Oysters – With their distinctive briny and fishy flavor, these shelled gems of the sea have a texture and taste people either love or hate. You can down them raw with horseradish and crackers, eat them steamed with butter, or have them grilled, baked or fried. Anyway you like them, there is no shortage of oyster dishes in St. Augustine. Here are some of our favorite local St. Augustine restaurants that are serving up everything oysters.
Image via The Commander’s Shellfish Camp
The Commander’s Shellfish Camp
7579 A1A S
At The Commander’s Shellfish Camp, they joke that they don’t count down to pumpkin spice season, they count down to oyster season. Though they sell imported oysters all year round, their oyster season begins on October 1st, when it is legal to harvest oysters out of the Matanzas River. You can’t get local oysters any fresher than theirs. They harvest them right out of the water behind the restaurant. We recommend their Local Matanzas Steamed Oysters. They are sold in six pound buckets or three pound half buckets. If you’re feeling adventurous, try their Clam & Oyster Shooters, with your choice of either beer or vodka.
Image by Brian Miller
St. Augustine Seafood Company
33 St. George Street
The St. Augustine Seafood Company is a great place to escape from the hustle and bustle of St. George Street. Enjoy their raw oysters served on the half shell with a side of cocktail sauce and citrus mignonette. You can wash them down with a cold beer while listening to live music at their Colonial Oak Music Park. If eating oysters from the shell doesn’t float your boat, try their Fried Oyster Basket or Oyster Po’Boy – served on a soft baguette with lettuce, red onions, pickles and remoulade sauce. At the St. Augustine Seafood Company, they believe in honoring and supporting the rich fishing heritage of our Nation’s oldest port.
St. Marys Seafood
705 Hortons Trace
When we asked local St. Augustinians where to get the best oysters in town, St. Marys Seafood & More was mentioned quite a bit. With a large menu that often lets you dictate your favorite preparation, St. Marys Seafood offers deliciously-fresh oysters, clams, shrimp, crabs, and fish. Most items on the menu can be served fried, grilled, blackened, or broiled, so it is a great place to bring family and friends with varying tastebuds. There are all sorts of fisherman’s favorites to enjoy for the non-oyster lovers, and plenty of different preparations for the oyster enthusiasts of the group.
Image via Salt Life Food Shack
Salt Life Food Shack
321 A1A Beach Blvd
Casual and eclectic, Salt Life Food Shack is the perfect place to bring the family and friends as you settled in after a day at the beach. They serve oysters year round, raw or steamed, by the dozen or half dozen. For an appetizer, try their Crab Baked Oysters or Grilled Garlic Parm Oysters, both are guest favorites. If you’re looking to scarf down oysters by the dozens, head to Salt Life on a Thursday for their Happy Hour special. They have $8.99 oysters available raw, steamed, grilled or baked.
Image via Culinary Outfitters
Culinary Outfitters
173 Shipyard Way
With a gorgeous waterfront location at the St. Augustine Shipyard, it should be no surprise that Culinary Outfitters has a few seafood specialties up their sleeve. They serve oysters by the dozen or half dozen, with granita mignonette and datil sauce. You can enjoy them out on their spacious patio over looking the water for a true seafood eating experience. For oysters with a view, check out Culinary Outfitters.
Kyle’s Seafood Market
3874 N Ponce De Leon Blvd
For oysters at home, Kyle’s Seafood Market is a great place to buy oysters by the bushel. By late October you can usually find Salt Run oysters, a local favorite, harvested in the small body of water between St. Augustine Lighthouse and Anastasia State Park. If you don’t mind shucking oysters yourself, pick some up and invite your friends and family over for a do it yourself oyster party.
Meehan’s Irish Pub & Seafood House
20 Avenida Menendez
If you head up the stairs to the top floor of Meehan’s Irish Pub you’ll find Johnny’s Oyster Bar. Their deck is a great place to gaze out over the bayfront while enjoying some creative oyster dishes that their chefs are serving up. Located across from the Castillo de San Marcos, Johnny’s specializes in raw, baked, or flash broiled oysters. The Oysters Meehan is one of their most popular dishes. They are baked with parmesan garlic butter and served with a side of garlic bread.
