St. Augustine · Local picks

Not Google.
Not Yelp.
Just local.

Places we go and what to order in St. Augustine.

Seafood American Pizza Latin Bars Worth the Drive Coffee & Snacks
Local favorites

Seafood

Catch 27
Charlotte St
Small room a block off the plaza, built around whatever came in that day. Dinner only most nights, and reservations help — walk-ins get the bar.
Conrad’s pick — sit at the bar and get the Rockefeller crusted snapper, extra blackened.
St. Augustine Seafood Company
St George St
Counter service at the Colonial Quarter. Food comes on a tray and you carry it to the courtyard or the picnic tables under the oak. They name the boats the catch came off.
DJ’s Clam Shack
Hypolita St
New England shack in the middle of the old town — lobster rolls and Ipswich clams. Shaded patio, upstairs seating. Closed Mondays, and the lobster roll is market price.
Harry’s Seafood, Bar & Grille
Avenida Menendez · Bayfront
Cajun and Creole on the bayfront, with a courtyard and live music most days. No reservations, so expect to wait for the courtyard.
River & Fort
Avenida Menendez · Across from the fort
Two rooftop patios looking straight at the Castillo and the river. No lunch Monday or Tuesday, and rooftop seating is first-come even with a booking.
Burgers and plates

American

One Twenty Three Burger House
King St
Small diner room near Flagler College doing burgers and hand-cut fries. A long walk or a short drive. No reservations.
Metro Diner
S Ponce de Leon Blvd
All-day breakfast and fried chicken, five minutes south. No reservations and the weekend morning wait is real.
Ned’s Southside Kitchen
US-1 South
Big Southern and American diner menu, big portions, low prices. Carries over dishes from the old Gypsy Cab. Sundays it is only open 10 to 2:30.
The Press
SR-16
Burgers and sandwiches out in the plaza west of town, with a parking lot — which downtown does not have. Closed Sunday and Monday.
Ford’s Garage
Outlet Mall Blvd
Burgers in an old service-station setting out by the outlets. One of the few that does breakfast, from 8 AM.
By the slice

Pizza

Carmelo’s Pizzeria
W King St
Brick oven New York slices, attached to a marketplace so it looks like part of a gas station from the street. Don’t let that put you off.
Conrad’s pick — two slices and a drink at lunch.
Bronx House
N Ponce de Leon Blvd
New York style, and close enough to the house that it is still hot when you get it home. A chain, but a good one.
Conrad’s pick — order it for pickup rather than delivery.
Tequila and tapas

Latin

Columbia Restaurant
St George St
The St. Augustine branch of the Ybor City original, still run by the same family. Big multi-room place, sangria poured at the table.
Conrad’s pick — the 1905 salad, tossed tableside.
Pepper’s Cocina
Spanish St
Scratch Mexican and a tequila list, in the room the Floridian used to have. New and small, so it fills at dinner.
La Cocina
US-1 South
Sit-down Mexican about five miles out. Splits lunch and dinner on weekdays, straight through at weekends.
La Catrina
Hampton Point · near World Golf Village
Street tacos — tongue, pork belly, al pastor — and a tequila bar. It is a real drive, out past the interstate, and it is packed even midweek.
Chipotle
US-1
Nothing like it downtown. If somebody needs a burrito and nothing else will do, it is about ten minutes south.
After dinner

Bars

Mill Top Tavern
St George St · By the city gates
Second floor of an 1880s grist mill, open to the air, live music most days. Closest of the bars to the house.
Bar with No Name
S Castillo Dr
Dive bar looking straight at the fort, music most nights, patio out front. They check IDs properly after dark.
The Tini Martini Bar
Avenida Menendez · Bayfront
Porch of the Casablanca Inn on the bay. Martinis come with the extra pour left in the shaker. Jazz on Friday evenings.
The Tipsy Duck Parlor
Hypolita St
Tiny duck-themed cocktail parlor off St George — your drink arrives with a rubber duck. Not a 21-and-over room, and they pour non-alcoholic too.
Trade Winds Lounge
Charlotte St
Same family since 1961, live music every night, open until two. Old St. Augustine, still going.
Forgotten Tonic
Aviles St
Tucked on the oldest street in the country, off the busy ones. Craft cocktails off a long leather menu and food worth ordering on its own. Open later than most of the old town.
Conrad’s pick — the charcuterie board, and whatever the appetizers are that night.
Over the bridge

Worth the Short Drive

O’Steen’s
Anastasia Blvd · Anastasia Island
Old Florida fried seafood, same spot since 1965. Cash only, closed Sunday and Monday. No reservations — you check in at a window outside and the whole party has to be there. Come before 4:30 or the wait runs long.
Conrad’s pick — the fried shrimp with the pink sauce.
The Conch House
Comares Ave · Anastasia Island
Thatched huts out over the water on the marina, reached by a pier lined with carved tikis. The huts are the whole point and they fill first.
Sunset Grille
A1A Beach Blvd · St. Augustine Beach
Down at the beach, second-floor deck, full bar. Datil pepper wings and the chowder are what it’s known for. Closed Tuesdays.
Conrad’s pick — the key lime pie.
St. Augustine Fish Camp
Riberia St · Lincolnville
On the San Sebastian waterfront. Seafood boils and shrimp and grits, with marina seating outside that goes first. No lunch on Mondays.
In between

Coffee & Snacks

Ben’s Soft Pretzels
St George St
As odd as it sounds, this is my favorite stop in St. Augustine. A soft pretzel with the cheese, eaten in the Secret Garden courtyard right behind it. Fair warning — I’m usually up here midday, not at night.
Conrad’s pick — a pretzel with the cheese, then sit in the garden out back.
The Kookaburra
Cathedral Place · At the plaza
Australian meat pies and espresso, right on the plaza. They have more than one door downtown, so pick which before you send someone.
Alms + Fare
San Marco Ave
Small-batch bakery up San Marco — laminated pastry and bread. Closed Sundays, and they sell out, so go in the morning.
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