St. Augustine, FL Restaurants

[spartan dawg]

We are traveling to St. Augustine Beach from Atlanta next week and I'm scouting restaurants in the area that offer good food, service and, just as important, a great wine list.

Thanks!

[HeyNowJoe]

Outback Crab Shack at Six Mile [phone]
8155 County Road 13 N
St. Augustine, FL 32092

http://www.outbackcrabshack.com/

This place is awesome and worth the drive from St. Augustine Beach. We had a huge party of 18 and ordered several of their Large Platters and loved everything - fried, grilled seafood, and BBQ.

Bonus - There were manatees that were eating out at the dock so the kids also loved seeing them.

[GregF]

Not mentioned so far, but certainly among St. Augustine's best: 95 Cordova in the Casa Monica hotel.

[makymark02]

If the weather is nice be sure to check out the rooftop of the San Sabastian Winerey Food is ok but the Wine music and fresh air cant be beat

http://www.sansebastianwinery.com/

[Orlando Vic]

spartan_dawg, this is too late for your trip, but some future travelers may be interested.

Here are my restaurant recommendations, based solely on my personal preferences... and 18+ years of enjoying their cuisine:

Collage http://www.collagestaug.com/ is possibly the best restaurant in town and special occasion quality. Check out their tripadvisor reviews: http://tinyurl.com/mjjxol

Old City House http://www.oldcityhouse.com/
Outstanding breakfasts and dinners. Located just steps away from the Casa Monica.

The Raintree http://www.raintreerestaurant.com/

The Reef <http://www.thereefstaugustine.com/index.html?
The food is very good, particularly the seafood, and the ocean views are even better. Be sure to arrive before sunset (or for Sunday brunch) for best views. Request a window table when making your reservation.

Saltwater Cowboys
(My personal favorite for ambiance and value combined
)<http://www.saltwatercowboys.com/>

Gypsy Cab Co. <http://www.gypsycab.com/>

Creekside Dinery http://www.creeksidedinery.com/rest.html

Le Pavillion <http://www.lepav.com/>

Honorable mention

O'Steens
(Perhaps the best shrimp in town. ZERO ambiance, no reservations, reasonable prices

)

http://tinyurl.com/2qtxgd

Barnacle Bill's
(Very good shrimp, reasonable prices, family atmosphere
)http://www.barnaclebillsonline.com/

You'll notice that I did not mention the Columbia restaurant. IMO, their food is good, but not as good as any of the other restaurants I have mentioned.

Also, it is somewhat of a tourist trap and one of about 6-8 other Columbia's around the state. This may qualify them as a chain restaurant. I know a lot of people eat there, but the other restaurants I have given you are all better.

For Lunch: Café Alcazar (25 Granada St, Saint Augustine, FL 32084-4387) is a true hidden gem…and is definitely off the main tourist path. It is a small restaurant located in what was once the deep end of the world's largest indoor swimming pool, now the Lightener Museum building. The food is quite good (I love their curried chicken salad.) and the atmosphere is absolutely unique and very conducive to conversation. They don't take reservations and only serve lunch. If you have trouble finding them, you can phone them at 904-824-7813. Check out their Trip Advisor reviews: <http://tinyurl.com/5qlvrq>.

[andy huse]

i would add Bistro de Leon to the list for a light lunch. Great baguette, daily pate, etc. I ate there a couple months ago and loved it. Has anyone else tried it? Has it held up?

[makymark02]

I would sugest a lunch on the roof here good wine with nice food to go with it

http://www.sansebastianwinery.com/

[sweet_polly]

My favorite of the places we tried in St. Augustine was The Tasting Room Wines and Tapas. It was SO good...and there was an extensive wine list with pleny of offerings by the glass (offered in both 3 oz. and 6 oz. pours). The tapas were some of the best I've ever had, and were available in two plate sizes. Spanish onion soup with crispy serrano ham and manchego cheese, grilled lobster & serrano skewers, and giant scallops wrapped in ham were some of the more memorable items we tried.

http://tastetapas.com/index.asp

[Sativa]

We were up there a few weeks ago and dined at Opus 39. I believe it's owned by the same people as The Tasting Room. It was very nice, multi course tasting menu with paired wines.
www.opus39.com

[cathi50]

My #1 favorite restaurant is Gypsy Cab Company on Anastasia Blvd.- no fried seafood- but great, fresh, generously portioned food in a casual setting, lunch and dinner, brunch on Sunday. Barnacle Bills Beachside has good famous St. Augustine Fried Shrimp, has a downtown location too. Fresh beachside sandwiches on A St.- Stir It Up. Nice sit down dinner but casual- The Purple Olive on AIA So. We have a lot of good local restaurants in the Oldest City! I could go on...