On Anastasia Island just before the Bridge of Lions, there’s an old filling station-turned-restaurant where you’ll find some of St. Augustine’s best comfort food. Gas Full Service Restaurant, owned by Ben and Lindy Loose, is a long-time local favorite featuring nearly a dozen vegetarian options.
Unlike an unfortunate number of other veggie dishes, the Grilled Portabellas are satisfying and hearty enough to share. The jumbo-sized mushrooms are stuffed with marinated tomatoes then topped with shaved parmesan and the best mozzarella cheese I’ve ever tasted. Next, they’re immersed in a rich garlic cream sauce and finally finished off with a sprig of fresh basil. On the side is Congaree and Penn’s Jupiter Brown Rice – which, if you haven’t tried local Florida rice, you’re missing out. Perfectly cooked with a slight bit of crunch, zucchini and summer squash also accompany these portabellas. Sides at Gas are plentiful with nearly a dozen to choose from.
Ben and Lindy’s goal is to feed customers the way they feed their own family with food that’s grown and raised the most natural way possible, free from artificial ingredients or GMOs. Ask them about any ingredient and they’ll be able to tell you where it’s sourced.
Gas restaurant isn’t exactly a secret spot – at least not after being featured on The Food Network…twice (once on Guilty Pleasures and once on Ginormous Foods). Their grass-fed burgers are what first made them famous, but their veg menu is definitely gaining notoriety as health-conscious foodies grow in numbers. Fried green tomatoes, Beermento cheese and veggies, salads with tofu and tempeh, black bean and Veggie Cuban burgers, and soups are all part of the extensive menu. So if you’re looking for vegetarian comfort food with a twist, look no further. Just be sure to bring your appetite…and even your carnivore friends.
Gas Full Service Restaurant is located at 9 Anastasia Boulevard. Visit them online at www.gasrestaurant.com. Written and Photographed by Tammy Harrow.
