The Ice Plant
The Ice Plant is the one we tell people about first: a 1905 ice plant turned restaurant, cocktails made with real care, and a fresh farm-to-table menu that changes with the season.
Local picks
St. Augustine restaurants
we actually send people to
A short list, chosen in person, with the story of why each one made it.
These are the St. Augustine restaurants we actually send people to, not a directory of every place in town. Each one is a place the team at Nesta Systems, a local small business consulting company, recommends to friends and clients. Listings are free, the restaurants pay nothing, and our free live cams of downtown and the beaches let you check the weather and crowds before you go out.
Free listings. No ads, no paid placements, no commissions.
Our picks
17 King
17 King is where we spent our 15th wedding anniversary, and it's where we now send everyone who wants a real night out downtown.
The Floridian
The Floridian is where we send people for Southern food that's fresh, eclectic and made from what local farms have right now.
La Nouvelle
La Nouvelle is a French bistro in a restored Victorian home, grand and cozy at the same time, and where we celebrated our anniversary in 2025.
How we choose
We love going out when we can. What we're really chasing is great food, exceptional service, and a place that sets the vibe for the whole experience, whether that's brunch, a late lunch, or a big night out. St. Augustine has grown into an incredible food town, and these pages are our way of celebrating the places we find the most outstanding and telling everyone we can about them.
The rule is simple: a place makes the list only if we'd send a friend or family member there. Every pick is somewhere we already go. We write our own short note on why, then we walk in and tell the owner they made our list. Listings are free, always. Hours and details come from each restaurant's own website, so confirm before a special trip. If a place is missing, it's either on our list to visit or it isn't somewhere we'd recommend yet.
Frequently asked questions
This page lists the restaurants Watch St. Augustine recommends: The Ice Plant (Farm-to-table American), 17 King (American bistro, wine-focused), The Floridian (Farm-to-table Southern), La Nouvelle (French bistro). They are the places the team at Nesta Systems, a local business, sends its own friends and clients.
No. Every listing is free. There are no ads, paid placements, or commissions. A restaurant is listed only because the team recommends it personally.
The picks come from Nesta Systems, a small business consulting company based in St. Augustine, Florida, which built and maintains watchstaugustine.com. Each restaurant is visited in person and asked whether it would like a free listing.
The current picks are downtown and nearby: The Ice Plant on Riberia St, 17 King at King and Aviles St, La Nouvelle on Bridge St in Lincolnville, and The Floridian on Old Beach Rd on Anastasia Island.
Yes. The free live cameras on the watchstaugustine.com home page, such as the Matanzas Bay, Castillo and St. George Street cams, show the weather and crowds downtown in real time. The cameras do not point at any particular restaurant.
Hours are taken from each restaurant's own website and may change. Confirm with the restaurant before a special trip. The page notes when a restaurant's posted hours could not be confirmed.
Listings are by personal recommendation only and are free. If you think your restaurant belongs here, email [email protected] and the team will stop by.