ST. AUGUSTINE EATS WELL

While our condo was in St Augustine Beach, we made sure to venture around the area to find fun and interesting places to eat and drink. Below I describe the places we found and the great food we ate. Many were suggestions from friends and co-workers that more than lived up to the hype.

We met our friends Dan and Kim, (locals from Jacksonville), at Culinary Outfitters. What a great choice! This restaurant has been a local’s fav for years, as it sits alongside the St Augustine Shipyards. They recently expanded to have additional space inside plus 8,000 square feet of outdoor seating for dining and just relaxing with a drink. A fabulous spot! ( even though we had a little difficulty finding it, as it is tucked along a side road that runs to the shipyard. Our fault, not theirs, Ha!, Ha!)

We started our dinner with the Chili Charred Octopus, along with the Seared Yellowfin Tuna. Very fun and plenty to share. After that, we ordered our entrees, Laura choosing the Roasted Beet Salad with blackened Shrimp, and I ordered the Seafood Truffle Bucatini. It included shrimp, lobster, blue crab, and bucatini pasta. Both were very good and more than enough to fill us up. Thanks again to Dan and Kim for joining us and suggesting this spot.

Culinary Outfitters Chili Charred Octopus.jpeg

Culinary Outfitters Seared Yellowfin Tuna.jpeg

Culinary Outfitters Seafood Truffle Bucatini.jpeg

Culinary Outfitters Beet Salad with Shrimp.jpeg

One of our days, we acted like normal tourists and headed into Olde Town St Augustine. While walking around, we found the Tini Martini Bar which had been suggested to us by one of Laura’s co-workers. It was a cool, drizzly day, so why not slip in, get out of the rain, and have a fun martini! Laura was leaning towards the Dark Chocolate Martini, but thought better of it, (a story she will have to share sometime), so she finally chose the Orange Blossom which consists of orange vodka, cointreau, amaretto, and orange juice. I chose the Sparkling Raspberry, which had raspberry vodka, chambord, and cranberry juice. Both great drinks and an order is really 2 full glasses so we stopped there. The martini list is quite long and it will take you a while to decide, but all look great and I am sure you would enjoy.

As we ventured back out, we did a little shopping, and then stopped into the St. Augustine Seafood Company to grab an appetizer. We had not yet tried Conch Fritters so now seemed like the time. Conch fritters are a lot like hushpuppies but with added chunks of conch meat. Dipping these in their special John-John sauce made for a nice snack. The dinner menu here looks fun and extensive, but we were only wanting a little and the fritters fit the bill.

St. Augustine Seafood Company Conch Fritters.jpeg

Another suggested spot was the Ice Plant Bar on the north side of St. Augustine’s downtown. We had been told that if we did go, we had to go for brunch, which is only served on Saturday and Sunday. The building is the original Ice Pant for the city and was built in 1927. It still has many original features which gives it a very industrial look. They have created a very fun atmosphere which includes a double sided bar which sits in the middle of the dining area. Really a must see location. They specialize in Farm to table food and well made cocktails. Each different type of cocktail will include a different type (shape) of ice, which makes the experience even more fun. We started by ordering a House Bloody Mary and a Mimosa which allowed us time to look over the menu. Laura settled on the French Toast which was huge! I chose the Beef Short Rib Hash. Both dishes were very well presented and very tasty. This place is what we love to find. Great food, great drinks, and a little history behind it. A must if you are in the area.

We were looking for spots to stop for lunch after our golf games and found two fun places just across the Bridge of Lions, south of Olde Town St. Augustine. The first was Odd Birds. It was a beautiful afternoon so we chose to sit outside on their large patio. The server was very friendly and helpful, and he suggested we start with the Maizitos with Bacon. This was cheesy sweet corn in bechamel sauce, topped with bacon. How could you not order when it is topped with bacon!! You can spread this on toast points, or just eat directly out of the bowl. Both worked for us. We then shared the Odd Birds Burger, which comes with seared green tomatoes, fried onion straws, and bourbon glaze, all on a soft bun. The burger itself is a blend of short rib and chuck, which was an excellent combination. This burger is more than enough to share. A great stop for after golf.

The second place we found was Osprey Tacos. This is a little taco joint in what looks like an old gas station. All the seating is outside on picnic tables. You order inside and then look for a place to sit or as many were doing, take it go. We looked over the menu and decided on four different tacos to share between ourselves. The St Augustine had shrimp, pickled onions, cabbage, and datil sauce; the Baja Fish taco was made with the ‘fish of the day”, cabbage, avocado, and baja sauce; and two simple tacos, grilled chicken and carne asada. A fun little spot with really good tacos. It looks like they were building a nice little business. We also complimented our tacos with some beers from Old Coast Ales which was next door.