Tasty treats are served at local shops and restaurants in this Florida city.
By Bernardine S. Stevens, F441180
February 2020
America’s oldest city is St. Augustine, Florida, settled in 1565. With all that history, tourists love to walk around what is known as the Ancient City to admire early Spanish architecture and “newer” buildings constructed around the turn of the 20th century, such as those financed by Henry Flagler. They appreciate the salty air as they listen to tales of pirates, conquistadors, and a ghost or two. Many visit the Fountain of Youth, secretly hoping it’s more reality than myth.
Recently my husband, Ken, and I decided to take advantage of the off-season rates to book a two-week stay at the Stagecoach RV Park in St. Augustine. This pristine campground, with its 80 level sites, is located 6 miles from downtown. It’s perfect for motorhomes as well as towable RVs. To learn more, visit www.stagecoachrv.net or call (877) 824-2319.
During our stay, we meandered through St. Augustine’s museums, churches, and nifty shops. We enjoyed meals at several restaurants, but sometimes it was more fun to simply satisfy our craving for treats. Through discussions with locals and a bit of exploration, we discovered five family-owned businesses that made this one of the sweetest trips we’ve taken.
Hyppo ice pops are perfect treats on a hot Florida day.
We began our adventure one hot afternoon with a visit to The Hyppo. Stephen DiMare and his team have created hundreds of flavors of all-natural gourmet ice pops using fresh fruit, herbs, seasonings, and evaporated cane juice. Some include dairy products, while others are infused with adult beverages. Right next to Straight Up Strawberry and Peachy Peach were Blackberry Clove, Bourbon Peach, and other exotic tastes. Because the pops’ flavors change with the seasonal fruits used to make them, not all flavors are offered all the time. My choice, the Mango Habanero pop, boasted the right amount of heat and sweetness.
The Hyppo has several storefronts throughout Florida, including three in downtown St. Augustine. The pops are also sold in some area Publix supermarkets. We think enjoying a Hyppo ice pop on a hot Florida day is the perfect way to cool down. Locations are at 70 St. George St., (904) 547-2980; 48 Charlotte St., (904) 217-7853; and the Hyppo Coffee Bar, 1765 Tree Blvd. #5, (904) 342-7816; www.thehyppo.com.
Our next discovery came as we strolled down Aviles Street, the oldest avenue in St. Augustine. We entered a store with bright, swirling designs painted on its walls. Our intent was to taste a concoction called the Peace Pie at an establishment of the same name.
Peace Pie is the name of a store and a tasty concoction that could be likened to pie a la mode you can eat with your hands.
It begins with two homemade cookies: buttery shortbread, graham cracker, or chocolate. Next, a layer of signature pie filling, such as pecan pie, is smeared on one cookie. Finally, a generous portion of specialty ice cream is smashed between the cookies. That’s a Peace Pie. Think of it as a pie a la mode you can eat with your hands.
Peace Pie has five stores in three states (New Jersey, South Carolina, and Florida). It all started on Thanksgiving 2010, when a dad named Jerry Klause invented a layered family dessert using shortbread cookie crust, pie filling, and ice cream.
For us, the experience of going into the Peace Pie store was as much fun as eating the sandwiches, thanks to the young lady who served us. She was as upbeat as the store’s brightly painted walls. The store we visited is at 8 Aviles St.; (904) 295-8232; https://peacepieworld.com.
Whetstone Chocolates offers an educational factory tour and an array of sweet confections.
Our third stop was Whetstone Chocolates. We began our visit with a factory tour, where we got a history lesson on chocolate. We also learned about the humble beginnings of this small business, which has been sought out by Hershey, Nestlé, and M&M Mars to create specialty lines for them. Today Virginia Whetstone, the daughter of founders Henry and Esther Whetstone, has traveled the world to find the most flavorful beans to turn into the cocoa, cocoa butter, and chocolate used in Whetstone’s products.
Later we enjoyed a Frozen Hot Chocolate while browsing the array of chocolates and confections in the factory store. I highly recommend purchasing a few Datil Pepper truffles, as the datil pepper is unique to St. Augustine. We visited the Whetstone store at 139 King St.; (904) 217-0275; www.whetstonechocolates.com.
When an employee at Whetstone’s heard I was writing about St. Augustine’s sweetest places, she insisted we try Les Petits Pleasures for authentic French crepes, pastries, and sandwiches. So, the next morning, we were among the customers standing in line there to order breakfast.
Les Petits Pleasures offers a taste of France in St. Augustine with its selection of pastries.
Ken enjoyed a cheese omelet sandwiched in a buttery croissant that was so light, it was a miracle it didn’t float away. I had a croque monsieur, a sandwich with thin slices of ham between plenty of melted Swiss cheese, all topped by béchamel. It was served with a side salad. We shared a delectable fresh strawberry crepe.
Although the 16 tables at Les Petits Pleasures were never empty, patrons who queued up to place their orders always found a place to sit. Owners Philippe and Stephanie Cahagne have indeed created an authentic French pâtisserie that serves breakfast and lunch. But it was the pastries that had us saying, “Vive la France!”
The restaurant is at 125 A1A Beach Blvd.; (904) 679-3411. It does not have a website, but does have a Facebook page.
Our last, but not least, discovery was Claude’s Chocolate, the store that has it all. Customers can enjoy an ice pop, ice cream, or pastry with a cappuccino while perusing the decorated artisan chocolates made by a true chocolatier.
Claude’s Chocolate is home to handmade creations crafted from the finest Belgian chocolate.
Claude Franques produces handmade chocolates at his main store in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, using the finest Belgian chocolate. He can create personalized chocolates in specialty boxes for a wedding or other event. Claude originally was a chef who became a chocolatier, and sometimes his masterpieces are almost too pretty to eat. Truffle pieces are topped with designs or clever décor that reveals their flavors. The shop in St. Augustine is at 6 Granada St., near the Villa Zorayda Museum. (904) 808-8395; www.claudeschocolate.com.
Next time you’re in St. Augustine, be sure to stop and taste the sweetness!