Two Michelin Keys and a Wine List That Earned Them
Old Town (Fleming Street) · Key West · Coastal Fine Dining · Visit Website ↗
Updated August 2026
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · February 8, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Cafe Marquesa’s wine list and gave it The Rager — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Cafe Marquesa sits at 600 Fleming Street, steps from the Historic Seaport, inside one of those Key West buildings that feels like it has always been there. Two Michelin Keys (2024 and 2025). Wine Spectator Award of Excellence. OpenTable Diners' Choice. TripAdvisor ranks it #8 out of 363 Key West restaurants. This is not a place that coasts on reputation. It defends it nightly with a seven-course tasting menu, freshly baked bread, and house-made desserts that close the meal with the same care that opened it.
This is where Cafe Marquesa separates from the field. The wine program is extensive and intelligent, with a full range from Champagne and sparkling through whites and reds from recognized regions worldwide. Wines by the glass run $6 to $16, which means you can explore without committing to a full bottle on a tasting-menu night. The Wine Spectator Award confirms what you will feel when you open the list: someone here treats wine food. That alignment is rare in Key West.
The She Crab Soup alone would justify a visit. Shrimp and Grits with the kind of creole intensity that proves this kitchen knows the South. Crispy Gulf Oysters on red rice. The seven-course tasting menu (available 5:30 to 8:30 PM) is the way to go if you want the full experience, but the a la carte dinner menu (5:00 to 9:00 PM) is equally strong. Breakfast runs 8:00 to 11:00 AM with Marquesa Beignets and tropical fruit plates that make you wonder why every restaurant in Key West does not start the day this well.
The dining room is intimate and romantic, the kind of space where first dates become anniversaries. Service is attentive without being theatrical. Prices are high but justified by the quality and care behind every course. Book ahead during peak season. This is one of the restaurants that serious food people in Key West will mention unprompted, and the wine list is the reason it belongs in this guide.
The Bottom Line
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.
Historic Seaport · Key West · American / Seafood
Schooner Wharf is a legitimately great bar — just not a wine bar. Order a beer, get the shrimp, watch the sunset, and if you must have wine, grab the Sterling Sauv Blanc and call it a day.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Duval Street / Old Town · Key West · Seafood / New American
Bagatelle is doing more with wine than most restaurants in the Keys bother to attempt, and for a tourist-heavy Duval Street address, that matters. The markups are real and the list skews safe-prestige, but if you're in Key West and want a proper bottle with your lobster, this is where you go.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Fleming Street / Old Town · Key West · Seafood / Raw Bar
Thirsty Mermaid is a Wild Card in the best sense — a no-frills raw bar that somehow sourced a wine list worthy of a much fancier room. The markups on the high-end bottles are steep and there's no wine program energy to speak of, but the Cava-and-oysters combination alone is worth the stop.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Stock Island / Oceans Edge Resort · Key West · Seafood / Elevated American
Matt's is the wine list equivalent of a reliable vacation — it won't blow your mind, but it won't ruin your evening either. Order the Albariño, watch the boats, and save the wine exploration for somewhere that's actually trying.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
North Roosevelt Boulevard / Waterfront · Key West · Hotel Bar / American
The Roost is a hotel bar doing more than the minimum — there's real range here and a few genuinely good picks if you know where to look. Just go in expecting to pay for the waterfront zip code, and you'll have a fine time.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Simonton Street / Old Town · Key West · Cafe & Bakery
Moondog isn't a wine destination, and it doesn't pretend to be — but it offers a surprisingly considered little list at prices that don't insult your intelligence, which puts it well ahead of the tourist-trap cafes clustered around it. If you're in Old Town and want a glass with your morning or a light lunch, there are worse decisions you'll make in Key West.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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