In the heart of St. Augustine, Florida—the oldest city in the United States—a culinary secret thrives: the datil pepper. Unknown beyond this historic city, the datil pepper is a cherished ingredient in local dishes, from seafood stews and pilau to cocktails and desserts.
St. Augustine, famed for its cobblestone streets and historic forts, has a special connection with the datil pepper, a member of the Capsicum Chinese family. With a Scoville rating comparable to the habanero (100,000-300,000 heat units), the datil pepper is unique to this region. Minorcan settlers brought it with them in 1768, and it has since become an integral part of the local culinary tradition.
Mike O’Steen, affectionately known as Minorcan Mike, unearthed his family’s datil sauce recipe 30 years ago in an old cookbook titled “St. Augustine Cookery,” published by Flagler Hospital Auxiliary in 1965. Having grown up helping his grandfather with datil peppers, O’Steen has transformed this recipe into a local sensation, with products now found in stores, farmers’ markets, and restaurants around St. Augustine.
O’Steen explains, “Datils can be grown elsewhere, but they thrive only here. They love the unique blend of humidity and salt air in St. Augustine. People who try to grow them outside a 50-mile radius often find they don’t do well.”
The datil pepper’s origin is shrouded in mystery. Local Minorcan legends suggest that the seeds were brought from Menorca, Spain, sewn into the settlers’ clothing. Other theories propose that the pepper’s roots trace back to West Africa, brought over on slave ships, or that it arrived via Caribbean islands like Cuba and Jamaica, where the climate supports Capsicum chinense.
Daniel Cantliffe, a professor of Horticultural Sciences at the University of Florida, investigated the datil pepper’s lineage and confirmed that “…St. Johns County is the only place on Earth where this plant, the Datil, is found. We’ve looked worldwide; it’s unique to this area.”
The datil pepper’s distinctive blend of fiery heat and sweet undertones lends itself to a variety of dishes. Here are some top spots to experience datil peppers in St. Augustine:
Black Fly
At Black Fly, datil peppers are celebrated with their own range of products. Guests can enjoy dishes such as Mayport shrimp with datil remoulade, a pizza that combines barbecue chicken and datil sauce, and Minorcan seafood chowder with datils. Their Caribbean bangers and mash, featuring house-made datil sausage, is also a must-try. Located on Anastasia Island, just over the Bridge of Lions, Black Fly offers a flavorful excursion from Historic Downtown.
Bog Brewery
On Historic West King Street, Bog Brewery stands out for its seasonal ales, including the Smoked Datil Ale. This beer features datil peppers smoked with mesquite and applewood, imparting a smoky, gradual heat to the brew.
Brisky’s BBQ
A local favorite of O’Steen, Brisky’s BBQ serves up a datil brisket bowl with Spanish rice, smoked sausage, black beans, corn, and more, topped with slow-smoked brisket and datil sauce. As O’Steen puts it, “It’s good, really good.”
Catch 27
Tucked away on a quiet street, Catch 27 offers a tropical retreat from the usual tourist spots. Their shrimp cocktail is served with an exquisite datil-infused cocktail sauce, and the nightly special—seared diver scallops over cavatelli with crawfish and okra in a datil Creole sauce—is a standout.
Ice Plant Bar
Even without its datil dishes, the historic Ice Plant Bar is worth a visit. Try their famous Blue Crab Beignets with datil remoulade, and pair it with a Rhinestone Cowboy cocktail, which blends bourbon, amaro, pomegranate, hibiscus, mint, muddled sage, lemon, and, of course, datil pepper.
Black Molly
Another O’Steen favorite, Black Molly Grill, offers several datil-infused options. Enjoy grilled chicken with goat cheese and datil jelly, cheese grits with datil peppers, or any dish prepared “datil-style.” For dessert, the dark chocolate datil pepper cheesecake is a must-try. Mike’s top pick is grilled fish with a datil pepper jelly glaze.
