Blue Heaven
A one-of-a-kind local institution founded by artist-and-writer couple Richard and Suanne in 1992, this, more than any other eatery I can think of, captures the barefoot quirkiness of the island at its best. Interior dining rooms are cute, but what defines the place is the rustic courtyard with its hippie-commune vibe and roaming cats and chickens (ambulatory poultry aren’t an uncommon sight anywhere here in the Bahama Village section). Back in the day, this space hosted gambling, whoring, cockfighting, even boxing (some matches refereed by Ernest Hemingway himself). These days the menu is actually more sophisticated than the surroundings. In fact we’d say the food is some of the best in town, especially at breakfast, which features homemade granola, tropical-fruit pancakes (owner Richard often makes his pancakes with beer), and seafood Benedict. Dinners run the gamut from fresh-caught fish and Jamaican jerk chicken to curried soups and vegetarian stews. This is as authentic as Key West gets.
A one-of-a-kind local institution founded by artist-and-writer couple Richard and Suanne in 1992, this, more than any other eatery I can think of, captures the barefoot quirkiness of the island at its best. Interior dining rooms are cute, but what defines the place is the rustic courtyard with its hippie-commune vibe and roaming cats and chickens (ambulatory poultry aren’t an uncommon sight anywhere here in the Bahama Village section). Back in the day, this space hosted gambling, whoring, cockfighting, even boxing (some matches refereed by Ernest Hemingway himself). These days the menu is actually more sophisticated than the surroundings. In fact we’d say the food is some of the best in town, especially at breakfast, which features homemade granola, tropical-fruit pancakes (owner Richard often makes his pancakes with beer), and seafood Benedict. Dinners run the gamut from fresh-caught fish and Jamaican jerk chicken to curried soups and vegetarian stews. This is as authentic as Key West gets.
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