New St. Augustine area restaurant offers raw bar, more with a rooftop, ocean view

An inspired menu showcasing fresh seafood including lobster paella, smoked Wagyu beef and more plus a sweeping view of Vilano Beach heralds the opening of the second fine-dining restaurant from an award-winning St. Augustine chef.

Chef Michael Lugo is preparing to welcome guests to his Pesca Vilano at the new three-story, 120-room Hyatt Place St. Augustine/Vilano Beach hotel at 117 Vilano Road, a short stroll away from the ocean.

Pesca is the first restaurant with a rooftop bar and grill in Vilano Beach. Reflecting Miami's Art Deco architecture, the main indoor dining area boasts a bar, a curated wine library, a private dining room and a chef’s experience table.

Well-known Jacksonville pastry chef Rebecca Reed, a celebrated television food challenge competitor, is among the headliners on Lugo's culinary team at the restaurant.

The restaurant is set to open on Tuesday after soft opening. Reservations are available via Open Table.

Pesca is the most recent upscale coastal restaurant featuring a rooftop bar and grill in Northeast Florida, joining 1912 Ocean Bar & Rooftop at the Cabana Beach Club of Sawgrass Marriott Golf Resort & Spa, which opened in June.

On the menu at Pesca

Pesca is inspired by the Latin and Caribbean flavors that Lugo said he seeks out when traveling to his native Puerto Rico.

“It’s the food you want to eat when the weather is warm and sultry. It’s decadent, but refreshing and makes you want to linger at the table with a drink in your hand," Lugo said in a news release announcing the opening.

"The whole vibe of the restaurant is very vintage Miami, pulling from the Art Deco period. It really fits in with the beachy, laid-back atmosphere of Vilano," he said.

Named for the Spanish word meaning fishing, Pesca's menu offers "globally-inspired coastal cuisine with bold Latin flavors and fresh from Florida ingredients." Lugo pays homage to his late father with the restaurant.

“I chose the name as a tribute to my father. When we would go back to Puerto Rico to visit, we always had to visit his favorite restaurant, El Pescador. That’s the feeling I want to invoke. I want our diners to experience new flavors in an atmosphere that is exciting and comfortable,” he said.

Seafood and fish are prominent among the restaurant's signature offerings:

• Lobster Bao Buns (market price): Butter poached lobster, herb salad, radishes, cucumbers, miso caramel in steamed buns

• Shrimp Aguachile ($18): Lime-cured Florida rock shrimp, cucumber, red onion, avocado, micro cilantro and charred pineapple

• Smoked Wagyu Nigiri ($40): A5 Japanese beef, Uni and caviar

• Lobster Paella (market price): Lobster, sofrito, Bomba rice, fresh peas and herbs

• Beef Filet ($48): Filet with charred onion soubise, baby bok choy, tamarind demi and Parmesan Frico

• Heritage Pork Tenderloin ($38): Served with citrus Datil pepper glazed Maduros and Hohls’ peri peri sauce

• Guava Lacquered Salmon ($42): Served with coconut forbidden black rice, hot and sour broth and baby bok choy

• Pesca Platter (market price): Oysters, clams, poached lobster, cocktail snow crab claws with a passion fruit mignonette. Caviar can be added.

Bowls, sandwiches, salads, Spanish-style flatbreads and daily seafood specials are highlights at the rooftop bar and grill.

The Peruvian steak bowl ($28) is marinated hanger steak, peppers, tomatoes, onions, crispy fries and forbidden black rice. The Caribbean Bowl ($26) features marinated poke tuna, mango salsa fresca, avocado and forbidden black rice.

Among the sandwiches are Pan Con Lechon ($18), Latin roast pork, pickled onions, herb Chimichurri and avocado crema; and the Jibarito ($17), grilled chicken breast, bacon, sweet plantains, provolone cheese, garlic aioli and gem lettuce. The Pesca Burger ($18) is a smash burger with white cheddar, peri peri aioli, caramelized onion jam and gem lettuce.

Made fresh daily, breads and desserts fall under Reed's purview. Strawberry and yuzu push-pops are among the seasonal specialties among the sweet treats.

Pesca's offers a curated wine selection by the glass or bottle along with craft cocktails and beers as well as alcohol-free options and soft drinks.

Michael Lugo an award-winning, self-taught chef

A native of Puerto Rico, Lugo is a self-taught chef who credits his grandmother for inspiring his love of food and passion for cooking. He worked his way up the ranks in kitchens from Texas to Florida before putting down roots in St. Augustine.

Pesca comes 17 years after Lugo established his first St. Augustine restaurant, Michael's, at 25 Cuna St. in the historic Calle Cuna neighborhood.

Michael's was featured on a Food Network segment with Chef Emeril Lagasse during Florida's 500th anniversary. The Wine Spectator has awarded its Award of Excellence to Michael's wine list for 11 consecutive years. In addition, Lugo has been named Best Chef of St. Augustine by several local publications.

But Lugo isn't resting on his accolades.

Another new restaurant in the works

Lugo currently is developing a new concept for the recently closed Preserved fine dining restaurant at 102 Bridge St., which built a reputation for an inspired farm-to-table menu focusing on "authentic Southern cuisine with a French flair."

Preserved, led by chef and owner Brian Whittington — a James Beard Award nominee formerly of Restaurant Orsay in Avondale — closed abruptly in June after seven years in business. Whittington posted on social media that the closure resulted from a need "to create a healthier balance between our personal and professional lives."

Hints about Lugo's plans for the former Preserved came a few weeks ago. The St. Augustine Planning and Zoning Board on Sept. 5 approved the sale of beer and wine at the new concept described as an "upscale restaurant" in documents seeking the authorization.

Global fusion dining: Japanese meatballs, beef cheeks and scallop ravioli top menu of new St. Johns restaurant

Coastal dining with a view: Best waterfront restaurants with a view in Jacksonville's Beaches

Rebecca Reed a champion pastry chef

Reed is the former executive pastry chef for three of Jacksonville's top restaurants: Orsay, Bellwether and the recently closed Black Sheep.

In March 2020, Reed scored a sweet victory on Food Network's "Chopped Sweets" competition and came home with a $10,000 cash prize. And last year, she was a finalist on the Prime Video baking competition show "Dr. Seuss Baking Challenge."

The main restaurant will be open for dinner from 5 to 10 p.m. Monday through Sunday. The rooftop bar and grill hours will be 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Sunday.

Teresa Stepzinski is the dining reporter for the Times-Union. Follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, @TeresaStepz or reach her via email at tstepzinski@jacksonville.com.

If you're a subscriber, thank you. If not, become a subscriber to get the latest dining coverage.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Pesca Vilano brings fine dining, rooftop dining to St. Augustine