A Taste of Key West

April 20, 2019

 

A Taste of Key West

One of the most anticipated events on the annual social calendar in Key West is the amazing yearly food festival known as a Taste of Key West. This year marks the 23rd year that the annual foodie fest has taken place in Key West and this year it was once again held right downtown at historic Mallory Square, which is the site of the nightly Sunset Celebration.

Dan

 

Over the years the festival has moved around the island to various locations, but now it seems to have found a permanent home with the fabulous Key West sunset as its backdrop in what can only be described as happy circumstance. A couple of years ago, construction at its former home at the Truman Waterfront predicated the movement of the festival to what was thought to be a temporary home at Mallory, but it has worked out so well that it may be held there for the long haul.

Bobby

The event which brings together a collection of some of the finest restaurants in the Keys, who each serve up small but yummy representative selections for the assembled masses, also includes a wonderful selection of fine wines, craft beer and yummy desserts that satisfy even the most difficult to please foodie.













Larry

For years the event was mostly the purview of locals, who flocked in massive numbers to what has always been one of the more popular events of the year. You would always run into to just about everyone at Taste of Key West, including many people who you seemed to see only once a year at the event. The move to a larger and more popular public space has opened the event up to a much larger percentage of tourists, many who may be heading to Mallory Square to catch the sunset, not even aware that the food festival is happening.



John

While this may take away a little of the locals only feel of the event, it has allowed it to open up and expand as this year marks the largest collection of food booths ever at the event. More people and more food means more money raised and since the event is one of the biggest fundraising opportunities for AH Monroe, the local AIDS Help charity, it is really a wonderful thing.

Larry and Prue

My friend Nadene and her crew at We’ve Got the Keys was once again the event organizer this year and they seem to go above and beyond year after year in producing an amazing fun, tasty and successful event. Just about perfect weather did not hurt and the diversity and plethora of fine food options was unsurpassed. It was a huge success and I came away full, even having to give away some of my food tickets as I was not able to stay for the entire event as Kathy and I had tickets to see “Rent” at Tennessee Williams the same night.

 

Trying to pick a favorite among all the wonderful food presented at the event is just about impossible, though I have to give a special shout out to Chef John Correa of Café Sole. Every year since I have been attending, which is most years, I always get a bowl of the amazing Portobella Mushroom Soup that they serve. This year in fact, I returned three times for more soup, so if that is any indication, I think it is pretty damn good.

Nadene

 

But all of the food is excellent and there are also almost always new beers and wines to sample as well. It is just such a joy to have access to such a wide and delicious variety of Keys cuisine in a truly beautiful setting. We never make it down to Mallory Square unless we have out of town friends in town, but it is always nice to enjoy a sunset there. There is a reason that thousands of visitors head there each evening and every once in a while it is nice to see what all the fuss is about.

http://www.ahmonroe.org/