How to eat South Florida?

Gators are protected but the meat comes from gator farms (Gators are raised for food). You can find it at quite a few restaurants.

Rustic Inn for garlic crab.

http://www.rusticinn.com/

If you want to try the "Floribbean" new world-style fusion cuisine born in Miami, be sure to check out Ortanique on the Mile in Downtown Coral Gables. www.cindyhutsoncuisine.com

Good Alligator meat is hard to come by. I do not like any fritters in most restaurants because all I can taste is ‘bread crumbs’. You will be better off with a fresh grouper if you can find one. I think.

Key lime pie is quite good. It is incredibly easy to make with just one can of sweet condensed milk plus 1/2 cup of lime juice . Whip that and pour into Graham pie shell; fridge for 3-4 hours. This is how they make it in most restaurants. Or, sometimes they add eggs yolks bake it with meringue. My husband loves key lime pie, but again, he loves any pie. If you like to cook, pack your suitcase with key limes. When you get home make a juice and freeze it. You will be able to make key-lime pies for weeks to come. Cuban coffee? Hmm.

Stone Crabs.. I simply love them and Joe’s are always delicious. I do not go into the restaurant but I go next door. It is a European style bistro (you have to stand up to eat them). Otherwise, you can get them everywhere in season.

As a Floridian, my experience is as follows. Please keep in mind that I am a little ‘picky’ when it comes to food. Good Alligator meat is hard to come by. Most restaurants serve only fritters from alligator or conch meat. I do not like any fritters in most restaurants because all I can taste is ‘bread crumbs’. You will be better off with a fresh grouper if you can find one.

Key lime pie can be quite good. It is incredibly easy to make with just 1 can of sweet condensed milk plus 1/2 cup of lime juice . Whip and pour into Graham pie shell; fridge for 3-4 hours. This is how they make it in most restaurants. Or, sometimes they add eggs yolks bake it with meringue. My husband loves key lime pie, but again, he loves any pie. If you like to cook, pack your suitcase with key limes. When you get home make a juice and freeze it. You will be able to make key-lime pies for weeks to come. Cuban coffee? Hmm.

Stone Crabs.. I simply love them and there is no doubt – in my mind - Joe’s are always delicious. I do not go into the restaurant but I go next door. It is a European style bistro (you have to stand up to eat them). Otherwise, you can get them everywhere in season.

Publix supermarket has the best key lime pie. We ran a taste test with 8 restaurants and Publix came in first.

There are a number of recent Keys threads that you can call up on a form search. Some of my favorite food stops through the keys:

Lazy Days in Islamorada - excellent local catch, beautiful ocean view deck.

Lorelei - an historic tiki bar with fine basic local fish fare. Unfortunately, very close to Lazy Days.

Keys Fishery in Marathon - the local fish market with picnic tables and counter service. Everything literally fresh off the boat.

Seven Mile Grill in Marathon - an historic stop on the E side of the 7 mile bridge.

Mangrove Mamas at MM 21. Beautiful outdoor/indoor setting in the mangroves. Very fine food.

KW has Louie's Backyard as one long time reliable. I would defer to the recent entries by locals.

In the Keys, my first choice of local catch is yellowtail snapper, but enjoy mangrove and mutton snapper as well. Grouper, tuna, and cobia are all fine. Conch chowder is a local specialty that you should try in many places.

Depending on when you go, stone crab will be available in season. A fraction of the price at Joe's, but very good.

Not Florida food per se but No Name Pub on Big Pine Key is a must 1 time visit.

Several people mentioned that stone crabs can be found everywhere for less than Joe's if in season. We'll be in South FL for the next 2 weeks, so it should be in season right?

Other than Joe's, where else can we get stone crab? Any specific restaurants? Thanks!

It is Stone Crab Season now thru May. You can get them in almost any grocery store like Publix which has 2 locations in South Beach. However, If I'm not getting them in a restaurant then the next best places are Epicure on Alton Road in South Beach or Fresh Market Coconut in Coconut Grove.
http://www.epicuremarket.com/
http://www.thefreshmarket.com/stores/store_locationsDetail.aspx?StoreID=44

As the claws are cooked on the boats you will be getting the same crabs as Joe's but for a little cheaper. The main difference would be in the mustard sauce and the ambiance.

As far as restaurants go, almost all have Stone Crab on the menu. On South Beach your best bets would be Grillfish or Nemo.

For myself, my favorite and the most authentic place to eat Stone Crabs would be at Garcia's Seafood Grill on the river near Downtown Miami. It's a little hard to find and the neighborhood is less than desirable, so I'd park nearby at Bayside and take a short cab ride there. The on the river feel and atmosphere is truly Miami, definitely a locals favorite.
http://www.yelp.com/biz/garcias-seafood-grille-and-fish-miami-2

Joe's has a takeaway window/area so you can pick some up and go have a picnic. They also do a nice key lime pie.

As SoBchBud1 suggests, I've honestly never understood having them in a restaurant. They are NOT prepared in any way. Stone crab claws are pulled off the crab and cooked immediately, then chilled. If you buy them in a seafood market or even at Publix, they are EXACTLY the same as those you get at Joe's or anywhere else. They are great but very messy to eat. So why go to a fancy restaurant and pay three or four times what they cost in the store when they do nothing to them? I'm a big fan of buying them, and sitting at a picnic table (or by the pool at home) and digging in.
Anyone who tells you that Joe's or anyone else does anything special to them to make them different is simple a sandwich short of a picnic! To me this is like going to a fancy restaurant and asking for an apple, then sitting at the table and eating it with a knife and fork and saying "my this restaurtant sure knows how to serve an apple."

Wow! NeoPatrick hit a home run with that analogy! So in the spirit of his wisdom I'll offer this scenario: Pick up the stone crabs from Publix or Epicure ($10-12 per lb. for medium or $15-18 for large), some mustard sauce, a good Pinot Grigio, and lots of napkins; and go to South Point Park on the southernmost point on the Beach by 5:00PM any afternoon Fri.-Mon. Park yourself on a bench facing Government Cut and enjoy the scenery. You'll see some of the worlds largest cruise ships go by while the sun starts setting over the skyline. I just might do this again myself this weekend!

You can cap this all off by ordering a "CO-LA-DA" (Cuban Coffee / sweet espresso) from a number of sidewalk service windows on South Beach along Washington Ave. It will provide you with fuel for the evening festivities.

Wow, thanks SoBchBud1 and Neopatrick and all, for all the great tips! Can't wait to eat my way through South Florida!

Here's a thread of mine from this summer on the same topic for Miami Beach.

http://www.fodors.com/community/united-states/miami-beach-restatuaurants.cfm

The only one we ended up trying was Puerto Sagua (Cuban) near South Beach. Very un-fancy, but food was great.

If you're going to or near Everglades City, stop by Grimm's on the road on the way in to EC. Was taken there last year for my birthday. You buy the # of lbs you want, they will smash the shells for a slight extra fee. Served on a paper plate (?) with yummy dipping sauce. You take outside to a long table overlooking a canal and stuff yourself silly. FANTASTIC! and can't beat the price.

Yep. That's the way to eat stone crab claws!!!

NeoPatrick: we're headed for Marco Is. again this Saturday and plan to return to the Rod & Gun Club in EC, which you told us about. One of our fave destinations and we've shared the rec with others who agree. Kudos. Great spot.
Can I stand 5 more days in gray cold NH?