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Media Kit: Dining
EXPERIENCE EXTRAORDINARY DINING PLEASURES IN ST. AUGUSTINE, PONTE VEDRA AND THE BEACHES OF FLORIDA
St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra and the beaches boast more than 150 restaurants, ranging from waterbound bungalows and shrimp shacks to gourmet bistros and turn-of-the-century Victorian mansions. These unique eateries serve straight-from-the-docks, incredibly fresh seafood and global gourmet delicacies. Visitors can escape to the fine dining of world-class resorts in Ponte Vedra Beach, the flavorful cookery that surround the streets in the historic district of St. Augustine, or enjoy the relaxed and casual atmosphere of an ocean-side hut off the beaches of Anastasia Island. From extravagant to family affordable, the restaurants in this picturesque area of northeast Florida provide the perfect dining experience for all vacation lifestyles.
St. Augustine
For a small coastal town, St. Augustine is rich in fine dining and excellent food. Anything from Portobello mushrooms to fiery-hot, regionally-exclusive datil peppers can tantalize the taste buds in St. Augustine. Delicious entrees can be found in an abundance of delightful settings. Downtown St. Augustine has a variety of authentic pubs, fine dining, gourmet bistros, waterfront terraces and unique, casual cafes.
Visitors may dine among antique shops indoors or outside in the courtyards at the Lightner Museum, or experience offerings at the Kings Forge, across from the Castillo de San Marcos.
Featuring everything from urban cuisine to creative, American-homestyle cooking, St. Augustine has a bounteous supply of good food and good spirits. In the Downtown Plaza of St. Augustine, beer connoisseurs can find the unusual tastes of St. Augustine's own microbrewery, A1A Ale Works.
Informal dining is readily accessible, and for those wanting to make dining more of an event, there are the lavish five-course meals at restaurants like La Parisienne and the Old City House. Crab-stuffed shrimp is a favorite at Le Pavillon while Raintree Restaurant specializes in steak and seafood. Daily seafood specials tempt diners at O.C. White's, located across from the City Marina.
While out for the evening, visitors can enjoy the local flavor of some of St. Augustine's premier night spots. Live blues, jazz and reggae bands perform nightly in the Old City and can be found at Scarlett O'Hara's, Tradewinds and the Milltop Tavern.
International fare can be sampled amid cultural restaurant themes such as Old World Spanish and Cuban at the Columbia, Italian at Villa Santa Monica, or Old English at the Kings Head British Pub.
Some of the most hearty breakfasts in town are served at the 26 local bed & breakfasts inns, but breakfast is available only to guests staying at an inn.
Near Vilano Beach, the north beach area offers out-of-the-way waterside dining in fun and informal fish camp atmospheres at Oscar's, Old Florida Grill and Cap's Seafood.
Ponte Vedra Beach
The plush resorts in Ponte Vedra Beach offer everything from fine dining to New England clambakes over a beachside open fire. Whether a conference or meeting or an intimate anniversary party, the Seafoam Room at the Ponte Vedra Inn & Club can provide an elegant dining experience. The Augustine Grille at the Marriott at Sawgrass Resort can accommodate the busy traveler or the romantic getaway. Champs, in the Sawgrass Marriott Resort in Ponte Vedra Beach, features live music and is a popular night excursion for the evening crowd. Gios, a piano bar featuring upscale dining, is also known for its fabulous selection of gourmet desserts and pastries.
The variety and quality of locally caught seafood is second to none. Ponte Vedra Beach invites tourists to experience the award-winning restaurants that have made the coastal area Florida's pampered playground.
The Beaches Of St. Augustine And Anastasia Island
Just across the bridge from A1A and the historic district are the beaches of St. Augustine and Anastasia Island, where tourists can relax with waterfront dining in a tropical atmosphere. Travelers can dine on an outside deck or a thatched dining hut overlooking a gorgeous view of Salt Run at the popular Conch House Marina Resort Restaurant & Lounge. The beaches offer visitors the experience of creative cuisine, gourmet-style restaurants and casual dining. Dinner and dancing at its best can be found at Cafe Iguana where the fireside, dining room elegance matches its acclaimed menu, while Sunset Grill has an informal setting for lunch and dinner.
For the adventurous - Salt Water Cowboy's turn-of-the-century fish camp, surrounded by saltwater marshes, recaptures the charm of Old Florida. Scenic riverboat dinner cruises take visitors along St. Augustine's beautiful waterfront and Matanzas Bay where they can watch dolphins and a variety of birds in their natural habitat.
Entertainment, recreation and wonderful restaurants combine to make the beaches a diner's delight.
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