Sandy's Cafe

The Cuban sandwich—and Cuban food in general—is a huge part of the Key West food identity, and our favorite comes from Sandy’s. The little sidewalk ventanita (a Cuban term for a little takeout window) attached to a laundromat has been around since the ‘80s, and the family that owns it has been making Cuban food in Key West for much longer. Sandy's does things with the Cuban sandwich that would get you some strange looks in Miami, like adding salami, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, and mayonnaise, but it all works great together—and you can always just stick to the basics. Sandy's is located a bit north of most of the hotel and tourist action, so if you're looking for a closer (and more classic) Cuban sandwich option, go to Ana's Cuban Cafe.