Sam T.
Yelp
I had wanted to try The Floridian for ages and finally got a chance to when my spouse and I decided to come to St. Augustine on a Sunday afternoon.
The exterior and interior are both lovely -- casual but with a fun and very Floridian (appropriately) aesthetic. We arrived around 3 p.m. and found plenty of availability, although I know in busier times a reservation is important.
Our server, whose name escapes me, was great, as were the other folks who stopped by to check in on us, refill our waters, take plates away, etc.
We started a Garden Gimlet with vodka, which my spouse said was "delicious" and "easy to drink". I went with the Saturn in Crosshairs because I'm a big fan of tiki-style drinks and was really impressed; the drink blended all of its different flavors so well that the taste was entirely unique -- and, like my husband's, it was also very easy to drink!
We got the Chips and Dips appetizer as a starter and were impressed. The chips are clearly housemade, the vegetables were fresh, and the dips were refreshing and creamy.
For entrées, my husband got the Dixie Burger and a side of chips -- we didn't realize they were the same chips that came with the chips and dips (although it's a bit more obvious in hindsight), but we liked them and didn't mind having more! His burger was tasty and cooked to the temperature he asked (and looked like it was actually hand-formed). The bun, he said, was also great.
I went with the Cornbread Stack and really liked it. The cornbread in particular was delicious and the tofu was cooked well; my only bit of feedback here is that I felt like there was a lot of aioli and that it kind of overwhelmed the rest of the plate as it soaked in. It tasted good, though, so I think I'd just order it on the side next time for my own dipping/drizzling. Also, the serving size for the stack was hearty! I would have taken leftovers had we not had other plans for the rest of the day, and I think it's a good "sharing size" if you want to have room to try some other parts of the menu (which I look forward to doing, because so much of it sounded right up my alley).
And in general, The Floridian gets major points in my book for being so accommodating to dietary preferences and needs. There are multiple meatless dishes and many more that are marked as having a vegetarian and even a vegan option, and there are a lot of gluten-free options on the menu, too. I'm looking forward to going back in general, but this restaurant is at the top of my list of places to consider when going out with folks who have differing dietary concerns.
We didn't get to try the desserts this time, but the display counter caught my eye as we left and gave me another reason to want to come back.
The meal was a bit pricey (for our two alcoholic drinks, appetizer, and two entrées, it came to about $75 before tip), but I don't feel like I overpaid. The quality was great, and St. Augustine rents have to be paid somehow.
Overall, everything we had was fresh and delicious, and it feels like a place where everyone cares about what's being made and the people they're making it for.