A brand new cider-focused bar and restaurant called Cidersmith is getting ready to open in St. Augustine at 18 St George St.
It’s been a long journey for the space in the St. George Street area. The property, which has frontage on St. George and Spanish streets in the Historic District, was auctioned by St. Augustine-based Great Expectations Auction Company in 2016. Then, local business owner William Smith purchased 11 Spanish St. and 18 St. George St. as a combined property for $2.5 million, hoping to create a space to house nine or more retail units under one roof. Now, it’s a little clearer about what will sit in the space.
Smith recently submitted a plan review application to the Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation to open a new concept called Cidersmith. The new restaurant is currently under construction and will feature a handful of ciders and small bites. The company has been posting updates on its social media regarding construction, and the owners are currently working on the interior build-out. While there is no exact timeline for Cidersmith, it will likely open in the summer, likely in a few months.
This isn’t the first venture for Smith, who already owns St. George’s Row and Heritage Walk, two mini-malls on St. George Street that contain a mix of shops and eateries. Unlike these two previous projects, the new development at 18 St. George Street will not have a center walkway, and each unit will be accessed separately by a pedestrian path. Smith also owns and operates Rendezvous Restaurant in St. George’s Row and Barefoot Bill’s in Heritage Walk. While Smith has been working on this project since 2016, the pandemic has pushed plans back significantly.
