Key West

Café Solé is the wild card of Key West dining — a legit French-leaning wine program hiding inside a laid-back conch house, with a sommelier who clearly gives a damn. Send your wine-loving friends here without hesitation.

Hot Tin Roof is a Wild Card in the best possible sense: a California-focused wine list at a waterside Latin kitchen in Key West shouldn't work as well as it does, but the quality of the producers and the fairness of the pricing make it a legitimate wine stop, not just a resort afterthought. Send a friend here — just tell them to skip the Caymus.

Café Marquesa isn't trying to reinvent the wine list — it's trying to make sure you have a good bottle with a good meal in a beautiful room, and it succeeds at that. Send a friend who wants reliability and romance, not a friend who wants to geek out.

Cafe Marquesa has the best wine program of any sit-down restaurant in Key West, full stop. Two Michelin Keys, Wine Spectator recognition, and a kitchen that matches the cellar course for course. If you care about wine and you are in Key West, this is mandatory.

El Siboney breaks every rule in this guide and still earns its spot. No wine, no white tablecloths, no reservations. Just the best Cuban food on the island, homemade sangria that hits perfectly, and a check that makes you feel like you got away with something.

Latitudes is what you picture when someone says "island dining" and it actually delivers. The boat ride, the beach, the sunset, the food, the wine. One of our absolute favorites and worth every bit of the effort to get there.

Lola's Bistro is the best-kept BYOB secret in Key West. Bring your own bottle, let the chef cook, and have the kind of meal that makes you rethink what dining out can be. This is our number one.

Louie's Backyard is the rare Key West restaurant that has been famous for decades and still earns it every night. The back deck alone is worth the trip. The wine list and food make it one of our favorites on the island.

Santiago's Bodega is the Key West wine bar hiding inside a tapas restaurant. The variety of the wine list, the half-price happy hour, and the quality of the small plates make this a Wild Card that overdelivers every time. If you only have one casual evening in Key West, spend it here.

The Little Pearl is the restaurant that makes you realize Key West has a real food scene, not just a tourist one. Excellent wine list, flawless tasting menu, and the kind of quiet confidence that only comes from doing it right for years. This is our number two, and some nights it fights for number one.