What color should key lime pie be?

Key lime pie should be pale yellow. A green pie has been dyed, and a pie that is bright and neon is a sign to walk away. In Key West the real filling is made from key lime juice, sweetened condensed milk and egg yolks, so the color is soft.

What is the difference between key limes and regular limes?

Key limes are smaller, more acidic and more aromatic than the common Persian lime sold in most supermarkets. In Key West the juice gives the pie its tart, floral flavor, and a pie made with ordinary lime juice tastes flatter and sharper.

Should key lime pie have meringue or whipped cream?

Both are traditional in Key West. Some people prefer meringue, others whipped cream, and the choice is a matter of taste. A slice should be cold, tart and set, with a crisp graham crust, and the topping should not hide the filling.

How can I remember and share the Key West desserts I try?

Mosey is a food app for rating what you eat by the dish and sharing the places worth finding. Rate each Key West slice by the dish, add a tag such as Bakery, and keep a list that friends can add to. Follow friends to see what they rate.

Is key lime pie on a stick the real thing?

Key lime pie on a stick is a frozen version dipped in chocolate. Many Key West shops make it with real key lime filling, but it is a novelty more than a traditional dessert. Where the pie came from is debated, though it is associated with the Florida Keys.

Dish guide

Best Key Lime Pie in Key West: What Makes It Real

Mosey · November 11, 2026 · 5 min read

The best key lime pie in Key West is pale yellow, tart and cool, with a graham cracker crust and a topping of whipped cream, not green and not dyed. Nearly every cafe and bakery on the main streets sells a slice, but quality varies a great deal, so check the color and the filling.

A traditional filling has three ingredients: key lime juice, sweetened condensed milk and egg yolks. Eat a slice plain before you try one on a stick.

What makes the best key lime pie in Key West real?

A traditional key lime pie has three ingredients in the filling: key lime juice, sweetened condensed milk and egg yolks. The acid in the juice thickens the milk, and the pie is baked briefly to set. The result is a custard, creamy and sharp, with a color that is pale yellow, never bright green.

The crust is usually graham cracker, though some bakers use a short pastry. The topping can be whipped cream or meringue, and each camp has strong opinions. The key lime is a small, yellowish fruit with a floral, sour flavor, and it is what separates a Key West pie from a regular lime one.

How do you spot a fake?

If the pie is bright green, it has been dyed. Real key lime juice does not give that color. A rubbery, gelatin-set texture is another warning sign, as is a very sweet, chemical flavor. The best slices are smooth, firm enough to hold their shape and tart enough to make you pause.

A good test is to look at the filling edge. A pale, slightly custard-like cross-section with a clean slice means the pie has set properly. A glossy, almost translucent filling means too much gelatin.

Which Key West places come up for key lime pie?

Opinions on the best slice run strong, so the only ranking worth trusting is your own. A good pie is tart and creamy with a crisp crust, served cold, and the garden courtyards and cafes of Old Town make pleasant places to compare. Try two or three and rate each.

Dedicated key lime pie shops draw their own reviews, and one reviewer compared two of them, describing one pie as tart with a thin crust. A single reviewer's opinion is only one voice, so try a couple and decide yourself.

What is key lime pie on a stick?

Key lime pie on a stick is a slice of pie, frozen, dipped in chocolate and served on a wooden stick. It is a walking dessert, made for people who want to eat while they stroll Duval Street. It is also a good way to try the flavor on a hot day, since it stays cool.

Purists may call it a novelty, but it is a fun taste, and several shops sell it. If you want a quality comparison, order a slice of the real thing too.

What other Key West desserts and Florida Keys food are worth a try?

Key West has more to eat than pie. Conch fritters, fish sandwiches, stone crab claws in season and Cuban sandwiches reflect the island's history as a fishing town with strong Cuban ties. Ice cream shops serve key lime flavors, and a few bakeries sell Cuban pastries and coffee.

For dessert, look for coconut cream pie, guava pastries and rum cake. The Florida Keys food scene is relaxed, and dining rooms are often outdoors, so be ready for heat and sun.

What should you pair with a slice?

A small cup of strong coffee, a cold glass of milk or an iced tea cuts the sweetness and sharpens the lime. Some bakers serve the pie with a thin raspberry sauce, which looks pretty and tastes good, though purists prefer it plain. If you have a sweet tooth, a pie shop often sells small tarts and cookies made with the same juice.

Avoid pairing it with another heavy dessert. A key lime pie is meant to be the end of the meal, not the middle.

When should you eat key lime pie?

Anytime. Pie is often a late afternoon treat, and many people share a slice between two. After a heavy seafood lunch, a cold slice is a pleasant finish, and with coffee it can be a light breakfast on a vacation morning.

Go early in the day if you want the best choice at a bakery, since popular places sell out. Weekend crowds in winter can be heavy.

If you want to take a whole pie home, ask how it is packed. A refrigerated box and a cooler bag keep it firm, and a frozen pie travels well if you are flying. Most bakeries will box a pie for travel, and some will ship.

How to get the most from a Key West food trip

Plan to walk. The old town is compact, and most of the food is within a short distance of the main streets. Mix a casual lunch with a sit-down dinner, and add a pie stop. Many restaurants are outdoors, so bring sun protection.

Check hours, because some cafes close for a day each week and the island slows down during storms.

What to read next

If you are heading up the coast, read Florida food worth a drive and the Jacksonville seafood guide. For another Cuban food region, see Orlando Cuban and Puerto Rican food. The US guides page lists more.

Pie is personal. Use the Mosey app to rate every slice you try, note the crust, the tartness and the topping and keep a Key West list you can share with the next person who asks.

Questions

Common questions

What color should key lime pie be?
Key lime pie should be pale yellow. A green pie has been dyed, and a pie that is bright and neon is a sign to walk away. In Key West the real filling is made from key lime juice, sweetened condensed milk and egg yolks, so the color is soft.
What is the difference between key limes and regular limes?
Key limes are smaller, more acidic and more aromatic than the common Persian lime sold in most supermarkets. In Key West the juice gives the pie its tart, floral flavor, and a pie made with ordinary lime juice tastes flatter and sharper.
Should key lime pie have meringue or whipped cream?
Both are traditional in Key West. Some people prefer meringue, others whipped cream, and the choice is a matter of taste. A slice should be cold, tart and set, with a crisp graham crust, and the topping should not hide the filling.
How can I remember and share the Key West desserts I try?
Mosey is a food app for rating what you eat by the dish and sharing the places worth finding. Rate each Key West slice by the dish, add a tag such as Bakery, and keep a list that friends can add to. Follow friends to see what they rate.
Is key lime pie on a stick the real thing?
Key lime pie on a stick is a frozen version dipped in chocolate. Many Key West shops make it with real key lime filling, but it is a novelty more than a traditional dessert. Where the pie came from is debated, though it is associated with the Florida Keys.