El Siboney

El Siboney does not have a wine list. They do not serve wine at all. And they are in this guide anyway. Because Raging Wine is about finding the right drink at the right place, and at El Siboney the right drink is their homemade sangria. Fruity, strong, cold, and absolutely perfect with a plate of roast pork and black beans. This is the Cuban restaurant that locals call "the place where conchs take other conchs to dinner." It has been winning Best Cuban Restaurant in Key West every year since 1993, and the de la Cruz family has been running it since 2004.

Not every great meal needs a sommelier. Sometimes you need a picnic table, a plate of Masitas de Puerco Fritas, a cup of that sangria, and absolutely zero pretense. El Siboney is that restaurant. The portions are enormous, the prices are almost comically low (four people can eat for about $60), and the food is cooked with the kind of pride that no amount of Michelin stars can manufacture. If you want paella, call an hour ahead. If you want the roast pork, just show up.

We keep coming back to the sangria because it deserves its own section. It is made in-house, served cold, and pairs with everything on the menu in the way that only a drink made for the food can. It is not fancy. It is not trying to be a wine replacement. It is the exact right beverage for this exact right restaurant. Order it.

Located at 900 Catherine Street with a second location on Stock Island. Open Monday through Sunday, 11 AM to 9:30 PM. No reservations needed. TripAdvisor ranks it #32 out of 360 Key West restaurants, which for a place with laminated menus and paper napkins tells you everything about the food. Call (305) 296-4184 if you want to order the paella ahead.