A Hidden Garden Oasis in the Florida Keys: Island Home Garden & Gardenia’s Bistro

If you have never visited Island Home Garden Center and Gardenia’s Bistro in Tavernier, Florida, you are missing a little hidden gem in the Florida Keys!

We were on our way to the Florida Keys when we spotted the garden center along the highway. Of course, we immediately pulled over. I can never resist a beautiful garden center, and this one turned out to be so much more than we expected.

Island Home Garden Center is filled with beautiful tropical plants, flowers, pottery, and all sorts of things to tempt anyone who loves gardening. But what really makes this place special is that it feels like you are wandering through a little tropical garden rather than simply shopping at a nursery.

And there are some unexpected little residents who make exploring even more fun!

Chickens wander freely around the property, and there are also bunnies and other little touches that make the garden center feel like a place you want to slow down and enjoy rather than simply shop and leave.

GARDENIA’S BISTRO

And then we discovered Gardenia’s Bistro, located right inside the garden center.

What could be better than enjoying breakfast or lunch surrounded by lush tropical plants?

Gardenia’s Bistro is an organic eco-café tucked right into the garden center, offering coffee, smoothies, breakfast and lunch. The setting is what really caught my attention. Instead of feeling like you are sitting in a typical restaurant, you are surrounded by greenery and the beautiful garden atmosphere.

It is the kind of place you might stumble upon by accident and then wonder how you never knew it was there.

For us, it was one of those unexpected stops that turned into a favorite travel memory.

If you are driving through the Upper Florida Keys, I definitely recommend putting Island Home Garden Center and Gardenia’s Bistro on your list. Even if you aren't looking for plants, it is worth stopping to wander around, enjoy the tropical setting, and grab something to eat or drink.

Sometimes the best places you discover while traveling are the ones you never planned to visit!

PLAN YOUR VISIT

Island Home Garden Center
88720 Overseas Highway
Tavernier, FL 33070
Phone: 786-971-2299

Gardenia’s Bistro
Located inside Island Home Garden Center
88720 Overseas Highway
Tavernier, FL 33070

Current garden center hours are Monday–Saturday, 8:00 AM–4:00 PM and Sunday, 8:00 AM–3:00 PM. Bistro hours currently vary by day, so I recommend checking before you go.