A new restaurant honoring generations of Southern cooking is opening soon in St. Augustine, taking over the former Redfrog & McToad’s location at 5545 A1A S.
The Cajun Beach, founded by Patrick McKinney, brings authentic Cajun and Creole flavors inspired by his upbringing in Mississippi and Louisiana, according to his website.
The bio states that Patrick was raised along the rivers of Bogalusa, Louisiana and the rampant beauty of the Pearl River swamp, where he was “immersed in the traditions and flavors that make Cajun culture so special.”
His family lived off the land—hunting, fishing, raising livestock, and growing crops. His great-grandparents had purchased over 1,000 acres, “providing the bounty that inspired so much of the family’s cooking.” Meals were made entirely from scratch. “Get some eggs, flour, butter, whatever you needed, and make it yourself.”
Patrick learned to cook by watching his mother, who “never wrote recipes down, never measured a thing and always eyeballed every ingredient.”
After her passing in 2018, he devoted himself to perfecting her meals and preserving her legacy.
In 2023, Patrick opened the first Cajun Beach location in Flagler Beach to honor her memory.
“Cajun food has always been about flavor, not just spice. That is a common misconception,” he says. “True Cajun cooking is about bringing seasonings together in harmony, creating meals that warm your soul and remind you of family dinners made from scratch with fresh ingredients and love.”
He often makes gumbo himself — a process that “takes four and a half hours because he never rushes it.” His mother’s words still guide him in the kitchen: “Always cook with your heart.” She believed when you cook with love, “it’s like the food’s talking to you.”
The restaurant does not have an announced opening date.
