Quest to Find the Best Key Lime Pie in Fort Myers, Florida

I love anything key lime. So we embarked on a quest to find the best key lime pie in Fort Myers, Florida.  On our trip to southwest Florida, I decided to search for the best key lime pie I could find.

Fort Myers is an area full of outdoor adventures for everyone to enjoy the Florida sunshine. There are hundreds of islands around this coastal city where you can enjoy the beauty of the area, Gulf coast beaches, connections to nature everywhere as well as amazing food.

Fort Myers and neighbouring islands Captiva and Sanibel, are known for the best shelling in the United States. Close to Fort Myers is also Cape Coral which is known for over 400 miles of canals intertwined in the city, pristine beaches, wetlands, forests and endless water activities. If for no other reason, it is worth visiting this area, because it truly is amazing. But alas, lets talk about the best key lime pie Fort Myers.

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What is a Key Lime?

Key limes are a small, round citrus fruit that is native to tropical regions, particularly the Florida Keys, Mexico, and other parts of Central America. Key limes are often smaller and more round than the more common Persian limes that you find in most grocery stores. They are also known for their distinct flavor, which is more tart, aromatic, and intense than the larger Persian limes. They only grow in climates where the weather stays warm and never dips below freezing temperatures.

Key limes are typically yellow when ripe but can be slightly greenish or even yellow-orange. They have a thin skin and are known for their high acidity, which gives them their sharp, tangy flavor. Key lime juice is a key ingredient in various culinary applications, including the infamous key lime pie.

Best Key Lime Pie in Fort Myers Challenge

We spent our trip to Fort Myers, Sanibel Island and Cape Coral, searching for the best key lime pie we could find. We sampled 7 key lime pies over 7 days. To be clear, none of the pies we had were bad, just some were better than others.

Each piece of pie was rated on the following criteria out of 5 for each category, for a total possible score of 20.

• Crust – Shouldn’t it always have a graham cracker crust?
• Tartness – The more tart the better!
• Creaminess – Um, of course!
• Presentation – Who wants to eat something unappealing?

And without further delay, here are my rankings:

#7: The Island Cow, Sanibel Island

• Tartness: 3
• Crust: 2
• Creaminess: 3
• Presentation: 4

Total: 12

The Island Cow may not have ranked high in our quest, but the atmosphere and extensive menu is worth stopping by. Sanibel Island is worth visiting and supporting, especially after the damage from the hurricane they encountered in 2022.

#6: Pincher’s Crab Shack, Cape Coral

• Tartness: 2
• Crust: 4
• Creaminess: 3
• Presentation: 4

Total: 13

A key factor in key lime pie is the tartness of the filling. The pie at Pincher’s Crab Shack had a great crust but lacked the tartness that should come with key limes. However, we had great seafood at this restaurant!

#5. Fathoms, Cape Coral

• Tartness: 2
• Crust: 4
• Creaminess: 3
• Presentation: 5

Total: 14

The presentation was excellent and different from the other places. Unfortunately, as good as it was, it didn’t deliver on the tartness for the pie. However, I highly recommend having the amazing pizza at Fathoms.

#4. Cabbage Key Inn & Restaurant, Cabbage Key

• Tartness: 4
• Crust: 3
• Creaminess: 4
• Presentation: 4

Total: 15

This one was difficult to rate. Cabbage Key Inn had one of the best because it was frozen and creamy. But it lost points on the crust. Even though it was so good, the crust is a crucial component of the pie! However, I highly recommend taking a day trip out to the island to check out the iconic restaurant and the dollar bill wall!

#3. The Nauti Mermaid, Cape Coral

• Tartness: 4
• Crust: 4
• Creaminess: 4
• Presentation: 4

Total: 16

The dockside bar delivered on the view and ambience and the pie was pretty darn good as well. The tartness was almost the best. I didn’t expect this bar to provide a key lime pie that was as good as it was! If you are looking for a memorable vacation stay, I do recommend if you are looking to splurge on an amazing hotel, stay a night or two at the Cape Coral Resort at Marina Village.

And the winner is……

Okay there was a tie. It was a hard choice to make but in the end they both ended up as a number one!

#2. Nervous Nellies, Fort Myers Beach

• Tartness: 5
• Crust: 5
• Creaminess: 5
• Presentation: 5

Total: 20

I highly recommend Nervous Nellies. The service, scenery, and food was amazing! The filling on the key lime pie was creamy, perfect crust and a great, simple presentation. To add to it, the restaurant has an amazing key lime martini!

#1. Lobster Lady Seafood Market, Cape Coral

• Tartness: 5
• Crust: 5
• Creaminess: 5
• Presentation: 5

Total: 20

Our last meal of the vacation and we definitely saved the best for last! To go with our amazing seafood dinner at Lobster Lady Seafood Market, this pie fits the criteria for all components. How surprised was I, when it was served with vanilla bean ice cream and a key lime sugar drizzle. Who would have thought?

The taste was amazing, creamy, tart and ended my quest for the best key lime pie in Fort Myers on a very high note!

Of all the places we visited, Nervous Nellies and Lobster Lady Seafood Market tied for the best key lime pie Fort Myers had to offer. Tartness, creaminess, crust and presentation are so important and I was happy to satisfy my key lime pie craving. Until next time, happy travels and eating!

Visiting Fort Myers, Florida and the surrounding areas was an amazing trip and we definitely enjoyed the challenge to find the best key lime pie. 

Note, I am not a food critic and I do not receive anything from these restaurants. Just an average girl, with a love for key lime, who decided to find the best key lime pie in Fort Myers, Florida.