If you are trying to find the best key lime pie in Key West, I turned it into a full taste test during our trip.
For this guide, I tried key lime pie from Blue Heaven, Pepe’s, Café Marquesa, Mattheessen’s, Red Shoe Island Bistro, Kaya Island Eats, Key West First Legal Rum Distillery, Kermit’s, Old Town Bakery, and Hot Tin Roof.
I also included Blonde Giraffe Key Lime Pie Factory in Key Largo because it was too good to leave out, especially if you are driving the Overseas Highway between Miami and Key West.
After trying all of them, I learned a few things pretty quickly. I like tart Key lime pie. I prefer homemade whipped cream over meringue. And if the crust is thick, buttery, and flavorful, I am probably going to remember it.
This guide breaks down the best key lime pie in Key West based on tartness, crust, topping, overall flavor, and what I would actually order again.
If this is your first trip and you are still figuring out the basics, my Key West Travel Guide for First Time Visitors is a good place to start before planning all of your very serious dessert research.
One of the most interesting things I learned during my taste test came from a waitress in Key West.
She told me to always ask whether a restaurant makes its Key lime pie in-house. She said quite a few restaurants around town serve pies from Kermit’s instead of making their own.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with that. Kermit’s is famous for a reason. But if you are specifically trying to compare homemade Key lime pie recipes in Key West, it is helpful to ask before you order.
Café Marquesa was my favorite key lime pie in Key West.
This was an easy winner.
The filling was silky smooth, perfectly balanced between tart and sweet, and topped with fresh homemade whipped cream. Every bite melted in my mouth. Out of all the pies I tried in Key West, this was the one I kept thinking about afterward.
If you are planning a nicer dinner around dessert, Café Marquesa was also my favorite dinner of the trip. I go into the full meal in my Café Marquesa Review in Key West (My Favorite Dinner of the Trip).
Tartness: 9/10
Crust: Not the star of the pie, but worked perfectly with the filling
Topping: Fresh homemade whipped cream
Overall Rating: 10/10
The filling was incredibly smooth and creamy, almost like a melt-away chocolate that disappears as soon as it hits your tongue. It was the almost the tartest pie I tried while still maintaining a little sweetness, which is exactly what I want from Key lime pie.
The homemade whipped cream was fantastic, and everything felt perfectly balanced.
This was my favorite Key lime pie in Key West, and it was not close.
Old Town Bakery had the tartest Key lime pie I tried.
This was not even close.
I actually gave it an 11 out of 10 on my tartness scale because I did not think a key lime pie could be that tart. If you want maximum pucker factor, this is your pie.
Tartness: 11/10
Crust: Graham cracker-style crust with a hint of cinnamon
Topping: Delicious homemade whipped cream
Overall Rating: 8.5/10
I honestly did not think a key lime pie could be too tart until I tried this one. It was incredibly tart, easily the tartest pie of the entire trip.
The crust was excellent with a graham cracker base and a little cinnamon flavor that worked really well. The homemade whipped cream was also fantastic.
This pie was delicious, but the tartness was almost a little too intense for me.
Old Town Bakery is also where a lot of locals recommend getting key lime pie. They do make it in-house, and it is quite delicious. It is just very tart.
My theory is that the locals are so used to Key lime that they have lost their taste buds and need it to be super tart. That is the only explanation I have for an 11 out of 10 tartness situation.
Mattheessen’s had my favorite crust of the trip.
The filling was good, but the crust is what stood out most. It was thick, buttery, flavorful, and honestly delicious all by itself. Which makes sense, since they are a bakery and should probably have an advantage here.
Tartness: 7/10
Crust: Thick, buttery, and probably my favorite crust of the entire trip
Topping: Whipped cream from a can, but it melted before tasting because of the heat
Overall Rating: 7/10
We took this one back to the hotel, and by the time we got there, it was about 95 degrees outside and the whipped cream had completely melted.
Despite that, this pie impressed me.
It was nicely tart, and the crust was outstanding. Thick, buttery, and flavorful. In fact, it may have been my favorite crust of any pie I tried.
The pie itself was not my favorite overall, but the crust was one of the best of the trip. It held its own even after the whipped cream lost its battle with Key West heat.
If you are doing your own Key lime pie crawl in the heat, bring water. I used a filtered bottle on this trip, and something like this Brita Water Bottle makes more sense than buying plastic bottles all day.
Kermit’s is probably the most famous key lime pie spot in Key West, so naturally we had to see how it compared to the others.
And honestly, Kermit’s lived up to the hype.
