ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. — A piece of St. Augustine’s waterfront dining history is getting a second life.
After sitting empty for more than a decade, the former Santa Maria restaurant property on the bayfront is set to reopen as The Wharf.
Located at 135 Avenida Menendez, The Wharf will be a coastal eatery operated by River Restaurant Group, the team behind River & Fort and Saint.
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The restaurant is expected to feature seafood and a fresh oyster bar. Renovations are underway inside, but those behind the project say the view will remain the main attraction.
“So the interior is not gonna compete with what’s on the outside,” said Jeff McCusker of River Restaurant Group.
The reimagined waterfront destination will also be accessible by boat.
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“There’s 360 feet of boat dock, so it’ll be a boat-friendly place,” McCusker said.
The plan is to open in November, in time for St. Augustine’s Nights of Lights celebration.
“It’ll be upscale casual, so you can come in your shorts and T-shirt. Families and kids welcome. It’ll just be a really approachable place,” McCusker said.
The Wharf will remain locally owned by the White family, the same family behind O.C. White’s Seafood and Spirits and The White Room.
The family says the reopening marks the next chapter for a location where people have been dining on the water for more than 75 years.
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