Waterfront Dining: 12 Restaurants Worth the Drive

1. The Reef Restaurant — Vilano Beach

An oceanfront institution with sunset views over the Atlantic, right where Vilano's town center meets the sand.

2. Beachcomber Restaurant — Anastasia Island

Casual, right on A1A Beach Boulevard, with the kind of unpretentious oceanfront setting that keeps locals coming back.

3. Aunt Kate's Restaurant — St Augustine

A longtime waterfront seafood spot on the Tolomato River side of Anastasia Island.

4. Lulu's Waterfront Grille — Ponte Vedra Beach

Casual Intracoastal dining that trades white-tablecloth formality for a relaxed, water-view patio.

5. Cap's On The Water — Crescent Beach

An upscale, well-known Intracoastal destination just south of St Augustine, popular for special-occasion dinners.

6. Salt Water Cowboy's — St Augustine

A rustic, marsh-and-creek-side seafood house with an old-Florida atmosphere you won't find at a chain.

7. Golden Lion Cafe — Flagler Beach

Oceanfront on A1A, a longtime Flagler Beach fixture for breakfast, lunch, and sunrise views.

8. Crabby Joe's Deck & Grille — Daytona Beach Shores

Casual, oceanfront, and reliably busy — a Daytona Beach Shores staple for beach-day dining.

9. Aunt Catfish's on the River — Port Orange

A long-standing Halifax River institution known for its riverfront deck and Sunday brunch.

10. Down the Hatch Seafood — New Smyrna Beach

Dockside on the Intracoastal, with the kind of unfussy, fresh-caught menu locals rely on.

11. JB's Fish Camp — New Smyrna Beach

An iconic, ultra-casual fish camp right on the water near the inlet — as First Coast as it gets.

12. Restaurant Medure — Ponte Vedra Beach

Not directly on the water, but a longtime Ponte Vedra fine-dining favorite worth the short drive from the coast.