Tartness: 10/10
Crust: 10/10
Topping: Whipped cream, though not the most memorable whipped cream of the trip
Overall Rating: 9/10
This was one of the tartest Key lime pies we tried, which I loved.
The crust was excellent and definitely on the top of my favorite crusts of any Key lime pie we had in Key West. It was rich, flavorful, and strong enough to hold up to the tart filling.
The whipped cream was fine, but it did not stand out as much as some of the other pies topped with fresh homemade whipped cream.
Still, this one absolutely belongs near the top of the list.
We also tried the famous chocolate-dipped frozen Key lime pie on a stick.
I am not usually a huge fan of combining chocolate with tart desserts, so I was not sure how I would feel about it. Brad was much more confident going into this taste test.
Honestly, it was delicious.
The pie is frozen, and the chocolate actually works really well because it balances the intense tartness of the Key lime filling. The contrast between the sweet chocolate and tart pie made it surprisingly addictive.
Chocolate-Dipped Pie on a Stick Rating: 9/10
If you love chocolate, you will probably love Kermit’s frozen version.
If you are more of a Key lime pie purist like me, I would still try the traditional slice first.
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I was not expecting one of my favorite surprises to come from a rum distillery, but Key West First Legal Rum Distillery ended up being one of the more unique pies I tried.
Their homemade Key Lime Rum Pie incorporates rum and is finished with an orange-flavored topping that sets it apart from the traditional versions around town.
If you are looking for a classic Key lime pie, this is not it. But if you like trying unique local twists on classic desserts, this is a fun one to order.
Tartness: 4/10
Crust: Very thick and completely different from the others; more pie crust than graham cracker crust
Topping: My favorite meringue of all the pies I tried
Overall Rating: 7.5/10
First Legal’s pie was much sweeter than most of the others.
The crust was incredibly thick and more traditional pie crust than graham cracker crust. I personally prefer graham cracker crust for Key lime pie, but the real standout here was the meringue.
Out of every pie I tried, this was my favorite meringue topping.
That surprised me because I learned very quickly during this trip that I am not a huge meringue person. The texture is not my favorite, and I consistently preferred pies topped with fresh homemade whipped cream.
But if I had to pick one meringue from the trip, it would be this one.
Blue Heaven was easily the sweetest pie I tried.
It is also probably one of the most photographed Key lime pies in Key West because of that sky-high meringue topping.
I know this might be controversial, but Blue Heaven was my most overrated Key lime pie of the trip.
Tartness: 5/10
Crust: Buttery, but very minimal
Topping: Lots of meringue
Overall Rating: 5/10
Blue Heaven was the first pie of the trip. The pie itself was okay, but definitely on the sweeter side. The tartness was pretty mild, and while the crust was buttery, there was not much of it compared to some of the others.
If you love a big fluffy meringue topping, you will probably enjoy this more than I did.
For me, the meringue overwhelmed the pie itself. The filling tasted sweeter and less flavorful than many of the other pies I tried, and it ended up being my lowest-rated pie overall.
I do think this is one people should try for themselves because Key lime pie preferences are very personal.
For me, the filling had a very light flavor, and the pie was not tart enough for what I personally want from Key lime pie. You may completely disagree, especially if you love meringue or prefer a sweeter slice.
Pepe’s was my second pie stop and a huge improvement over the first one.
This ended up being one of my favorites.
It had much more lime flavor, a better balance of sweetness and tartness, and a traditional graham cracker crust. The whipped cream was excellent, and the pie tasted much more vibrant overall.
Tartness: 7/10
Crust: Traditional graham cracker-style crust
Topping: Excellent whipped cream
Overall Rating: 8.5–9/10
Pepe’s was definitely on the more tart side, which I loved, and the flavor was excellent.
My only critique was the crust. I would have preferred it to be a little more buttery. It was more of a traditional graham cracker crust, which kept it from being a perfect 10 for me.
The pie is topped with whipped cream rather than meringue, which I personally prefer.
Overall, it was a delicious slice with great flavor and one I would absolutely recommend trying while in Key West.
Red Shoe Island Bistro delivered one of the better pies of the trip.
This was an easy 9 out of 10 and one of my top contenders.
Tartness: 8/10
Crust: Thick but very good
Topping: Thick, rich whipped topping
Overall Rating: 9/10
The pie had a noticeable tartness that I really enjoyed, and the thick crust worked well with the filling.
The topping was richer and thicker than standard whipped cream, which added another layer of texture.
This was one of the more balanced pies I tried, and it was high on my list from the first bite.
Hot Tin Roof served a very traditional Key lime pie.
It was not overly tart or overly sweet, which made it a good middle-of-the-road option.
