A Local's Guide to the Best Restaurants in St. Johns County

By Inna Moskalyk

May 20, 2024

A Local’s Guide to the Best Restaurants in St. Johns County

Originally published May 2024. Updated October 2025 with new openings and current favorites.

Ask a tourist where to eat in St. Augustine and they’ll point you toward St. George Street. Ask a local and you’ll get a knowing smile-followed by directions to somewhere the crowds haven’t found yet.

After living and working in St. Johns County, I’ve eaten my way through the region’s dining scene. Not just the Instagram-famous spots, but the places where you’ll find off-duty chefs, multi-generational families, and people celebrating ordinary Tuesday dinners at their favorite neighborhood place.

Here’s where we actually eat.

Downtown St. Augustine: Beyond the Tourist Zone

Yes, St. Augustine caters to millions of visitors annually. But that tourism money also supports restaurants that locals genuinely love.

Special Occasion Dining

Catch 27 on Cordova Street is where locals celebrate. The deviled eggs with fried oysters became famous for a reason-they’re ridiculous. Locally caught fish prepared with Southern sensibility, intimate atmosphere, and a bar scene that locals actually use. Make reservations.

Llama Restaurant brings elevated Peruvian to a city that didn’t know it needed it. The ceviche flight alone justifies the visit, but the arroz con mariscos haunts my dreams. Small space, reservations essential, and worth every bit of the effort to secure a table.

Raintree Restaurant has been here since 1981, somehow surviving every restaurant trend to remain relevant. Victorian house setting, Kobe burgers, and a wine list that rewards exploration. It feels like old Florida fine dining without being stuck in the past.

The Seafood Locals Actually Order

Every tourist reads about O’Steen’s-and for once, the hype is justified. This cash-only institution serves fried shrimp that converts skeptics. The line moves, the portions are absurd, and if you’re moving to St. Johns County, this pilgrimage is required.

St. Augustine Fish Camp is what happens when upscale meets waterfront. The marina views could carry a mediocre restaurant; fortunately, the seafood matches the setting. Sunday brunch with bottomless mimosas creates a scene worth experiencing.

For raw bar obsessives, Johnny’s Oyster Bar (connected to Meehan’s) does oysters right. River views, cold beer, and half-shell happiness.

Casual Favorites

The Floridian downtown nails Southern comfort with local sourcing. The sandwiches are better than they need to be, the ingredients actually come from nearby farms, and vegetarians have real options-rare in meat-forward Southern cooking.

Prohibition Kitchen somehow manages farm-to-table without pretension. The milkshakes attract families, the cocktails attract dates, and the live music attracts everyone else. It threads a needle between trendy and accessible.

Ice Plant occupies a historic ice factory and serves some of the region’s best cocktails. But the food program evolved beyond “bar snacks”-the brunch pancakes and fried chicken sandwich both merit visits. Great for groups.

Northern St. Johns County: Where Locals Actually Live

Most St. Johns residents don’t live in downtown St. Augustine. The Nocatee, Julington Creek, and Durbin Crossing crowds have their own dining ecosystem.

Mexican That Matters

Anejo Cocina Mexicana in Nocatee serves margaritas that inspire weekend afternoons. But beyond the tequila program, the food holds up-contemporary Mexican rather than generic Tex-Mex. The outdoor patio fills quickly on pleasant evenings.

Worth the Trip

Ember & Iron became Nocatee’s date night destination. Steaks done right, solid cocktails, and an atmosphere that feels more metropolitan than suburban. When you want to stay close to home but dine like you went somewhere, this is it.

Poppy’s Italiano offers a build-your-own pasta concept that sounds gimmicky but works brilliantly. Fresh pasta, your choice of sauce, proteins, and additions. Families love the flexibility; carb enthusiasts love the portion control (or lack thereof).

Salento Steakhouse at Silverleaf brings Colombian flavors to an area dominated by American chains. The arepa appetizers and South American cuts provide something genuinely different from the area’s dining norm.

The Everyday Spots

Taps Bar and Grill on CR210 does everything well enough: burgers, wings, craft beer selection, multiple TVs for games. It’s not trying to be special-it’s trying to be reliable. And it succeeds.

Julington Creek Fish Camp serves predictable Florida seafood with water views. The setting carries it, but the seafood is properly fresh. Good for out-of-town visitors who want a waterfront experience without the St. Augustine hustle.

Ponte Vedra Beach: The Upscale Corridor

Ponte Vedra didn’t used to have much dining-residents drove elsewhere. That’s changing.

The Reef delivers upscale seafood with the ocean views you’d expect from the address. It’s the celebration restaurant for the Ponte Vedra set, with prices to match the ambition.

Ponte Vedra’s dining scene continues developing as the population grows. More concepts come each year, transforming what was once a dining desert.

Choosing Your Occasion

Date Night (Serious)
Catch 27, Llama Restaurant, or Ember & Iron. Make reservations. Dress appropriately. Budget accordingly.

Date Night (Casual)
Ice Plant for cocktails and food, The Floridian for lunch that becomes afternoon, or Anejo for margaritas on the patio.

Families Welcome
Poppy’s Italiano (kids love building pasta), Prohibition Kitchen (milkshakes), Taps Bar and Grill (predictable and therefore safe), O’Steen’s (kids eat what they’re served at that fried shrimp institution).

Brunch Wars
Ice Plant’s pancakes vs. St. Augustine Fish Camp’s waterfront mimosas vs. Saturday morning at any downtown spot. You can’t really lose.

Happy Hour Matters
Anejo for margarita specials, Ice Plant for cocktail culture, Taps for beer deals. Check timing-some specials are early, some run late.

Live Music
Prohibition Kitchen features regular performers. Check social media for schedules-quality varies but atmosphere is consistently good.

The Hidden Gems

Every local has their “don’t tell anyone about this place” spots. A few worth your quiet exploration:

Paladar Cuban Eatery in downtown St. Augustine flies under the radar despite excellent Cuban sandwiches and yuca fries that could anchor a restaurant alone. Small, honest, and deeply satisfying.

Columbia Restaurant on St. George gets dismissed as a tourist trap due to location. Mistake. The Spanish/Cuban cuisine holds up, the space is gorgeous, and the 1905 salad-prepared tableside-is a legitimate experience.

That food truck you keep seeing at the farmers market or local events? Follow them on social media. Northeast Florida’s mobile food scene often out-executes fixed locations.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the difference between tourist restaurants and local favorites?
Honestly? Less than you’d think. Locals eat at some tourist-friendly spots; tourists never find some local gems. The real difference is crowds and reservation difficulty. Go when tourists don’t-Tuesday dinner, early Sunday lunch, happy hour on Thursday.

Do I need reservations?
For Catch 27, Llama, Raintree, Ember & Iron: absolutely. For casual spots: usually not, but weekend dinner can get busy. When in doubt, call ahead.

Best water views?
St. Augustine Fish Camp, The Reef, Johnny’s Oyster Bar, Julington Creek Fish Camp. Views cost money everywhere, but these justify the premium.

Moving to St. Johns County means joining a community with genuine food culture-not just chains clustered around highway exits. From fresh seafood to international flavors to the kind of Southern cooking that reminds you why people move here, the options reward exploration.

See more about living in St. Johns County: Why Families Are Moving to St. Johns County or explore Top Summer Events in St. Augustine.

Discover restaurant inspiration at St. Johns Magazine or Visit St. Augustine Dining Guide.

Popular Tags :

Local Living