On the road to Key West, the meal can be part of the drive
The Overseas Highway turns the drive to Key West into part of the trip rather than dead time between Miami and a hotel. The route runs through a chain of communities where a meal can become a useful break from driving, but trying to stop at every famous place defeats the purpose. A better strategy is to choose one stop based on when hunger arrives and perhaps a second later in the Keys.
In Islamorada, Midway Cafe & Coffee Bar works for coffee, breakfast or an earlier pause, while Bad Boy Burrito - Islamorada makes sense when the trip reaches Islamorada closer to lunch. Hungry Tarpon Restaurant adds a waterfront setting to the decision, turning a meal into more of a Keys stop rather than merely a refueling break.
Farther south in Marathon, Keys Fisheries puts seafood directly into the road-trip narrative and is useful before the final stretch toward the Lower Keys. Burdine's Waterfront offers another waterfront pause in Marathon, making it an alternative rather than an additional mandatory stop. A traveler who already ate in Islamorada can simply keep driving.
Let the highway set the rhythm
Travel & Leisure describes the Overseas Highway as a 113-mile route through the Florida Keys, and current travel coverage continues to treat food stops as part of the experience rather than detours from it. The practical plan is simple: choose the restaurant that fits your position and appetite, leave enough daylight and patience for the rest of the drive, and resist turning a beautiful road into a checklist.
Recommended restaurants
These restaurants were selected because their current menus, locations or specialties match the question. The list is based on verifiable information, not on filling a preset number of places.
An Islamorada cafe, bakery and espresso bar serving breakfast and lunch daily.
Coffee, breakfast and a quick daytime stop around mile marker 80
A casual Islamorada counter-service restaurant serving burritos, tacos and seafood-forward options in the Village Square area.
A compact lunch stop around mile marker 82
A waterfront Keys-style restaurant at Robbie's Marina serving breakfast, lunch and dinner.
A waterfront Islamorada stop where the meal can be part of the road-trip experience
A seafood restaurant, market and marina in Marathon, positioned near the middle of the Florida Keys route.
Fresh seafood and a practical Marathon stop before the Seven Mile Bridge
A casual waterfront restaurant and marina in Marathon serving burgers, seafood and Key lime pie.
A relaxed waterfront stop in Marathon before continuing south
Sources & references
These independent references add context or corroborate key facts used in this guide. Restaurant websites are kept on the business profiles rather than repeated here. Current information can change after the access date shown below.
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This 113-mile Highway Through the Florida Keys Is Lined With Delicious Seafood, Charming Islands, and Ocean Views ↗
Secondary source
Travel + Leisure · Accessed August 17, 2026
Independent route guide used for Overseas Highway distance and road-trip context.
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I’ve Been to the Florida Keys More Than a Dozen Times. Here’s How I’d Spend a Day There. ↗
Secondary source
Business Insider · Accessed August 17, 2026
Current 2026 travel reporting used for road-trip and Islamorada stop context.
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I Found The Best Pit Stop On The Way To Key West ↗
Secondary source
Southern Living · Accessed August 17, 2026
Independent travel feature used for Islamorada pit-stop context.