FOOD NEWS
Where, Exactly, Did Jimmy Buffett Eat A Cheeseburger In Paradise?
by MARIA SCINTO
Jimmy Buffett's food world legacy is notable in his song "Cheeseburger in Paradise," but there are a few stories about the burger that inspired the song.
Buffett was known to be fond of the cheeseburger at the Cabbage Key Inn and Restaurant in Pineland, Florida, but we don't know if this particular one was immortalized in song.
However, the restaurant's menu doesn't mention Buffet's endorsement and a one-time tour guide has 'fessed up to starting the Cabbage Key Inn rumor.
Some say Buffett was inspired by the first cheeseburger he ate when he docked his boat at a Caribbean port after a long period of eating the ship's rations.
Several restaurants have claimed to be the source, like Ma Ruby's in the Bahamas, Le Select in St. Barts, and Stanley's Welcome Bar and Restaurant in Tortola.
Buffett himself, though, disclosed in a 2002 interview with American Airlines' "American Way" magazine that the burgers came from a restaurant at the Village Cay Marina in Tortola.
The restaurant's menu still features a burger with lettuce, tomato, and French fried potatoes, but there's no big kosher pickle, and cheese is a $2 upcharge.