St. Andrews is a salty little bayfront community where the commerce, restaurants, and nightlife thrives on a combination of local and tourists alike. The main street stretches from 15th Street along Beck Ave to the corner where it turns east along U.S. Business 98 toward the heart of Panama City. Restaurants, eclectic shops, coffee houses, and juke joints are easy to spot, each with their own “salty” charm that lingers from the days when St. Andrews was the center for fishing and seafood in the area.

There are so many great dinner offerings in St. Andrews! All the restaurants are within walking distance of the public parking area located behinds Hunt’s Oyster Bar on 13th Street. Hunt’s is known for its fresh oysters and local seafood. Los Antojitos offers Mexican and lively back deck seating along Lake Ware. Uncle Ernie’s features an Italian menu with a St. Andrews flair and the best sunset overlooking the bay. If you are all about the food, Alice’s on the south end of Bay Street will not disappoint. So many choices make picking one for tonight the hard part.

Along the sidewalks of Beck Avenue, you’ll find little shops worth taking a few minutes to explore. The funky Little Village on 13th Street features art, jewelry, and eclectic stuff plus live music on the weekends and FINNs for easy dining. The old bank building on the corner of Beck and Business 98 was converted to the Taproom, offering a wide selection of craft beers, live music, and a boutique.

Don’t miss a walk along Bay Street and the marina at twilight! The docks are slowly returning, but the sights and smells allow you to look back on a time when St. Andrews was a fishing village. A place where crabbers and shrimpers worked their nets and long-liners would stop chasing swordfish for a night ashore. The little town still has a salty feel, and they intend to keep it that way.

 

LOCALS' FAVORITES:

Down-home seafood restaurant doling out oysters plus lots of fried fish for more than 45 years, delivered daily from Tarpon Dock Seafood Market.

Every Thursday, Los Antojitos features one of the best steaks in town. Get there early and enjoy the band on the back deck. Just looking for something light? Try their ceviche and chase it with Dos Equis. Enjoy the back deck overlooking Lake Ware.

Inside Little Village, you’ll find Finn’s restaurant, more like a food truck only permanent, and still serving one of The Best Fish Tacos.

For that “special night,” arrive at Uncle Ernie’s early for a cocktail at the Martini Bar upstairs, then grab a table on the deck for dinner at sunset.

Alice’s serves the best crab cakes, plus Alice always stops by to check on things. After a few visits … you’re family.

 

"One of the happiest aspects of living in St. Andrews are the people I have come to meet and know. St. Andrews might call itself 'salty,' but to me, the people are as 'sweet as iced tea.' I guess good people are drawn to St. Andrews because it has a special quality. It is a place where people are welcoming and greet you with a ready smile, where people truly care about you and your loved one, where every day seems like a blessing. It has been said that 'home isn’t a place, it’s a feeling.' Well, for me, 'St. Andrews feels like home.'” – Tim W.

 

LOCALS' TIPS: *****(with headshots)*****

"Don't underestimate the power of the events that happen in St. Andrews!" – Brad S.

"Weeknights in St. Andrews is one of the best-kept secrets." – Heather P.

 

"My favorite place to listen to live music is the Tap Room at the Hub on Beck Ave. – and they have great food trucks." – Donna G.

 

"Little Village is a great place to enjoy live music, meet up with friends, indulge in good food, have a few spirits, and spend an afternoon with loved ones." – Irene F.