37 taste of the south | OCTOBER 2019
“Spend the rest of your morning soaking up the
history around every corner of this memorable city.”
FUEL THE FIRST DAY of your St. Augustine adventure with a
splash of caff eine from The Kookaburra Coff ee. With fi ve locations
of this Australian-infl uenced coff ee joint spread out around the city,
you’re never far from an ethically sourced cup of joe. Grab a hot
drink—we recommend the chocolate-coconut-fl avored Mocha Nut
or their superb Flat White—and a savory Brekkie Pie for a downright
delicious on-the-go breakfast. If you’re craving something a little
heartier, visit the Lincolnville Historic District and settle in at
The Blue Hen Cafe. This neighborhood diner made a name for itself
with locals by serving up soul-warming dishes like Blackened Shrimp
& Grits and Blue Crab Quiche from open to close. Sitting in this cozy,
vintage farmhouse-inspired space with plenty of knickknacks from
days gone by to observe, you’ll enjoy every second of waiting for your
entrée while sipping coff ee from a vintage Pyrex mug.
For a sweeter start or just a midmorning snack, pop over to
Fiction Donuts. In this little corner shop, the owners’ love for
reading and donuts unite for a funky vibe. A library shelf-inspired
mural featuring hand-painted books lines the left-hand wall as you
wait to choose your indulgence, while an apothecary-style cabinet
sits fi lled with log cards for children to keep count of books they’ve
read. (As part of the Fiction Book Club, kids earn a free donut when
they complete a log.) From the playfully fl avored yeast donuts like
Burnt Honey Rosemary (topped with house-made honeycombcandy), Maple Bourbon Pecan (with a splash of local bourbon),
and Mexican Hot Chocolate to baked treats made from leftover
yeasted dough scraps—think spicy sausage kolaches and pear- and
raisin-studded morning rolls—no page is left unturned when it
comes to fl avor at Fiction.
Spend the rest of your morning soaking up the history around
every corner of this memorable city. Grab a tour of Flagler College,
the liberal arts college housed in what was once Henry Flagler’s
famed Hotel Ponce de Leon in the 1800s; explore the Lightner
Museum, an antiquities museum and gallery located in Flagler’s
former Hotel Alcazar; or visit the Castillo de San Marcos to learn
about one of the fi rst Spanish settlements and its defenses.
When you need a break, take the quick walk to the Colonial
Quarter for lunch at St. Augustine Seafood Company. Start with
a cup of their cult favorite Half & Half Chowder (half classic New
England Clam Chowder and half tomato-based Minorcan Conch
Chowder in one cup), and move on to a hearty Fresh Catch sandwich
topped with their signature zesty John-John sauce, or dive into a
basket of crispy fried shrimp with a few of their six mouthwatering
homemade sauces on the side. The Datil-Pickle Remoulade and
Datil-Buff alo sauces, both fl avored with the medium-spice local
datil pepper, are our top picks. Grab a glass of their peach-infused
Lighthouse Lemonade before leaving for a refreshing fi nish.