As The Floridian’s new home starts to take shape on St. Augustine Beach, a new riff on Genie and Jeff McNally’s fresh fare is ready to take the local culinary scene by storm. Bea’s Fine Foods + All Day Cafe By The Floridian opens Wednesday, Aug. 13 at 9 Anastasia Blvd., just south of the Bridge of Lions in St. Augustine. A true labor of love, Bea’s is a tribute to the enormous impact that Executive Chef Genie McNally’s grandmothers had on her.
“I take so much inspiration from my family, so it was natural to honor my grandmothers with a concept that is near and dear to my heart,” she said. “Bea’s is a way to play with ideas that have been marinating in my head. Jeff and I have invested lots of time in building relationships with our purveyors, and many times, they just bring me what’s fresh, and I start ideating. These are the ideas that I’ve been stowing away, that weren’t quite right for The Floridian, but something I still wanted to explore.”
Bea’s Fine Foods + All Day Cafe is a fun, fresh and inventive take on some of the couple’s favorite things. It will feature cafe-style breakfast, full-service lunch, coffee, supper and natural wines. All-day breakfast items include fresh-baked pastries, the BTS Breakfast Pizza and the Frittata du Jour, which changes daily based on what’s fresh and fun.
Breakfast staples like the Brisket Biscuit, featuring a hand-sculpted three-cheese and scallion buttermilk biscuit, Cartwheel Ranch braised brisket, hot honey and pepper jelly, offer a fresh take on a classic stick-to-your-ribs breakfast. Lunch & Brunch features local favorites like Breads & Spreads and The Burger with new concepts, like the Polenta & Summer Squash Shakshuka.
The Supper Club menu features homey fare like Cast Iron Pizzas. Guests can build a custom pie or enjoy Chef Genie’s creations, including the Southern Belle, a garlic and herb base topped with mozzarella, Asher blue cheese, Georgia peaches, grilled shrimp, arugula, a basil-pecan crumble and a drizzle of hot honey.
Main dish options feature Southern classics with a global flair, including Chicken Adobo with a creamy coconut shallot broth and Scallops Veracruz that balances briny brown-butter seared scallops with zesty chili, lime and pickled peppers.
The menu also features fresh sharing plates like Beet Poke and Citrus Baked Brie, and craveable sides, including Lil Moo Cheesy Smashed Potatoes, Super Veg Succotash and Smoked Corn on the Cob.
With 40 seats inside with additional porch seating, the vibe at Bea’s Fine Foods + All Day Cafe is pure 1970s beach — warm, bright, and cheerful. The couple salvaged stained glass lighting from the former iconic Santa Maria restaurant and is completing the space with hand-selected vintage furnishings and Marüshka artwork.
Bea’s Fine Foods + All Day Cafe will be open 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Wednesday through Monday. Reservations can be made now at beasalldaycafe.com.
