Date Night Dinner Spots: St. Augustine, FL
Alex and I love going out to fabulous restaurants for date night and there is no shortage of options in St. Augustine. We have done the groundwork of eating at countless great restaurants, and our standards are high. We want great service, amazing food, drinks, and date night vibes!
These are my top 5 picks for a hot dinner date in St. Augustine- in no particular order- what I love about them and what I would order. Let me know if you try any of them out!
Lotus
56 Grove Ave, St. Augustine, FL 32084
Lotus Noodle Bar is so much more than a noodle bar and you will dream of this food.
Lotus is another cozy and intimate space. It is located on the edge of downtown St. Augustine and they have their own parking lot, which makes it super easy to get to if you are driving in to downtown. Eating at Lotus is an epic experience of great service and amazing, exciting dishes with beautiful presentation.
Be sure to start with appetizers- this will be a hard choice, but highly suggest getting the Bloom (pictured below middle), which is steamed buns served with the best accoutrements, including honey truffle butter shaped like a honeycomb. The pickled cucumbers, Sweet & Spicy Sunomono, and Tuna Sashimi are also delicious- I don’t think you can go wrong with any of the options. For dinner, the braised brisket and bacon and egg ramens are full of flavor and so very good. The desserts change with the season, but they are always inventive and delightful (i.e. chocolate creation that looks like a potted plant on far right below) - so don’t leave without trying one!
Llama
415 Anastasia Blvd, St. Augustine, FL 32080
An amazing Peruvian restaurant located on Anastasia Island.
This is a small space, making for a cozy and intimate dinner experience. You must make reservations and they book up fast. The food is divine, and the service is top notch. They also have exciting menu items – see pic below of “s’mores” dessert that featured parmesan ice cream and was lit on fire tableside – unexpected and delicious!
I recommend the Causa Trio for appetizer and the Mar y Tierra or the rack of lamb for dinner. The Cuke mimosa was also refreshing and so good. Don’t leave without trying a dessert and don’t be scared to try something new like parmesan ice cream.
River & Fort
12 Avenida Menendez, St. Augustine, FL 32084
Espresso martini, dining in downtown St. Augustine
A long-time favorite of ours, the upscale southern food, drinks, service and location are all wonderful and keep us coming back.
Located in the heart of downtown St. Augustine, on Avenida Menendez, they have the best views of the Mantanzas Bay and the Fort, Castillo de San Marcos. Even better, they have multiple outdoor dining patios and balconies, and a rooftop bar! River & Fort now allows you to make reservations any day of the week (not just weekdays), but the 2nd and 3rd floor rooftop balconies are first-come first-serve. The rooftop bar can get crowded- but it is well worth the wait.
I highly recommend you get both the fried green tomatoes and deviled eggs. For dinner, the short ribs and pork chop are excellent choices – and if the lobster roll make its way back onto the menu, get that. For dessert, you can never go wrong with the key lime crème brulee. And they make a great espresso martini!
Chez L’Amour
45 San Marco Ave, St. Augustine, FL 32084
A romantic and fun tapas restaurant with great cocktails and live music in downtown St. Augustine. This restaurant is made for date night with its beautiful space and live music.
The food is exceptional. The cocktails are great.
This is another fun and exciting menu that changes with the seasons. Some of our favorites are pictured below, but be sure to try at least 3 different small plates to get a full experience.
La Nouvelle Bistro
102 Bridge St, St. Augustine, FL 32084
The perfect quintessential French bistro.
The food and wine are all superb. They also have the sweetest garden patio that is perfect for al fresco dining.
The moules (mussels) frites (pictured Right) are delicious and pair perfectly with one of their many excellent white wine or sparkling wine choices. The lamb entree is also wonderful. To finish, the classic crème brulee