This year marks the start of a Key West event that is sure to become one of the most popular events on the island, the first annual Key West Food & Wine Festival. Starting on January 28th and lasting a full four days, the Key West Food & Wine Festival will showcase the best in local cuisine and drink. Many big cities in the country have their own Wine & Food Festival, and now Key West joins their ranks with its own unique island take on the event.
Key West Food and Drinks
The food of Key West is one of the main aspects of a city that visitors are always surprised by and never disappointed in. Along with the island's unique history and exciting water sports, Key West Florida is also known for its delicious cuisine which fuses Caribbean and American tastes to create a unique Key West flavor. Most of the top Key West restaurants feature this sort of cuisine, heavy on fish, seafood, and Caribbean spices. For classic Key Wes seafood cuisine and oysters, there's no place better than the Half Shell Raw Bar, located right on the Key West Historic Bight Marina. For a nice variety of Key West-type and American dishes in a laid-back, outdoor atmosphere, Caroline's is the place to go. For more upscale dining with a highly impressive wine selection, try the Grand Cafe. Key West is also known for its dedicated and very diverse drinking scene. If you have an affinity for alcohol, Key West has no shortage of bars, clubs, and lounges for all tastes. If beer is your thing, try Irish Kevins. For a classy lounge environment, try La Te Da. For a good dance scene, try the super popular Rick's right on Duval Street.
Festival Events
Starting on Thursday, January 28th and continuing through Sunday, the Key West Food & Wine Festival has an impressive lineup of food events, wine tasting, seminars, and parties. The festivities get started off at 5PM on Thursday with the Kick Off Your Flip-Flops Barefoot Beach Party hosed by Barefood Wine and Bubbly in Key West's South beach, just across from the luxury Key West hotel, the Southernmost House. The Barefoot Beach Party will kick the event off in style with Key West seafood favorites, tasty mojitos and margaritas, and live jazz music with the Atlantic Ocean as your backdrop. Other Key West Food & Wine events that are certainly not to be missed include the Wine Around Key West Bight Stroll along the Historic Bight Marina's boardwalk on Thursday night, the Jose Marti Havana Night Cigar dinner also on Thursday, wine tasting at sunset during the Sunset Grand Tasting on Friday night, Chef Timothy Pierre Labonte's Evolution of Fusion featuring exquisite and creative cocktails, the Duval Uncorked wine tasting and food sampling on Saturday, and an afternoon outdoor wine market on closing day.
What Else to Do in Key West
To celebrate in the fun and excitement of the Key West Food and Wine Festival, Best On Key West provides its customers with all kinds of sunset, dinner, and booze cruises. The best way to experience the famous Key West sunset is undoubtedly aboard one of the sunset cruises that sails out into the Gulf of Mexico. For a sunset trip with live music and unlimited drinks, try the Commotion on the Ocean, one of the best sunset trips around. For a sunset trip featuring a delicious full dinner, try the Schooner Haile Matthew Dinner Cruise aboard a beautiful tall ship schooner vessel. These trips showcase the cuisine of Key West along with the fun, laid-back party atmosphere in a setting that is quintessential Key West. All the trips leave from the heart of the downtown area, just a block or two away from some of the best historic Key West hotels and Key West inns.