Tartness: 6/10
Crust: Thin and subtle
Topping: Very light topping
Overall Rating: 7/10
The crust was thin and did not stand out much, but the pie itself tasted fresh and well-executed.
If you are looking for a classic Key lime pie that is not too intense in either direction, this is a solid option.
It did not rank at the very top for me, but I also did not have anything major to complain about. It was a traditional slice done well.
Hot Tin Roof is also a popular sunset dinner option, so if you are deciding whether to eat there for the full meal, I share more details in my Hot Tin Roof Review: Is It Worth It for Sunset Dinner in Key West?
Kaya Island Eats had one of the sweeter Key lime pies I tried.
The tartness was very mild, and the meringue had a marshmallow-like texture.
Tartness: 3/10
Crust: Good graham cracker-style crust
Topping: Marshmallow-like meringue
Overall Rating: 6/10
Kaya’s pie had much less meringue than Blue Heaven, and I do think the meringue here was better than Blue Heaven’s.
I still do not love meringue, though.
The pie itself was much sweeter than the other pies I tried and almost had a slightly perfumey flavor. The key lime flavor was not very intense, and I would rate the tartness around a 3 out of 10.
The crust was soft and kind of melted in your mouth, which I liked, but overall this pie was too sweet for my personal preference.
Blonde Giraffe is not in Key West, but I am including it because it was one of the most memorable pies I tried in the Florida Keys.
If you are driving the Overseas Highway between Miami and Key West, this is a very good stop to add.
I also have a full guide to Best Stops on the Drive from Miami to Key West if you want to turn the drive into more than just a straight shot south.
Tartness: 8.5/10
Crust: Toasty, nutty, rich, and buttery
Topping: None on the slice I ordered, my mistake
Overall Rating: 9/10
Blonde Giraffe offers several versions of their pie, including a meringue version, a traditional version, and a version topped with whipped cream.
I accidentally ordered mine without whipped cream, which I regretted almost immediately because I think it would have pushed this pie into 10/10 territory.
The filling had a great balance of sweetness and tartness, the crust was rich and buttery with a slightly nutty flavor, and every bite felt incredibly well balanced.
Even without the whipped cream, this ended up being one of my favorite pies of the entire trip.
Blonde Giraffe has built quite a reputation over the years. Their pie was voted “Best in Key West” during the 1999 Key Lime Festival, “Best in Miami” by New Times in 2016, and has been recognized by Guide to Florida’s “Best of Florida” awards multiple times, including 2025.
In addition to traditional slices, they also serve chocolate-dipped frozen Key lime pie on a stick, Key lime pie cookies, candies, and plenty of Key lime-themed gifts.
After trying this many slices, my preferences became very clear. I like Key lime pie tart, smooth, creamy, and topped with fresh homemade whipped cream. I want enough sweetness to balance the lime, but not so much that it tastes more like sugar than citrus. And I definitely want a crust that actually adds something.
If you only have time for one Key lime pie in Key West, I would choose Café Marquesa. If you want the most famous option, go to Kermit’s. If you want the tartest slice, go to Old Town Bakery. If you want a strong local-feeling option, go to Pepe’s or Red Shoe Island Bistro. If you love meringue and want the dramatic Key West photo, Blue Heaven may be more your style than it was mine.
Kermit’s chocolate-dipped frozen Key lime pie on a stick is also absolutely worth trying, but I would treat it as its own dessert instead of comparing it directly to a traditional slice.
And if you are driving through Key Largo, stop at Blonde Giraffe. I know this guide is mostly about Key West desserts, but that pie was too good to ignore. And yes, I would fully do this again. Key lime pie research feels like a very reasonable use of vacation time.
If you end up booking anything for your trip, using my affiliate links helps support my blog at no extra cost to you. I spend a lot of time researching and writing these guides, so I really appreciate the support.
If you are still pricing flights to Key West or Miami, I usually start with Skyscanner to compare options.
For hotels, compare rates through Booking.com and Hotels.com, especially if you are trying to stay close to Old Town.
If food is a big part of your trip, read my Best Food Tour in Key West? My Secret Food Tours Review before booking. I also recommend checking Secret Food Tours, Viator, and Get Your Guide if you want to compare Key West food tours, sunset sails, and other activities.
Key West was hot when we visited, and walking around for restaurants, bakeries, and dessert stops adds up fast.
I would bring a small bag like the Nano Bag, a Clutch Powerbank, and a water bottle if you are doing a lot of walking.
For more trip-specific packing notes, see What to Pack for Key West in May (What I Actually Used and What I Didn't).
If you are building out the rest of your trip, these are the next guides I would read:
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