Restaurants in Key West, Miami Beach named among the best outdoor spots in the U.S.
Dining outdoors in South Florida can be an adventure in the summer, and you absolutely do not need us to tell you why.
But if you do want to eat outdoors, two of the best outdoor dining adventures in the country are right here in Miami Beach and Key West, according to a popular online restaurant reservation service.
OpenTable, a site for reservations and reviews, has announced its top 100 restaurants for outdoor dining in 2022, and Palace Bar & Restaurant in Miami Beach and Latitudes in Key West made the list.
Palace Bar & Restaurant, of course, has been a landmark in South Beach since it opened at its original location at 1200 Ocean Drive in 1988, a different era on South Beach (it moved to its new spot two blocks away in 2017). The LGBTQ+ bar and restaurant hosted tea dances and drew huge crowds on White Party Weekends, becoming famous for its drag shows, where the mimosas and the fun flow in equal measure (these two elements may possibly work in tandem — you be the judge).
The kitchen serves appetizers, burgers, tacos and entrees like ribs, salmon, churrasco and pasta and signature cocktails like Between the Sheets (fresh pineapple and lemon, white rum, Hennessy and triple sec).
The atmosphere is a bit less frenetic at Latitudes, at the Sunset Key Cottages in Key West. The restaurant offers waterfront fine dining with great views of the Gulf of Mexico and serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. The menu leans toward seafood, with items like yuzu glazed yellowtail, pan-roasted cobia, seared grouper and crispy salmon, but you can order beef short rib and wagyu beef skirt steak as well.
Overall, Florida had 11 restaurants on the list, including Mediteranno in Naples, The Boathouse in Lake Buena Vista and Ulele in Tampa. Only California had more, with 37 restaurants. The list, which was curated from 13.6 million verified diner reviews, identifies great views, delicious cuisine and — most important — an “incredible outdoor dining experience.”
“Outdoor dining played a major role in buoying the restaurant industry over the last few years, and restaurants took note — whether adding, expanding or elevating their offerings,” said Susan Lee, OpenTable’s chief growth officer in a statement. “Offering outdoor dining is now a key part of restaurants’ business, and we’re happy to see that diners continue to embrace it.”
More information
Palace Bar & Restaurant: 1052 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach; 305-531-7234 or palacesouthbeach.com
Latitudes: Sunset Key Cottages; 245 Front St., Key West; 305-292-5394 or www.opalcollection.com/sunset-key-cottages/restaurants/latitudes/