St. Augustine FLA

What do you recommend, esp. any local specialities?

Type in Saint Augustine, FL in the box at the top right of the RF Homepage and here's what you get. All have been reviewed.
http://www.roadfood.com/Restaurants/SearchResults.aspx?st=latlong&latlongid=2228&ob=LatLon

Of the restaurants on the list, the two I'd most highly recommend are Saltwater Cowboy's and O'Steen's.

I'm looking at the regional foods served in these places, and I see lots of seafood (duh). Minorcan clam chowder, mullet, shrimp & grits, catfish.
What's with the crabs?I thought crabs were more a Chesapeake Bay thing.
Also, any "Spanish" food? (although Minorca comes close).

The Columbia Restaurant we went to while in St Augustine was excellent.  Cuban food. 
http://www.columbiarestaurant.com/st_augustine.asp
 
Parking in downtown St Augustine can be quite difficult, and if you find that to be so on your visit, park at the big parking lot at the old Spanish fort and walk there from there - its only 2-3 blocks away
 
If we had been there one more day, we would have hit O'Steen's next
 
One of my family's favorite restaurants ever is about 90 miles south in Titusville: http://www.roadfood.com/R...6348/dixie-crossroads.   It is well-beloved by many, many Roadfooders.   If you work that in as a side trip with a tour of Kennedy Space Center, I think you will have a truly memorable day on both fronts 

NYNM


I'm looking at the regional foods served in these places, and I see lots of seafood (duh). Minorcan clam chowder, mullet, shrimp & grits, catfish.
What's with the crabs?I thought crabs were more a Chesapeake Bay thing.
Also, any "Spanish" food? (although Minorca comes close).

North Florida is more "Southern Food" oriented. You have to go below Orlando to get the "Spanish" influence in more abundance. The FL Panhandle is known as the "Redneck Riveria" and that influence extends over to the Jacksonville- St. Augustine, Daytona area.
 
North FL & South FL are two different worlds. I put the borderline just south of Ocala.

NYNM


I'm looking at the regional foods served in these places, and I see lots of seafood (duh). Minorcan clam chowder, mullet, shrimp & grits, catfish.
What's with the crabs?I thought crabs were more a Chesapeake Bay thing.
Also, any "Spanish" food? (although Minorca comes close).

The foods you mention ARE the regional foods of that area! Crabs are in abundance in that area. Lots of Bays and inlets. I think your perception of FL, (AND its different regions) may be a little skewed! It's a big diverse state. Takes a day of hard driving to go from Pensacola to Miami. It's 300 miles from Pensacola to Jacksonville!

Foodbme, just to clarify,
ONLY the Panhandle area is the "Redneck Rivera"
that DOES NOT extend to the St. Augustine, Daytona area.

NYNM


I'm looking at the regional foods served in these places, and I see lots of seafood (duh). Minorcan clam chowder, mullet, shrimp & grits, catfish.
What's with the crabs?I thought crabs were more a Chesapeake Bay thing.
Also, any "Spanish" food? (although Minorca comes close).

There are plenty of crabs in Florida.  You can usually find them at buffet restaurants around 4:00 in the afternoon.

Not regional, but I liked Gaufres and More on Aviles for some nice pierogi.

...and a stop at Claude's Chocolates on King St.

sk bob

Foodbme, just to clarify,
ONLY the Panhandle area is the "Redneck Rivera"
that DOES NOT extend to the St. Augustine, Daytona area.

I'm aware of that and should have worded that differently BUT the Southern "Redneck" influence does extend all over North Florida is what I meant.
Daytona = NASCAR= Rednecks 

O'steen's is a must, and has the best minorcan chowder. Go slightly off hrs, like between 2 and 5, for less crowds.
The Columbia in downtown does have excellent cuban food, love their 1905 salad. They actually have their own parking lot,located behind the restaurant on Spanish street. 
Also downtown on St george street is the Spanish Bakery, only open until 2 or so, they have great cheap empanadas.
There's a place on St george street called cafe hidalgo, i believbe its spanish, and has a tapas and cocktail bar above it, but I've never been so can't vouch for it
 
And on Avilles street, which is on the other side of the square from the big tourist area, and a really lovely area to walk around, is La Harencia cafe, with some very good cuban food, and good breakfast too.
 
That's all i can think of for now. Our 2 big specialties are probably fried shrimp and minorcan chowder. If you want some key lime pie, go down to publix  supermarket and get a whole one from their bakery, they are excellent