If you want authentic down-home Southern comfort foods that won’t weigh you down, check out The Floridian in St. Augustine. This farm-to-table restaurant has a modern take on Southern dishes, all locally sourced. The friendly and attentive staff is waiting to serve up the best to you and your family in the heart of St. Augustine.
The Floridian Review St. Augustine FL
The Floridian is a charming restaurant in the heart of downtown St. Augustine, FL. Whether you dine in or outside on the patio, you’ll have a delightful meal in a comfortable, relaxed atmosphere.
(Disclaimer, my camera broke while on vacation so the photos are snapped from my phone, so quality isn’t where it usually is on the blog but I hope you can still see how exceptional this restaurant is!)
A truly southern appetizer is their Biscuit and Belly! It’s served with a gluten-free buttermilk biscuit that is soft and moist (you’d never know it was GF). I’ve never, ever had pork belly but their braised pork belly was melt-in-your-mouth delicious! It is complimented with flavorful Lil Moo cheese, fancy mustard, hot sauce honey, and Bourbon Peach butter. What an extraordinary flavor experience!
My kids have never had Fried Green Tomatoes before and I’ve never had any quite so delicious! The tomatoes are lightly breaded with a cornmeal dusting and served with a green tomato relish, house herbed ricotta and amazing basil aioli. I love how The Floridian takes a southern dish and makes it gourmet and a little lighter!
You can’t go wrong with anything you order from The Floridan, every menu item is made fresh with local, seasonal and sustainable ingredients. If you love southern food but like healthier dishes, this place was made for you! There are even many gluten free and vegan dishes.
My kids couldn’t pass up the Dixie Burger, a 1/2 lb CartWheel Ranch beef burger that is loaded with spinach, tomato, housemade pickles and chipotle mayo on a huge soft ciabatta roll. It was a HUGE hit with my teenagers!
Our new friend and St. Augustine local, Barbara knew exactly what she was going to order – the Tacos De Verano! She loves The Floridian’s beef brisket! The tender beef brisket is topped with house Queso Fresco, pickled melon rind salsa (that’s so southern!), and Datil Jam. Datil peppers are huge in St. Augustine as it should be, these unique peppers are both sweet and spicy and only grown in NE Florida in the states! It is a treat to be in town while they are in-season. When in St. Augustine, order anything with Datil Peppers! 
My husband wanted to eat a little lighter tonight so he ordered the Elkton Greens and Grains. This isn’t a typical salad at all, it is bursting with flavor with blackened chicken over chilled quinoa with basmati rice, corn puree, farm greens, charred cherry tomatoes, green beans, red onions, radishes, curried cashew, and Tomme cheese. The large slice below is not pineapple as it appears. My husband saved it for last and bit into it and was surprised it was Tomme cheese which is delicious with an intense nutty taste but not what he expected when he bit into something that looked exactly like pineapple! ha! This was perfect for my husband’s taste buds – so much amazing flavors in one powerful dish.
I ordered the Fresh Catch Floridian which today was grouper. Added the southern charm of cornflake breading, this pan-fried grouper was mild and flaky. It was served over sauteed vegetables with a cilantro-lime compound butter on top that is to die for! YUM! 
The friendly and attentive staff coupled with a timeless yet still modern decor of the restaurant made us feel right at home for dinner. We thoroughly enjoyed The Floridian’s take on Southern grub and appreciated the lighter fare while on vacation! With seating both inside and outside, this casual restaurant is perfect for families too. This farm-to-table restaurant should be definitely be on your list of places to go for lunch or dinner while on vacation in St. Augustine.
The Floridian Restaurant
72 Spanish St
St. Augustine, FL 32084
904-829-0655
Please note they are closed on Tuesdays.
