A Local's Guide to Dining along A1A
If you find yourself cruising down the avenue known as Atlantic 1 Alternate (A1A) and hunger strikes, fear not. There are plenty of dining options along this coastal highway that offer a taste of Florida’s beach culture and ocean vistas. While some of the route that runs from Fernandina to Flagler Beach is directly along the waterfront, in other places the road is inland several blocks from the ocean. It may take multiple excursions to eat your way along all 338 miles, so here are some recommendations from Northeast Florida locals on where to drink and dine heading south along the first 100 miles.
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FERNANDINA BEACH, AMELIA ISLAND
I love the acai bowl at Go Juice on 1st Avenue. That ends up being my breakfast or lunch on my days off during the summer. I’m also a big fan of Noelle’s Crunchy Taco food truck on Amelia Island Parkway. There are just a couple of options, but the taco shell is the best; it’s crispy but doesn’t fall apart when you bite into it, and it’s packed with chicken or beef. I really enjoy the Adelita Margarita at Mezcal on Centre Street. I like floral flavors and the rose infusion creates a unique take on a margarita. –Heidi Kabath, pastry chef, The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island
A breakfast favorite is the loaded bowl with an over easy egg, bacon and grits at Ms. Carolyn’s. I go to a coffee shop every day and my favorites are Mocama Coffee for a latte and super cool space, Hola Café for coffee con leche and Amelia Island Coffee for a lavender latte. Lunch options include Café Karibo’s loaded lentil salad and big portabella sandwich, T-Rays’ chicken and dumpling special on Thursday or Timoti’s fried oyster basket, with hush puppies, coleslaw and French fries. When I can get out for dinner, I love oysters on the half shelf, gnocchi, fish dip and octopus at Burlingame. –Nathalie Wu, owner, Wicked Bao, Fernandina Beach
MAYPORT, ATLANTIC BEACH, NEPTUNE BEACH, JAX BEACH
The Khao Soi noodle dish that is famous from Chiang Mai where chef Nancy is from at Simply Tasty Thai is a favorite. The combination plates and the special fried rice (R2 on the menu) are fabulous at Pho Viet! We love the Vietnamese meatball spring rolls and their freshly-made Vietnamese limeade. We are big fans of the BBQ tangy wings and Lewis’ special fried pork chop basket at Voo Swar. You can’t go wrong with Safe Harbor’s hot and tossed fried shrimp basket and mahi fish sandwich. Reve not only makes amazing pizza, but their beer slushies are perfect coming into this time of the year. They also have a great Caesar salad using our dressing from Sub Cultured. –Daniel Ballesteros, Owner, Sub Cultured
I always have The Early Bird #3 with bacon and scrambled eggs for breakfast at Ellen’s Kitchen. The Hit Man at Sub Cultured is a must, along with the poutine. For a Saturday afternoon linner, we like to grab a 16” pepperoni, mushroom, extra cheese at Milano’s, Seafood Kitchen anytime for the blackened seafood combo and Sliders for raw oysters on the half shell and a chilled bottle of WyCliff. I love Native Sun’s grab and go options to satisfy beach day snacks, on the way home from the beach hunger pangs and/or all the goods for everyday dinner. Olympia Cafe has an awesome gyro, perfect on the way to or from Hanna Park. At Angie’s Subs, start with fries with Peruvian sauce and ranch, then go with the Peruvian sandwich and the best sweet tea in Jax. And for happy hour, Lemon Bar for red snapper shots. –Veronica Joy Didelot, owner, Tex-Jax Foods
PONTE VEDR A BEACH, ST. AUGUSTINE, ST. AUGUSTINE BEACH
Eggs on the Bayou is my favorite breakfast at Beach Diner. It's a twist on eggs Benedict, but with fresh crab meat and bacon instead of Canadian bacon. For lunch, McFlamingo has lots of great salads and other healthy (but filling!) options. My favorite is the salmon sweet potato blueberry salad, because it's the perfect balance of sweet and salty, and vegetables and protein. A bit off A1A, but worth the drive – dinner at Palm Valley Fish Camp. It's hard to pick just one favorite dish here because everything is excellent, but since I have to, it's the shrimp and grits, which was so delicious, it played a part in convincing me to move here. Be sure to check out the sunset from their dock. –Heather Schatz, writer and Edible contributor
For breakfast, we go to Beachside Diner for the cheesy hashbrown casserole bowl with corned beef hash. Try the ruby red shrimp and local craft beer at Beachcomber for lunch. A couple of our favorite spots for dinner are Llama for pulpo (octopus), arroz con mariscos, ceviche clássico and lomo saltado, and Elkhouse Eatery for seafood cioppino or hanger steak. For happy hour, we head to Odd Birds and ask for the Bartender’s Choice. They also make great mocktails. –Adam and Leila Bedoian, owners, The Local, St. Augustine
I would start my day at Paladar Cuban Eatery and Bakery. I don’t think there is a bad item on their menu. For lunch, I would pop over to Sporks. They always have fresh flavors and you just never leave disappointed. For adult beverages when you’re on the beach, it’s necessary to enjoy the beautiful breeze and ocean air so an outdoor seating area is almost a must: either the upstairs seating at Salt Life Food Shack or the outside bar at Jack’s BBQ. If I’m going all out and truly enjoying myself at dinner, I’m going to Elkhouse Eatery. Good wine, comfort food and great service are a perfect combination. –Sebastian Sikora, chef de cuisine, La Cocina, St. Augustine Beach
MARINELAND AND FLAGLER BEACH
Ragga Surf Cafe is right on the beach at Marineland and it’s a beautiful place to eat. Try the Dawn Patrol Breakfast Sandwich and Honey Moroccan Iced Tea. For lunch, I love the kale salad at Vessel Sandwich Co. along with the grown up grilled cheese (be sure to add prosciutto). Dinner at Faro Beachside Eatery always starts with the crostini followed by the Torino pizza peel. Yes Coffee is something I do not miss out on when I'm home visiting my parents in Flagler Beach. I'll always get a latte with seasonal flavors. –Liz Grebe, Events Director, Jacksonville Business Journal
