Best Restaurants in the Florida Keys Waterfront Dining and Local Flavors
Great food just tastes better in the Florida Keys. Maybe it’s the ocean breeze. Maybe it’s the fresh seafood. Or maybe it’s knowing there’s nowhere you need to be except exactly where you are.
From laid-back waterfront lunches and poolside bites to date-night dinners and cocktails overlooking the water, dining is part of the Florida Keys experience. And if you’re looking for restaurants in Duck Key, Florida, you don’t have to venture far. Hawks Cay Resort brings a collection of distinctive restaurants and bars together in one island destination.
Whether you’re feeding the whole family after a day on the water, celebrating something special or simply following the scent of something delicious, pull up a chair.
Where to Eat in the Florida Keys
The Florida Keys stretch for more than 100 miles, and dining changes along the way. You’ll find colorful roadside seafood spots, marina restaurants, tropical bars and elevated dining rooms serving menus inspired by the islands.
Unsurprisingly, seafood is a big part of the experience. Fresh fish, shellfish and locally inspired flavors regularly share menus with steaks, sandwiches, salads and familiar family favorites.
The setting matters, too. Some of the most memorable Florida Keys restaurants are places where lunch comes with marina views, cocktails arrive poolside and dinner stretches into an evening by the water.
At Hawks Cay Resort on Duck Key, you can experience a little bit of everything without leaving the island.
Restaurants in Duck Key, Florida at Hawks Cay
From morning coffee to dinner by the marina, Hawks Cay offers dining options for practically every kind of vacation day.
Salt + Ash
For an elevated evening at Hawks Cay, make your way to Salt + Ash, the resort’s culinary centerpiece.
Created by renowned Florida native, Top Chef and Michelin-starred Chef Jeremy Ford, Salt + Ash draws inspiration from the relationship between land, sea and fire. Fresh, locally sourced ingredients from Ford’s Farm take center stage, with dishes shaped by bold flavors, careful seasoning and fire-led cooking techniques.
It’s an ideal choice for date nights, celebrations or simply turning one night of your Florida Keys getaway into something extra special.
Angler and Ale
There aren’t many things more Florida Keys than ending a day on the water with dinner at the marina.
Located on the docks of Hawks Cay Marina, Angler and Ale is a relaxed waterfront restaurant where families, friends and fellow adventurers can settle in over island-inspired dishes and a cold drink.
Been fishing? Bring in your catch and ask about the restaurant’s hook-and-cook experience, which turns the day’s catch into dinner.
With its waterfront setting and easygoing atmosphere, Angler and Ale is an especially good choice when you’re searching for restaurants in Duck Key that capture the spirit of the Keys.
Pilar Bar
Some island moments are best enjoyed without a schedule.
Overlooking the ocean, Pilar Bar is Hawks Cay’s adults-only, open-air escape, serving bold Asian-inspired flavors alongside handcrafted cocktails.
The signature Gong Hour marks the point in the day when it’s officially time to slow things down. Find a seat, order something chilled and soak up views between the resort pool and Oasis Cay.
For couples or adults looking for a relaxed drink and a bite away from the activity of the main resort, Pilar Bar offers a quieter corner of paradise.
Tiki Grill
Pool day going too well to leave? Don’t.
Located beside the main Resort Pool, Tiki Grill keeps lunch wonderfully easy with fresh salads, sandwiches, casual bites and tropical cocktails.
It’s particularly handy for families. Kids can keep making the most of their pool time while parents grab something nearby, with food available from the bar or brought right to your poolside perch.
Sunshine, something cold in your glass and nowhere else to be. That’s lunch in the Keys sorted.
The Café
Every great vacation needs a reliable coffee stop.
Located in the Hawks Cay Resort lobby, The Café makes mornings and days on the go simple with fresh breakfasts, coffee, snacks and lunch options.
Planning a day exploring the Florida Keys? Pick up a healthy boxed lunch before you head out. Staying close to the resort? Stop by for a midday coffee or an easy bite between activities.
It’s relaxed, convenient and exactly where you need it to be.
Coral Grill
Another family-friendly dining option is on the way.
Coral Grill is scheduled to open in late 2026 at Coral Cay Adventure Park, bringing poolside favorites, frozen drinks and easygoing bites into the heart of one of Hawks Cay’s most activity-packed areas.
With waterslides, arcade games, cabanas and plenty of Florida sunshine nearby, Coral Grill will make it easy for families to refuel without interrupting the fun.
Waterfront Dining in the Florida Keys
A good meal in the Keys is one thing. A good meal with the water beside you is something else entirely.
Waterfront restaurants are woven into life throughout the islands, from Key Largo and Marathon to Key West. Marinas, docks, beaches and open-air terraces turn lunch and dinner into part of the destination itself.
Hawks Cay makes that experience particularly easy. Head to Angler and Ale for dinner overlooking the marina, find ocean views and cocktails at Pilar Bar, or spend the afternoon enjoying food and drinks beside the pool at Tiki Grill.
No dress-up required. Island mode encouraged.
What Food Is the Florida Keys Known For?
Seafood naturally plays a starring role when dining throughout the Florida Keys.
Fresh fish and shellfish appear across local menus alongside citrus, tropical ingredients and flavors influenced by Florida, Cuba, the Caribbean and coastal communities.
But a Florida Keys dining trip doesn’t have to mean seafood at every meal. You’ll find everything from steaks and salads to sandwiches, sushi-inspired dishes, breakfast favorites and familiar options for younger diners.
Make Dining Part of Your Florida Keys Getaway
You could spend a Florida Keys vacation chasing restaurant reservations from one island to another.
Or you could drop your anchor somewhere that already has plenty on the menu.
At Hawks Cay Resort, days can move easily from breakfast and poolside lunches to waterfront dinners and sunset drinks, with accommodations, pools, water activities and island adventures all close by.
Come hungry. Vacation mode will take care of the rest.