Image via Boat Drinks
Boat Drinks
56 St. George Street
Over at Boat Drinks, they don’t believe in oyster season because they import different varieties of oysters all year round. The owner, Rob Crabtree, is a big believer in farm-raised oysters. Although some may be hesitant when they hear “farm-raised”, Crabtree argues that this method produces higher quality oysters. If you’re looking to try a variety of oysters from different regions, Boat Drinks is the place to be. They import oysters from all over and it is a great way to experience the unique flavors and textures that develop from the varying water environments that they grow in.
Image via Kingfish Grill
Kingfish Grill
252 Yacht Club Drive
Right on the water in Camachee Cove Harbor, Kingfish Grill has garnered a reputation for top-of-the-line sushi from a trained sushi master, who builds rolls both traditional and creative. But sushi isn’t their only specialty, you’ll find lots of oyster dishes here to love – from Oysters Vilano, baked with spinach, bacon & asiago cream, to Fried Oysters served with tartar sauce. This casual seafood eatery, with their cheery dining room and dockside patio, has a great atmosphere to enjoy some outstanding seafood.
Image via The Conch House
The Conch House
57 Comares Ave
A beloved local legend with a tiki vibe and laid-back ambiance, The Conch House is perfect for a relaxing weekend meal as you look out over the water. On Saturdays and Sundays, from November to February, they offer their Fresh Market Seafood Boil with oysters, shrimp, crab legs and more. They strive to offer the freshest ingredients and change up the menu to keep things interesting, offering a variety of different oysters weekly.
Image via Sunset Grille
Sunset Grille
421 A1A Beach Blvd
A great place to dine outdoors with a view of St. Augustine Beach, Sunset Grille has got all of the comforts of a classic beachside shack with a menu that’s deliciously unpretentious. Their Sunset Oysters are a must try. They are topped with fresh spinach, artichokes, crabmeat and three cheeses, then broiled to perfection. This chill local institution has a beachy vibe that offers seafood and comfort fare, TV sports and an ocean view. It is no wonder that it has become a local favorite.
Aunt Kate’s Restaurant
612 Euclid Avenue
Situated in a grove of live oaks on the bank of the Tolomoto River, Aunt Kate’s is perfect for a laid-back waterfront experience. If you want to add to the nautical charm, you can even travel there by boat and tie up at their dock before you dig into some of their fried or steamed oysters. Continuing over 100 years of serving the finest in local seafood, Aunt Kate’s pleasures both the eye and the palate.
Image via Hurricane Patty’s
Hurricane Patty’s
69 Lewis Boulevard
If you’re looking for a friendly spot to enjoy a cold beer and fresh local seafood, you’re going to love Hurricane Patty’s. Located on Oyster Creek, Hurricane Patty’s Waterfront Bar & Grill has been retrofitted in a 1920s historic fish house where fresh shrimp and fish were cleaned before they made their way to market. Later, shrimp boats were crafted here too, built and balanced on railroad tracks until construction was finished and they were “rolled” into the water. Now, you can kick back island style and enjoy some fried or raw oysters with a wide array of signature drinks to wash them down with.
Image via St. Augustine Fish Camp
St. Augustine Fish Camp
142 Riberia Street
New to the St. Augustine food scene, St. Augustine Fish Camp is known for presenting homey and sophisticated seafood dishes with Southern hospitality. Along with their other Fish Camp locations in North Florida, St. Augustine Fish Camp is the result of the owners’ vision to create a restaurant with a neighborhood feel, serving the freshest seafood with amazing views, and old favorite entrees with creative, new twists. If fresh oysters on the half shell and true Southern seafood awaken your taste buds, stop into Fish Camp for an unforgettable lunch or dinner experience with a lively atmosphere, knowledgeable staff and spectacular views.
Image via Cap’s On The Water
Cap’s On The Water
4325 Myrtle Street
Rounding out our list is the ever popular Cap’s On The Water. With an Old Florida style deck, this waterfront seafood restaurant sits on the shores of the Tolomato River, giving you a gorgeous view in addition to incredible food. Their ever evolving but always uplifting outdoor oyster bar is a great place to drink a beer and enjoy oysters while taking in the sunsets that make them famous. It is a nice respite from the fine dining experience that they have become known for. Try their Garlic Oysters or The Best Oysters Rockefeller – with creamy spinach, garlic, bacon and parmesan cheese.
