, but we neglected to order the key lime pie! We saw it being served to another patron at the bar, and it looked impressive and delicious! We instead used up our reserves in our key lime quota by ordering their Key Lime Cocktail which was absolutely one of our favorites. Havana Jack’s key lime pie will be something we’ll have to order next time, although the steep price of $12 per slice was also a bit of a deterrent for just casually ordering it.
Kermit’s Key West Key Lime Shoppe
200 Elizabeth Street, Key West
Kermit’s is said to be the birthplace of the key lime pie and therefore the gold standard of how a key lime pie should be made and should taste. However, we simply ran out of time, weren’t in that area, and had probably already saturated our key lime taste buds on our trips into Key West. Since Kermit’s is the way it should be done, we’ll have to try it and we’re sure it will be added to the list of our favorites soon!
Blonde Giraffe Key Lime Pie Factory
92220 Overseas Hwy, Tavernier, FL 33070
We absolutely love the name of this Tavernier establishment and we’ve heard it’s one of the best spots for key lime pie – especially in the Upper Keys. However, when passing through Tavernier, we were on a deadline to get to our campsite, so we whizzed right by this legendary stop. Their key lime pie is award-winning, so it’s probably one we should have made time for. We’ll try to visit this spot on our next trip through the Upper Keys.
Other Key Lime Treats
As we mentioned, we were tempted several times by other key lime confections, that weren’t in pie form. We really enjoyed the Key Lime Pie Cupcake from Sweet Savannah’s, and we’ve heard they make ice cream, and a great version of the real key lime pie as well.
We also had lots of key lime-flavored cocktails! We sampled these at so many places that they warrant a separate article! Stay tuned for details on some of our favorite key lime cocktails. They were all so good that it will be an even harder list to compile! In the meantime, take a look at what we think are the best spots for RV camping in the Florida Keys.
As with all of our posts, the information here was accurate at the time of our visits to these restaurants, but menu items, locations, hours, and availability are always subject to change. You may want to double-check restaurant locations and hours. All opinions are our own.
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