Sink Your Teeth into Authentic Florida Flavor
What is it about a getaway to the Florida Keys that appeals to you? The dazzling sunshine and warm ocean breezes? The laid-back, relaxing charm? The natural beauty? The delightful array of water sports and activities?
How about the food?
There are lots of great reasons to plan a trip to the Florida Keys, and deliciously prepared fresh seafood is definitely one of them.
The Fresh Taste of Florida
Think back to the best vacations you’ve ever taken. What are the highlights? Chances are at least some of them involved food.
After all, as famed restauranteur Guy Fieri says, “Food is not just eating energy. It’s an experience.”
Food can offer an appeal to all of your senses – from the discovery of fresh new flavors or the satisfying aroma of rich coffee to the sights, sounds and textures that are tightly woven into a dining experience. It is that sensory adventure that makes your foodie memories so indelible.
Taking the time to enjoy the local cuisine when you travel is also an excellent way to experience the culture of your vacation destination. From Southern grits and Chicago deep-dish pizza to French baguettes and Italian pasta, there’s no better way to experience the flavor of a place than through its traditional dishes.
And that’s certainly the case in the Florida Keys! Our local specialties include stone crab claws, conch chowder and, of course, our world-famous key lime pie as well as fresh-caught seafood harvested from the waters off our shores.
May We Recommend?
It doesn’t matter where you travel, you will be hard-pressed to find seafood fresher than what you’ll find in the Florida Keys! In fact, at some area eateries, you can watch the boats coming in with the fresh catch of the day.
There are a lot of different ways to enjoy fresh Florida seafood. If you want to sample our local conch, for example, you can have a delicious bowl of conch chowder, some spicy conch fritters or, perhaps, fresh conch salad.
You can discover the amazing flavor of stone crab claws, a local delicacy that is available from October 15 through May 15 every year, in a fine dining establishment or a laid-back local hangout. You can even catch your own fish and ask the chef at one of our local restaurants to cook it up for you.
INSIDER’S TIP: If you love fresh seafood as much as we do, however, consider joining us for the annual Marathon Seafood Festival, which is set for March 11 and 12, 2023. The festival, which is held in the Marathon Community Park, features plenty of fresh Florida lobster, stone crabs, fish and shrimp along with live entertainment and family-friendly activities as well as hundreds of vendors selling jewelry, art, crafts, clothing and nautical gear.
3 of our Favorite Fresh Seafood Restaurants
Here at Banana Bay Resort, we love sharing all the best that can be found in our backyard – from water sports and attractions to local restaurants. Want to know where we would go to celebrate a birthday, toast the sunset or grab a quick – but delicious – lunch? Just ask!
To whet your appetite, here are just a few of our favorite restaurants, all conveniently located within easy distance of our intimate 59-room waterfront resort:
Lazy Days offers laid-back oceanfront dining for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It’s also a great place to sip something cold as you savor the sunset. Ask for a table on the patio overlooking the beach or enjoy the cozy indoor atmosphere. In addition to fresh seafood, you’ll find everything from vegetarian dishes and pasta to sandwiches and steaks. We love their Fried Cracked Conch, which is Bahamian Queen Conch lightly breaded and deep fried. If you landed a beauty, they’ll gladly cook your catch. This oceanfront eatery is a popular spot, so reservations are definitely recommended. Just call (305) 289-0839.
In its Travel Guide to the Florida Keys, Travel + Leisure says of Keys Fisheries, “There’s nothing better than a seafood dive next door to one of the coast’s largest fish exporters, and this salty classic is pure Keys fun.” We couldn’t agree more! This popular local destination, which first opened in 1967, is also great spot for waterfront views, colorful sunsets and cool breezes coming in off the open water. Enjoy stone crabs, hogfish, grouper, mahi or snapper fresh from the boats that bring their catch to the Keys Fisheries Marina! If you’ve hauled in your own catch, they’ll be glad to prepare it for you. Just be sure to save room for dessert, with options like Raspberry Key Lime Pie, Rum Cake and their award-winning Key Lime Pie! There’s also a market, featuring their signature dips, soups, and sauces as well as fresh stone crab, lobster, and fish from our local waters. And if you fall in love with the flavor of the Florida Keys, you can even order online to have specialties like stone crab claws and Key Lime pie shipped to you once you return home.
Castaway Waterfront Restaurant & Sushi Bar also earned a mention in Travel + Leisure’s Travel Guide to the Florida Keys,
which points out that “This sprawling, classic seafood dive has a progressive streak, as owner John Mirabella has joined in the movement to catch the invasive lionfish species that has made an assault on the Keys’ underwater ecosystem.” Fortunately, lionfish are delicious, as you can find out for yourself if you try the King of the Jungle sushi roll featured on Castaway’s menu. The popular waterfront hangout, which offers 32 beers on tap, has also been featured on Guy Fieri’s show “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives.” The restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner every day except Wednesday. They also offer a great happy hour, which includes favorites from both their seafood and sushi menus.
INSIDER’S TIP: This place is almost always busy! If you’d like to go for dinner, we suggest you make reservations a day or two in advance by calling (305) 743-6247.
Of course, the culinary choices on your visit to the Florida Keys are not limited to seafood. If you’re in the mood for something different, you might want to try Burdines Waterfront, where you can enjoy burgers, sandwiches and salads along with the waterfront views, or Takeria La Palapa, a fab food truck dishing up Mexican food in a leafy, outdoor setting.
You can also B nourished by oceans views, tropical sunsets, poolside cocktails and complimentary continental breakfast at Banana Bay Resort!
So, if all this talk of food has you craving a Florida vacation, give us a call at 305-743-3500.
