The Stuffed Pig

3520 Overseas Hwy
Marathon, FL 33050
(305) 743-4059
Website

The land of warm weather, crystal clear water and ocean breezes could also be known for something else, mediocre breakfasts, were it not for this diamond in the rough. I was hooked immediately upon seeing the name "The Stuffed Pig." They are located at mile marker 49, right at the turn for Keys Fisheries. And if you are looking for something that will carry you well over until lunch, this is the spot to stop.

With a small inside dining area, and a large tiki-style outdoor eating section, the Pig is a great place to grab some early morning grub before a day of adventure.

I had the pigs breakfast, which consisted of two eggs (over easy for me), two pieces of bacon, two sausage patties, two pieces of toast, home fries, AND biscuits and sausage gravy. Good lord. And I wonder why I never lose weight. The bacon was thick cut, sweet, smokey and salty. Perfection. The sausage patties were even better. I am not sure how you get better than perfection, but they achieved it. Although they weren't as browned as I would usually like, the meat was seasoned perfectly. Sage, pepper, and fairy tears, which we all know is the secret ingredient in well made breakfast sausage. The eggs were cooked perfectly, still quite runny, and the biscuits were up there with my favorites. I loved everything about this breakfast. Although it SOUNDS like a lot of food, it was really a quite manageable portion, given the number of components.

My dining partner order the Lobster Benedict, as it is apparently one of their specialties. They also offer a seafood version, as well as one toting crab. To my dismay, however, it was not topped with the local Florida stone crab, but rather Maryland blue crab. Now why would anyone travel to the Florida keys to eat blue crabs??? So the lobster was ordered. When it arrived, the eggs were perfectly poached (which unfortunately is not always the case), the hollandaise was great, with the requisite notes of citrus, however the lobster was a bit of an issue. It was fishy. Now I know that it comes from the sea, but fresh lobster should not have a distinct taste of fish. It was a bit off-putting, but not so much that the dish was not finished. I suppose my Catholic upbringing has something to do with the guilt I associate with not eating every piece of seafood in front of me. I will have eaten shrimp well into the double digits, and then when someone brings some more over, I will reluctantly eat them past the point of enjoyment, so as not to waste any. Come to think of it, I do this with most kinds of food. Funny how that works.

All in all, I loved this place. The attitude, breakfast meats, and decor were all hits in my book. I would probably order the benedict again, but I would ask if the lobster was fresh.