When we started planning our Key West trip, I stumbled upon the Key Lime Pie Walking Tours. At first, I was intrigued—a guided tour dedicated entirely to this iconic Florida dessert? Sign me up! But when I saw the price tag, especially after we’d already splurged on other tours, we decided to create our own DIY key lime pie crawl instead. Armed with a plastic fork and ambitious appetites, we set out to find the best slice in Key West.
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The Contenders
We hit four of Key West’s most popular key lime pie spots, and I’m happy to report that none of them disappointed. Here’s how they stacked up:
🥇 First Place: Kermit’s Key Lime Shoppe ($7.48)
This was our clear winner. Kermit’s pie had the perfect smooth, creamy texture with a substantial graham cracker crust that held up beautifully. The temperature was just right—not too cold, not too warm. The filling had that classic pale yellow color and the ideal balance of sweet and tart. Even though it was the most expensive of our selections, we both agreed it was worth every penny.
🥈 Second Place: Key West Key Lime Pie Company ($5.86)
This one surprised us with how white it was compared to the others. When we first got it, the pie was still quite frozen, which actually turned into a happy accident. We had to sit in the shop for a while, watching it slowly soften (the hardest kind of waiting!), but we ended up loving the cold, almost ice-cream-like consistency. The crust was thinner than Kermit’s, and the filling had a nice tartness that really let the lime flavor shine through. At under $6, it was also the best value. They also serve the slice frozen on a stick, which could have been yummy too.
🥉 Third Place: The Original Key Lime Pie ($6.95)
We saved this one for the next day, which might have affected our judgment since we weren’t doing a direct side-by-side comparison. This pie had the most pronounced lime flavor—definitely the most citrus-forward of the bunch. The color was noticeably darker, a yellowish-brown that stood out from the pale yellow of the others. It came with thick, generous whipped cream topping and a thin crust.
Fourth Place: Limes & Pies ($6.99)
Coming in last doesn’t mean it was bad—just that the competition was fierce! This slice was noticeably smaller than the others, which at nearly $7 felt like less value. Denise thought it tasted remarkably similar to Nellie’s key lime juice, though Justin appreciated the denser, more compact texture. The whipped cream here didn’t quite hit the mark for Denise.
Fun Facts About Key Lime Pie
Since I love including interesting tidbits in my posts, here are some key lime pie facts I discovered:
The Origin Story: Key lime pie likely originated in the Florida Keys in the late 1800s or early 1900s. Before refrigeration and the Overseas Highway made it to the Keys, residents had limited access to fresh milk. The genius of key lime pie was that it used sweetened condensed milk which didn’t require refrigeration, local Key limes, and egg yolks. The acid in the lime juice actually “cooks” the eggs through a chemical process, meaning early versions didn’t even need to be baked.
Why Key Limes?: Key limes (Citrus aurantifolia) are smaller, seedier, and more aromatic than regular Persian limes. They’re also significantly more tart and have a distinctive floral quality. Most Key limes used in Florida today are actually imported from Mexico, as a hurricane in 1926 destroyed most of the Key lime groves in Florida.
The Color Debate: Authentic key lime pie is actually pale yellow, not green! The yellow color comes from the egg yolks. If you see bright green key lime pie, it’s been artificially colored. We noticed this in our taste test—all four pies ranged from pale yellow to very light yellow-brown.
Official State Pie: In 2006, the Florida Legislature designated key lime pie as the official state pie of Florida. The bill even specified that to be authentic, the pie must use Key lime juice (not Persian lime) and cannot be green.
Our Conclusion
While all four pies were delicious in their own right, Kermit’s took the crown for the perfect combination of texture, temperature, crust, and flavor balance. That said, if you’re on a budget or enjoy a more tart, frozen treat, the Key West Key Lime Pie Company offers incredible value.
One thing we couldn’t quite figure out: some of these pies tasted similar enough that we wondered if different retailers might be sourcing from the same bakeries. The key lime pie scene in Key West is surprisingly interconnected, with several companies supplying multiple shops and restaurants.
My recommendation? If you’re visiting Key West, make time for at least two pie stops. Try Kermit’s for the classic experience, and then pick one of the others based on your preferences—Key West Key Lime Pie Company if you want tartness and value, The Original if you want intense lime flavor, or Limes & Pies if you prefer a denser texture.
And honestly? Creating our own key lime pie tour was half the fun. We got to explore at our own pace, take breaks when we needed to (crucial when consuming multiple slices of pie), and save money compared to the organized tour – especially since we split the pies. Plus, we have these photos and memories of our sweet, citrusy adventure through Key West.
Have you tried key lime pie in Key West? Which shop is your favorite? Let me know in the comments—I’d love to hear about other spots we should try on our next visit!
Other posts from our trip to Key West: