The Tiny Florida Island That Foodies Go Out Of Their Way To Find

Have you ever dreamed of tiny, remote islands teeming with fresh seafood, breezy sea air, and the singsong rhythm of days gone by? If so, wake up and turn your wheels toward the Gulf of Mexico. That place actually exists, and it perches in Gulf waters, accessible by a single 4-mile roadway stretching past swaying seagrass, mangroves, and saltwater marshes. Toss any rigid schedules or time tables to the wind, as they will barely be acknowledged on the Old-Florida island known as Cedar Key. 

For all its charms, this bump of land is most famous for a stunning amount of high-rated restaurants, making it a quirky food destination like no other. Folks are known to plan entire day trips around what's for supper, lunch, or breakfast — or all three, since time basically slips away upon arrival. It is not just a leisurely tourist town, far from it. Cedar Key is deeply tied to the state's clam aquaculture, with 95% of Florida clams pulled from the surrounding sands and bottom waters. It consequently bears the tongue-in-cheek nickname of "Clamalot."

Cedar Key is actually an archipelago of small barrier islands, but the road ends at Dock Street in the main village. That's where you will find most of the acclaimed deliciousness, with restaurants clustering in the tiny, walkable downtown area. As you can imagine, restaurants showcase the hometown clammy mollusks, and menus routinely feature all sorts of briny sea creatures. But it is not the only thing earning all that foodie attention. Here's a look at some highlights of dining in Cedar Key. 

When visiting Cedar Key, a good place to start the day is 2nd Street Cafe, where you will get a real feel for the heartbeat of Cedar Key. With only 800 full-time island residents, you will likely cross paths with locals chatting over biscuits and gravy, smoked salmon skillets, and Southern shrimp or Aye Carumba omelettes. For lighter fare, check out the organic coffees and fresh-fruit Cedar Key Bowls at The Prickly Palm, plus smoothies such as the Purple Pufferfish Green Seat Turtle, Rosy Spoonbill, and Pelican Poo. Another favorite spot for a deck-side, water-view breakfast is Annie's Cafe. 

For lunch or early dinner, head over to Steamer's Clam Bar & Grill. This casual island eatery pays homage to clams with chowders and bubbling pots of clams simmered in white wine and garlic. The sea-frenzy runs the gamut from lobster mac-and-cheese to blue crab claws, mussels, mahi-mahi tacos, redfish, crab cakes, grouper sandwiches, seafood platters, and even gator bites. You can also order the legendary Lowcountry boil served in individual pots, or choose land-lubber steaks, pasta, and more. The menu includes iconic Florida foods as well as original interpretations.

It's hard to imagine so many beloved eateries in such proximity, but that does not mean you are limited to walking. Right on Dock Street, vendors offer rental bikes and golf carts. So you can park once and scoot around from breakfast to dinner while meandering the waterfront, browsing local shops and galleries, fishing, hiking, or exploring Cedar Keys National Wildlife Refuge.

Things get a bit more posh at Cedar Key restaurants such as 29 North — but not too much. It falls just shy of fancy, perched on the top floor of a longtime Dock Street building with panoramic Gulf views. It is all about interesting food with creative interpretations, and to keep things real, the raw bar goes by the name of Cluster Shuck. Even more real is the fact that it is only open during the late fall, during Florida's oyster season, meaning you're getting the freshest, wild-caught Cedar Key oysters possible.

The menu at 29 North obviously includes a clam chowder with a little-known Florida and deep South heirloom pepper called datil, special to the city of St. Augustine. Appetizers include smoked duck buns, mint chimichurri lamb chops, and buttermilk squash bisque with pepitas, which can give root vegetables a a crunchy twist. The broader culinary cast presents four interpretations of hand-cut grouper filets, such as a version with sweet plantains, which are similar to bananas. You will also find plenty of pastas and handheld goodies like buttermilk fried-chicken tacos. 

There is also the quaint but charming Old Florida belle-of-the-ball, the Island Hotel Restaurant, housed inside a building dating back to 1859. Famous for its Heart of Palm Salad with sugared dates, the dining room also serves up delicacies such as Fish En Papillote, sushi-grade ahi tuna, meaty steaks, Calypso angel hair pasta, and a renowned key lime pie. Though loved by legions, it is hard to resist slipping over to its boozy counterpart, the Neptune Lounge Bar. 

Decorated in elaborate 1948 murals of Cedar Key and mythological King Neptune, the Neptune Lounge Bar has hosted surprise drop-in performances by Jimmy Buffett and countless other seafaring sojourners during its tenure as one of Florida's oldest operating bars. This kind of old-Florida ambience draws crowds, however, so be sure to get there early.