Dining With a View: Salt Life Food Shack

*ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON THE SUNSHINE & SUMMERTIME BLOG IN JUNE, 2021*

As I'm sure I've mentioned, we like to try new restaurants whenever we stay out of town. Since we're planning a move to St. Augustine, we're all about trying different places every time we visit so that we get to know our new home. My fiance and I were both working in the restaurant business when Covid hit, so we spent the end of our Ohio shutdown on Anastasia Island, since Florida had just reopened. It was during this trip that we began formalizing our plans to move to Florida.

The Salt Life Food Shack is situated just across the street from the St. Johns Fishing and Ocean Pier, so when we saw it as we walked up to the street from the beach, and saw an open restaurant for the first time in two months, we had to give it a try. 

We enjoyed a spectacular lunch on their rooftop patio with the breeze blowing off the ocean. Since then, I've done a little research into the place, primarily due to my own curiosity about the "Salt Life" logo emblazoned on the front of the building that I've seen on so many t-shirts and car window stickers at home in Ohio.

The phrase "Salt Life" originated in Jacksonville Beach, and its meaning has expanded to encompass a widely recognized subculture that includes divers, fishermen, surfers, and anyone who loves the sound of the pounding surf, sand between their toes, and beautiful seas and shores.

The Food Shack is an extension of the original brand, and currently has locations on three beaches, St. Augustine Beach on Anastasia Island being one of them.

I could say that the food and service were outstanding simply because it had been so long since we had been able to dine out in public, but that would be a lie. The place really does offer high quality food and stellar service all the time. They are consistently voted Best Seafood Restaurant and Best Outdoor Dining in the Best of St. Augustine Awards.

The rooftop bar offers this gorgeous view of the ocean just across the street. There's also a shaded patio on the first floor, as well as an indoor bar showcasing a large saltwater aquarium that's been featured on "Tanked."

There's live entertainment on the first floor patio through the week, and I haven't heard a single performer there to whom I would give a bad review.

As you would expect, the seafood menu is expansive, including rawbar, sushi, and saltwater seafood dishes. If you're like me, and you're someone who loves the ocean but not so much the seafood, there are some tasty alternatives including some chicken, steak, and burger dishes. The Food Shack is kid-friendly as well, offering a decent kid's menu.

This place is the epitome of what I imagine when I think about what I would want in an oceanside restaurant, so I highly recommend you check it out if you're in the vicinity. It's pet-friendly, walkable from the beach, and if you're doing a day of driving, they have an ample parking lot.

Salt Life Food Shack

321 A1A Beach Blvd.

St. Augustine, FL  32080

904-217-3256