A reminder that there is so much more to St Augustine besides historic downtown. We stopped by Bog…read moreBrewery for the guys to get started on their Nights of Pints. There was 10 of us, but only 4 who drink beer. My sister and I enjoy wine and I spotted this gem right across the street! We split a tasting for $15 and tried 4 samplings of wine. Chardonnay- which wasn't dry enough for my sisters taste, cranberry- we both enjoyed this light wine, blueberry which was lightly sweet and lastly strawberry. The strawberries were harvested from Plant City and this was like summer in a bottle. I picked that one to take home. Even my sister was impressed with this bottle. Cranberry was her favorite. There were a couple other ladies who came in as we were finishing our tasting and they left with several bottles and very happy. I love the shop and I am sure to be back!

Maestro Winery is fantastic! From the quaint and cozy space to the kind vinter and his amazing wine…read moreselection-this place brings people together! There were a few other couples there at the same time as us and we all just sat and chatted like old friends. Chris said he likes to take advantage of the seasonal availability of the different fruits he uses and even goes as far as to hand pick them. Super impressed by this gem https://www.facebook.com/maestrowinery/

Very nice store in St. Augustine which offers some really nice infused olive oils and vinegars…read more Best part is you can sample all the oils and vinegars before making a purchase. The staff is very helpful and will walk you through any questions you might have and even make recommendations. The store itself is very clean and organized. The signs on the tins of olive oils and vinegars have a pretty good description and even recommendations of how they can be used. This time I tried the fig balsamic and it was absolutely amazing. Took a bottle home for myself! Pairs great with caprese salads. Very good option for gifting to a foodie friend.

Visited this shop and it was our first stop while visiting St. Augustine today. Sampled and tasted…read moreseveral infused high quality imported oils, plus balsamic vinegars. Even tried their most popular: Sunshine & St. Augustine Rose which were both a white balsamic vinegar that were unique and fantastic. They have a nice variety of merchandise. Such things as: pastas & sauce, stuffed olives, bbq sauces, jams, spread & other novelty goods & specialty pantry items. (see pics & video) Staff was helpful in finding items to bring home with me & that could go in my carry on luggage (also offer shipping). We bought several things for ourselves and several things as gifts for others. We also learned they do special pairings and post recipes on occasion if you follow them on Instagram too! The owners are extremely passionate and knowledgeable about their business. As well as choosing the best quality products for their customers. They have 4 locations in Florida currently. That is un-brine-lievable! Note-This shop offers in-store refills for customers who bring back their bottles which allows for a sustainable solution for returning customers. They also won "Best of St. Augustine" for Best Specialty Shop and Best Gift Shop 4 years in a row. Keep drizzling happiness like olive oil and best of luck for the 2026 award.

Loved our stop at Whetstones Chocolate. They have three locations in St Augustine and make their…read morechocolate locally at one of the locations also. I have done the chocolate tour years ago and I noticed that on a review I made at a diff location in the area. Stopped by at this location, our first time, they have a handful of parking on the side of their building. They also have an outside covered patio and a couch to sit on inside. I came in for some goodies for Xmas presents. The chocolate smells so good and they have a lot of fun options. The service is really nice and helpful and patient and it's a great place for a chocolate break. I did wish they were open later for hot chocolate for the Christmas lights tour but there's another location on St George St to get hot chocolate. Lucky our stay in St Augustine during the Xmas lights tour had ideal night temperatures hot chocolate was not needed.

Great chocolate store with lots and lots to choose from…read more Every type and kind of chocolate you can eat even chocolate to put in your coffee. My sister grabbed a couple chocolates prices aren't cheap here It came to 20 bucks for a bag of chocolate and four little balls. But great place to come if you need a chocolate fix or need a gift. They also serve ice cream. Friendly staff beautiful store.

I had a blast here several months ago with some family members. We decided go do a tasting and had…read moreso much fun. I can't recall the name of the young lady we had unfortunately, but she was fantastic and so much fun. My family ended up buying a few bottles to take home with them. It was a nice local place to stop by and support. It had a really good vibe when you walked in. It looked like your typical local distillery room when you come on with the barrels. I don't go to St Augustine very often but if you love to get a taste of local spirits when you are visiting places I highly recommend this place.

