In Florida, people really like laid-back restaurants that offer tasty food and a view of the ocean. Places like Smokehouse on the River, Cap’s On The Water, and Palm Valley Fish Camp are some good examples.
It’s unfortunate when a restaurant by the water shuts down, but sometimes a new one opens in its place. Other times, the closed restaurant is turned into something unrelated to food. This happened to a restaurant in northeastern Florida.
South Beach Grill used to be a restaurant by Crescent Beach in St. Augustine, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. In 2014, the food critic “Gourmet Ghost” praised its “extensive menu” and described it as a “great restaurant with fantastic ocean views, delicious food, and a friendly staff.”
The seafood, as per Visit St. Augustine, was always fresh and prepared on-site.
Regarding the property, The Jacksonville Beach Business Journal reported in the summer of 2022 that South Beach Grill closed in 2021. At that time, St. Johns County reportedly paid $2 million for the land where the restaurant was located, intending to use it for additional parking spaces for nearby amenities.
At the time, county spokeswoman Lorena Inclan told the Journal, among other things:
…There are plans to raze the building and add additional spaces and potentially reconfigure the existing public parking lot pending design, permitting, and funding.
The building was torn down in late 2023.
