Dining & Nightlife
Along with year-round fresh seafood , locally grown produce , and spicy dishes featuring the destination ’ s signature datil pepper , the cultural influences of more than 450 years of history — Spanish , Greek , Minorcan , British and French — combined with traditional southern cuisine make Florida ’ s Historic Coast a “ must-do ” for food fans .
A Foodie ’ s Paradise
On Florida ’ s Historic Coast , dining is a topic of major interest to visitors and locals alike . Fortunately , there ’ s much to discuss .
From elegant upscale dining to laidback bistros and family-style food fests , there ’ s something here for every palate and budget .
St . Augustine is the nation ’ s oldest city and while its history is obviously fascinating , it ’ s easy to overlook the fact that food has been prepared here longer than in any other community . More than 450 years of daily cooking has provided plenty of time to master the culinary arts . Plus , the mixing of cultures and recipes has created a spicy combination of tastes and textures that are unique to the American experience . For more than 200 years , the daily fare here featured the flavors of Spain and the Caribbean . Low country Gullah and West African favorites , along with a dash of Greek flavor were added to the pot . Then , traditional Southern cooking got mixed in and , more recently , innovative trends like Asian fusion . Farm-to-table continues to grow in popularity here with many restaurants acquiring meat , dairy and vegetable ingredients directly from local growers . In fact ,
St . Augustine was an innovator in this approach to food preparation . The nearby farming areas centered on the town of Hastings were created by Henry Flagler in the 1880s to ensure the guests at his upscale hotels received only the freshest food .
Of course , fresh seafood has always been a mainstay of local dining here . In fact , by feeding fried shrimp to tens of thousands of wartime
Our nightlife includes upbeat music and dancing .
trainees , St . Augustine is credited with creating the nationwide demand for the tasty crustacean . This year , “ wild-caught shrimp ” was named the city ’ s official seafood . And to spice it all up , the fiery datil pepper that plays an important role in local cuisine is only cultivated on Florida ’ s Historic Coast .
So when it comes to dining here , the choices are uniquely tantalizing . Here are some suggestions .
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