By Sarah Swain| 11 hours ago
I can clearly remember the first time I tasted classic American dessert, Key lime pie.
It was at a branch of (don't judge me) Hooters in Orlando.
And forget the busty waitresses, I was there to ogle the pie, which is a bit like a cheesecake but made with condensed milk and limes.
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While its origins are a little disputed – did it come from the snacks made by fishermen using local limes or a recipe from a condensed milk firm? I set myself a tough challenge.
To find the best.
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Key West is the biggest city in the Florida Keys. You might know it from the songs of old crooners, Jimmy Buffet and The Beach Boys.
It's America's southern-most city and is actually closer to Cuba than mainland USA.
A holiday spot with a Caribbean feel, it's an ideal place to visit if you're heading to Miami for a cruise like we were.
We didn't want to drive, so went on the four-hour FlixBus from Downtown Miami.
It was a cheap and a hassle-free way down the dramatic Overseas Highway which connects the string of islands to the mainland.
We started our important mission at Kermit's Key Lime Shop. Yes, the dish is so popular, in the Keys there are entire businesses dedicated solely to it.
But I was a little worried that Kermit's might be a tourist trap.
It's on Key West's main hub, Duval Street, a buzzing stretch of bars, restaurants and shops. I needn't have worried.
It has been going for 30 years and makes pies for many other restaurants too.
What I liked best about their pie was the generous dollop of cream on top. It was lip-smacking good.
But could it be topped?
We ventured to Pepe's, the oldest restaurant in the Keys, to see. The rustic spot served up a very tasty concoction indeed.
And we loved the historic feel of the place, which opened in 1909.
It was all getting a bit confusing, especially as I never met a dessert I didn't like.
Luckily, we had a tour booked with Key West Food Tours. And I asked our guide, Tricia, her thoughts.
She took us to Cuban Coffee Queen to try their delicious offering, which was yum.
But she also recommended the pie at a restaurant called Blue Heaven, so we headed over.
I mean, it's easy to see why it's renowned. Because this place offers a Key lime pie topped with a GIANT meringue.
But was it a case of quantity over quality? I believe not – it was sumptuous.
Just before our bus back to Miami, there was time for one more contender.
Banana Café was recommended online. But they had the CHEEK to drizzle raspberry sauce over what was otherwise a very tasty pie.
For me, it muddled with the taste too much. But my husband did rate it.
So what was my verdict? Well, sorry to disappoint, but I can't really say which was the best. Because all roads led to delicious.
Old Town Key West is the place to be. It's packed with charming, mostly independent guest houses and small hotels among the stunning old homes.
And unlike many places in America, everywhere is walkable.
You can also rent a bike or a golf buggy – we saw families zooming around in them.
We chose Winslow's Bungalows, via Booking.com, a boutique hotel set across multiple old homes. It even boasts of 'stolen pirate loot' buried in the grounds. Though the only treasure we found were the multiple roosters which roam around these parts.
We had a cute, modern little bungalow room next to one of the three pools. A tasty continental breakfast was included (no Key lime pie unfortunately…)
It was a refreshing change from the usual chain hotels and really matched the relaxed, holiday feel of Key West.
"This is Oscar Wilde" gestures the tour guide, pointing at the bed. "Betty Grable, Joe DiMaggio…. and Daisy Buchanan."
No, we hadn't stumbled upon some kind of ghostly sleepover. But some of the cats who live at American writer Ernest Hemingway's house in Key West.
And there are a few unique things about these moggies. Many are polydactyl, which means they have six or even seven toes.
The other is that the 57 felines are federally protected, because many are descendants of a cat called Snow White who was a member of the US Navy.
She was gifted to Hemingway, who wrote many of his most famous books here.
As crazy cat people, it was a highlight of our trip.
Still on the animal theme, a mangrove kayak eco tour at Lazy Dog Adventures, a short Uber from town, shows you a different side of the area.
We learned about the unique mangroves and spotted everything from manatees to jellyfish on a relaxing jaunt through the waters.
And after all that activity, we headed to Mallory Square to watch the sunset.
Thousands gather nightly to see the glowing orb drop into the ocean, in this unique and pretty special part of America. Key lime pie or not.
The writer stayed in Key West and booked activities as a guest of Booking.com.
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