Saint Italian Restaurant — Restaurant in Saint Augustine

St. Augustine’s finest—hands down.

I’ve been visiting St. Augustine regularly for the last eight years ever since I started dating my now-husband, who grew up here. It’s been such a joy to watch this charming historic town evolve—with more elevated, modern dining options popping up alongside its preserved old-world character. And Saint is the crown jewel of that evolution, in my opinion (though I do still need to try Collage which is considered the front runner by our family)…

Located right in the heart of downtown, overlooking the Matanzas River and Bridge of Lions, the setting couldn’t be more perfect. From the moment you step through the grand resort-style entrance (giving Sea Island, GA vibes), you know you’re in for something special. Cozy booths, a stylish indoor-outdoor bar, and beautiful design touches throughout make this place feel upscale and inviting.

Service was warm, attentive, and consistent—even as the restaurant filled up. Everything was on point, including how accommodating the kitchen was with dietary needs. As someone who’s lactose-intolerant & on Whole30 this month, I’m always a little apprehensive at Italian restaurants, but The Saint handled it seamlessly—no fuss, no flavor sacrifice.

Appetizer highlights from our group (and local family who are now regulars): • Crispy Zucchini Fritters – Giant, golden, and addictive. The Calabrian aioli they’re served with is so good it should be bottled and sold • Filet Carpaccio – Among the best I’ve ever had. Balanced, not overwhelmed by truffle like many others • Pan-Fried Octopus – Not my favorite. The texture felt a bit off (like it had been dusted in powder), and I would’ve preferred a grilled or traditionally fried version. The accompaniments—potatoes, sofrito, saffron aioli—were individually fantastic, but the dish felt a little disjointed overall • Fennel & Orange Salad – Light and refreshing. I personally don’t like sweetened cranberries, and would have loved a julienned carrot with more citrus & a seed (pumpkin??) to tie together but still loved this dish!

For mains, we tried a little of everything: • Osso Buco – The standout dish of the night. Rich, tender, deeply satisfying. We’ll be coming back for this • Branzino – Crisp skin, flaky and flavorful. Simple and perfectly executed • Lemon Gnocchi – Bright and pillowy. We added grilled chicken this time (which was great), but would go with shrimp next time • 100-Layer Lasagna – As comforting and soul-satisfying as a dish handmade by someone’s Italian nonna

Bottom line: The Saint is the best fine dining experience in St. Augustine right now—a must-visit for locals and tourists alike. Beautiful setting, thoughtful service, and a kitchen that genuinely cares about the food they’re putting out. Already...

I was hopeful but unfortunately let down quite badly. We made a reservation same day and were seated no issue.

The service was fine, nothing outstanding but nothing to set them apart.

The atmosphere is nice, I can’t speak for the balcony or patio as we were seated inside, however the inside dining room was pretty and fit the aesthetic.

Sadly that’s where the stars I gave come from. Our drinks and meal were very disappointing, and even more so considering how overpriced this place is for the lackluster quality. My husband aptly put it calling the experience “abusively mediocre”, which is a perfect description considering they are trying to brand as fine dining but fell short so badly.

To start off, I am an espresso martini girl. I order one at almost every establishment I try. I make them at home, I know this drink! They were very proud of their cocktails in general - most were $18-20 for basic recipes - but this was on par with the worst ones I’ve had made by servers at Applebees. No flavor, no fresh espresso, syrupy, WARM? I drank it because I spent $20 on what should have been a $10 worthy martini, but I was very disappointed.

The 100 layer lasagna was…fine. It was on the dry side honestly. I couldn’t finish it. It was small and for $33 I expected a much bigger entree and one that didn’t feel like it had been left in the oven 10-15 minutes too long. The only moisture came with the sauce added onto the plate. It felt like something I could get anywhere and likely better quality.

My husband’s entree was worse. He ordered the Filet with Lobster Ravioli, cooked rare - almost $60 - which would lead one to believe it would be a 6-8 oz filet which would be served alongside several ravioli. However, what he was served was a subpar filet that was half fat, and not in a marbled way. When the dish arrived, a sole raviolo was atop the steak. Though it might seem capricious to demand that a proper declension be used on the menu (I.e. raviolo), I am sure the abstinence of the word “a” before ravioli was intended to mislead - as it did. Because the cost of the entree, which was $58, would lead you to believe it would be a more filling meal, rather than a fatty steak with a single piece of pasta.

Needless to say we unfortunately will not be back. The atmosphere is not worth the overpriced Olive Garden food. There are so many other much, much better places in St. Augustine, save your wallet for them. We were left hungry and disappointed after spending $170 after tip. I’ve had incredible meals for half that. We also often frequent much higher dining establishments, so I believe we can make a...

We called ahead to reserve a table for a party of 12. The staff was very accommodating during the booking process and ensured all of our questions were answered. On the day of the reservation, we arrived on time and were promptly greeted and seated without any wait. Everything up to this point went smoothly.

Our reservation was for a Friday night, which we understand is typically a busier time for restaurants. However, the team did not appear adequately prepared to handle the volume of guests that evening, particularly for larger parties.

Once seated, we noticed that only one waiter was assigned to our group, making drink orders and delivery slow and staggered. She had no support initially, and while we understand staffing shortages happen, it noticeably impacted the flow of service. Still, at this point, we remained patient and had no major complaints.

The real issues started with the food. We waited nearly an hour before our meals began to arrive. Although we ordered bread to help pass the time, the main courses came out inconsistently. By the time the last person received their meal, the first person’s plate had already gone cold. Two other staff members eventually stepped in to help, but service remained disorganized, with plates delivered to the wrong guests and general confusion.

Several dishes were improperly prepared. Three plates had to be returned because the lamb and steaks were not cooked to the requested temperatures. The fries were stale. As if they'd been sitting for hours, which was unacceptable for an 8 PM dinner service. We asked for them to be removed from the bill.

There was also confusion regarding the gluten-free pasta. The waitress described it as vegetable pasta, but it turned out to be standard pasta with chopped vegetables, which is pretty important distinction for those with dietary needs.

What was most disappointing is that despite these issues, the manager never came to the table to check on us or address our concerns. For a bill nearing $1,000, we expected a much higher standard of service and food quality.

While the reservation process and initial seating experience were smooth, the rest of the evening did not meet expectations. The food was mediocre, nothing special, reminiscent of an overpriced version of Carrabba’s, though set in a great location with nice ambiance. Unfortunately, this experience was not worth the cost, and we won’t...