Always a great experience! We visited two days on a row and had Lexi take us through the spirit…read moretasting both times. What a fantastic employee! Each time we've visited we have had wonderful experiences. Everyone is always a joy to interact with. Lexi had a large group during our first visit and then just the two of us the second time. Both times we walked out with our favorite spirits and some new ones. The peanut butter whiskey is always a staple and this one is my favorite. We now have a new addition to our must-have collection, mango datil whiskey. I dont even mix these with anything as they are incredibly smooth. Can you? Sure. But why? The spirits also change out and I'm a little sad that the cookie dough whiskey will become seasonal (that one did mix well with the peanut butter and caramel). But the new key lime pie rum was delicious and the coconut rum is another favorite. Was there anything we didn't like? I am not a fan of the roasted pecan whiskey but I can appreciate why others will enjoy it. In our tasting, Lexi swapped that one out for me so I didn't miss out. The care and joy the team has is palpable and a must stop when visiting the St Augustine area. Big fan and we now stop by multiple times each visit to sample and take home our favorites. Im excited to try the new rye whiskey on a future visit. One thing to keep in mind is that the tasting used to be free and now costs $5. Personally, I don't mind since there is a $5 coupon to use in the store that can be stacked so it becomes essentially free but it's a relatively recent change (the same applies to the nearby St Augustine Distillery and San Sebastian Winery). Do I wish that this one was still free? Of course. Will it stop me from visiting? Nope. It just breaks up my purchases so I can apply the cost each time. (And it's much better than the winery which gives you a plastic cup...nice but not really repeatable.) Overall, City Gate continues to be my favorite Distillery for flavored spirits. Thanks for always providing a great experience and product! And thank you to Lexi for being awesome!

"First Coast" food - 2 of 2…read more Ok, so this is food ... and it isn't. I didn't know where to eat in charming St. Augustine, Florida - America's oldest settlement - and would wait to return to Jacksonville to figure out where I'd then have dinner. I stumbled into Claude's Chocolate admiring the historic Alcazar Hotel which now houses city hall, a museum, and then some. As such, a dessert from practically adjacent Claude's would serve as lunch. Saying "old world European" may sound trite, but it's applicable here where the endeavor has a craftsman-like dedication, be it in the hand made ice cream/gelato, the chocolates and candies they select, and the tidiness of their small store. They do have enough space, though, for people to eat in and it was nice and cool inside. I had two ice cream flavors side by side - strawberry cheesecake and Belgium chocolate. This ice cream "lunch" was delicious and I savored the taste slowly as I sat inside but looked outside the storefront windows toward the Alcazar and its landscaped square. I was treated politely and with patience as I chose what I wanted from the glass case. I also purchased a small quantity of candy for the road. Claude's Chocolate is not a chain chocolate or ice cream store. This is sort of a boutique for fine chocolates and higher quality desserts and sweet treats. The prices are a little bit higher, but you get what you pay for.

This place in St. Augustine has one of the best hot chocolates I've ever had. So rich and creamy!…read moreThe barista melted 1/3 cup of shaved Belgian chocolate with milk- and it was incredible and it was only $5! The barista was super friendly and gave us a sample before we bought it. One of the only places where I wouldn't ask for extra whipped cream. Definitely gotta try this spot.

What a great winery! Take the tasting tour. Left with a couple of Rosa's. Me and my fiancé had a…read moregreat time.

Love the service and ambiance. Must visit if you're in St Augustine, it's just $5 for three tasting…read moreor if you just want a tour of the winery and $12 for premium tasting, so why not!

The St. Augustine Saturday Market sits under shady oaks minutes from historic downtown. Parking was…read moreeasy despite it being a late-morning Saturday visit. We were surprised by the number of vendors from local farms, handmade goods, and variety of food vendors. My mini Yelper walked away with fresh tomatoes and matcha, the rest of us snacked on boiled peanuts, and I couldn't resist datil blueberry jam and datil citrus salt. If you don't already know, datil is everywhere in St. Augustine thanks to Minorcan settlers who brought it centuries ago. You'll see datil everything in St Augustine because the peppers thrive in the soil here & love the hot, humid climate. Anyway, come hungry and ready to support local. It's a green market so they also encourage you to bring reusable bags.

Great community, so many vendors. I spent a ton of money here LOL and they have live musicread more

Many cocktails to choose from. We did a fun little tasting of 6 different liquors. It's owned by…read moreSusan and her husband. Susan was so knowledgeable and friendly. I look forward to coming back for a full cocktail sometime.

I stopped by Sailbird while spending the weekend in St. Augustine. As I was exploring, I came…read moreacross this bar on a map and decided to look it up. It seemed interesting, so I checked it out. The place is small, but the drinks really pack a punch. The owner was very nice and clearly knows how to mix a good drink. If you're in the military, I highly recommend trying this place. Just let the owner or bartender know; I won't spoil the surprise. I tried the Nutty Professor cocktail, which was absolutely delicious. It's similar to an Old Fashioned but with a unique "nutty" twist. If you're familiar with the local Kookaburra Coffee Shop, you'll definitely love the Kookaburra Coffee Martini. Sailbird makes their own coffee liqueur using beans from Kookaburra coffee, and it's fantastic. Be sure to grab a bottle!