{"id":27627,"date":"2025-01-15T03:03:09","date_gmt":"2025-01-15T03:03:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/peraltafinancing.com\/amsterdam\/8-off-the-beaten-track-restaurants-in-st-augustine-florida\/"},"modified":"2025-01-15T03:03:09","modified_gmt":"2025-01-15T03:03:09","slug":"8-off-the-beaten-track-restaurants-in-st-augustine-florida","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=27627","title":{"rendered":"8 Off-the-beaten-track Restaurants in St. Augustine, Florida"},"content":{"rendered":"


\n<\/p>\n

\n
\n

\n

\n

St. Augustine \u2013 north Florida\u2019s quintessential beach destination \u2013 is proud to be known as America\u2019s oldest city. And this is everywhere in evidence in the downtown area: the old-timey architecture is so quaint as to look like something from Disneyland. You\u2019ll find plenty of blogs and guides telling you where to eat in the historic centre, but less advice on the restaurants and bars outside of that. If you drive down the A1A Florida State Road and Beach Boulevard, both of which run parallel to St. Augustine Beach as you head south along Anastasia Island, you\u2019ll find all sorts of eateries that are a little further from the tourist centre but just as good (if not better).<\/p>\n

A Foodie\u2019s Guide to the Best Restaurants in St Augustine<\/strong><\/h2>\n

In this Foodie Travel Guide, I\u2019ve pulled together a shortlist of my favourite restaurants and caf\u00e9s, all of which are conveniently close to St. Augustine Beach but off the tourist track.<\/p>\n

A1A Burrito Works<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Whenever I\u2019m in the US, I always seem to gorge myself on tacos, burritos and other Mexican and Tex-Mex goodness that\u2019s generally harder to find in Europe. So I was particularly pleased discover Burrito Works<\/a> along A1A Beach Boulevard. Order the UFO for something that\u2019s halfway between a taco and a quesadilla but considerably bigger than both \u2013 one to share is probably fine for lunch. My UFO came stuffed with green chilli pork, black beans and a range of spicy baja<\/em> toppings and sauces. A tasty and filling reward after a morning spent swimming at the beach.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
The UFO at Burrito Works<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Elkhouse Eatery<\/strong><\/h3>\n


\n<\/center><\/div>\n


\n <\/p>\n

A few miles further south towards Crescent Beach, you\u2019ll spot what looks like a Scandinavian chalet that in fact houses the Elkhouse Eatery<\/a>. The Elkhouse\u2019s chef tracks down some interesting local and regional ingredients \u2013 including buffalo and elk meat, as well as plenty of fish and seafood that\u2019s presumably all caught nearby. I loved the cheese curds, which were light as air, pillow-y soft on the inside and lightly crunchy on the outside. We also tried the braised elk tips, which were delicious, as was the seared sesame-coated ahi tuna and the parmesan-crusted rainbow trout. Plus, my niece reported great things about her salted caramel cheesecake!<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Elk tips and cheese curds at Elkhouse Eatery<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Service at the Elkhouse was attentive without being overbearing, and we enjoyed our waiter\u2019s wine suggestion. We sat outside on the deck in a thunderstorm during our meal, which was every bit as atmospheric as the cosy interior\u2026 A top recommendation all round.<\/p>\n

Terra & Acqua<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Slightly inland in the diminutive Sea Grove neighbourhood, you\u2019ll find Italian restaurant Terra & Acqua<\/a>. They offer a large terrace with both sun and shade, which is great if you\u2019re someone who (like me) freezes in American air conditioning. The fritto misto<\/em> was a lightly battered and crispy range of vegetables, shrimps and calamari, while the gnocchi and ravioli dishes were full of flavour and richly sauced. We were less impressed with the fish we ate there (maybe avoid the \u201cAcqua\u201d half of the menu) but the rest of the food was great \u2013 as were the cocktails. Terra & Acqua is also suitable for children and dogs \u2013 as I can attest from first-hand experience with my nephew, niece and Yorkshire terrier.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Sausage ravioli at Terra & Acqua<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Paladar Cuban Eatery<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Down the same route as Elkhouse Eatery but a little further north, we were recommended by a Cuban-Floridian local to try Paladar \u2013 a Cuban caf\u00e9 and bakery<\/a>. It\u2019s in an unassuming location along a strip mall, but don\u2019t let that put you off. The Cuban sandwiches were superb, as were the yuca fries and the various sauces we dipped our sandwiches into. We were too full to try the bakery side of things, but the empanadas and cheesecakes all looked like the real deal.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Cuban caf\u00e9 and bakery Paladar<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Beachcomber St. Augustine<\/h3>\n

Located (unsurprisingly) right next to St Augustine\u2019s lengthy and pristine beach, Beachcomber<\/a> is a cut above your average beachside caf\u00e9. Their \u201cruby red\u201d shrimp were top notch (served with melted butter and cocktail sauce) as was their Cuban sandwich and fried alligator tails. Great drinks too \u2013 try their mule for a fresh and gingery treat with a kick. There\u2019s no reservations, but the terrace is expansive enough that waiting times weren\u2019t too long when we visited.<\/p>\n

\"\"
\u201cRuby red\u201d shrimp at Beachcomber St Augustine<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Kookaburra<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Finding decent coffee can be a challenge in certain parts of the US, so I was happy to be introduced to Kookaburra<\/a> on my first day in Florida. They have four locations in St. Augustine, of which I visited the Beachside and Dondi venues. Both served up a cracking flat white, as well as all sorts of tasty iced coffees, pour-overs and other caffeinated concoctions. They also have coffee beans available for sale, for those who like to brew at home.<\/p>\n

Restaurants in Downtown St Augustine<\/h2>\n

Although I decided to focus this guide on the beach area, there are of course many good eateries to be found in St Augustine\u2019s historic downtown as well. Try The Floridian<\/strong><\/a> for southern-style sandwiches, salads and bowls (plus great Bloody Marys). Or Columbia restaurant<\/strong><\/a> for Cuban sandwiches, Spanish sangria and a gorgeously lavish interior (apparently Florida\u2019s oldest restaurant!).<\/p>\n

Planning a trip to the American South? Check out my Foodie\u2019s Guide to Knoxville and East Tennessee<\/a>, too!<\/em><\/h3>\n

On your travels and looking for inspiration? Take a\u00a0self-guided walking tour with GPSmyCity<\/a> to experience the food scene in St Augustine!<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n