At 30 years old, The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island stands as a bastion of understated luxury along the northeast coast of Florida. And while its marquee restaurant, Salt, has long been considered the region’s most prestigious fine-dining affair, it was seeing signs of aging. In early 2025, after a two-month closure and renovation, the restaurant reopened with a reimagined dining room and an outlook toward the future.
The revisions mean that the spacious dining room more closely connects with the hotel’s beachfront surroundings, including a patio that overlooks the dunes and ocean beyond and a design that seamlessly blends with the outdoors with water-colored accents, oyster-like sculptures, and striking chandeliers.
Chef Okan Kizilbayir, an alum of Michelin-starred kitchens and influential chef Eric Ripert’s restaurants (including Blue on Grand Cayman and Le Bernardin in New York), arrived at the property just over three years ago and oversaw the kitchen design. Here, he emphasizes pristine seafood throughout the dining room and lounge menus. Kizilbayir worked for a while as a saucier under Ripert, meaning his standards are sky-high when it comes to consistency and flavor. “I prefer to work with an excellent protein, cook it simply, and then pair it with the perfect sauce,” he says. “We keep it simple.”
That’s a somewhat misleading statement, considering how much time and attention goes into every element of a dish, which the team rolls out either as a la carte options or as a multicourse tasting menu—the latter of which offers a comprehensive look at Kizilbayir’s level of artistry. It might include two luscious sections of lobster resting over a flavor-packed bisque; a delicate slice of halibut sitting in a saffron-scented sauce; and slivers of wagyu beef gently ladled with a truffle hollandaise. Dishes like a sous vide octopus are treated to traditional accompaniments (chorizo, olive) but presented in fresh ways—in this case as a terrine that’s sliced and seared, then served with chopped black and green-stuffed olives over top and a drizzle of chorizo oil. On the main menu, there might be squid risotto with Iberico ham and a traditional plating of Dover sole with grilled asparagus and beurre noisette. For dessert, Kizilbayir’s baklava is a deconstructed take made with a pistachio and goat cheese crémeux and crème fraîche ice cream.
Another update to the space was the expansion of the bar and lounge, where diners can order from the main menu or opt for small plates like a trio of baked oysters, snapper tartare, a scotch egg, or a richly satisfying orecchiette with wagyu ragu. A new list of cocktails, found in either the dining room or the lounge, also received a cheffy treatment: The 57th Street Sour, a bourbon cocktail that’s been clarified with yuzu, orange, and bitters, arrives with a red wine float.
True to its name and original vision, Salt starts each service with a tasting of salts from around the world. They still maintain a collection of around 25 different flavoring salts, including black garlic, Himalayan sea salt, and an Italian herb mixture, making the bread service, which might be a sourdough or Gruyère-laced roll, an adventure in and of itself.
With views of the dunes and water beyond, in a room that reflects its watery surroundings, a meal in the reimagined Salt feels like a complete escape—especially when timed with one of the area’s picture-perfect sunsets.
What to order
- Baklava – A flaky, layered take on the classic with pistachio and goat cheese crémeux and crème fraîche ice cream
- Octopus – Cooked sous vide and layered into a terrine that’s sliced and served with Castelvetrano olives, piquillo peppers, and chorizo oil
- Halibut – Baked in butter with melty leeks, kohlrabi, and a saffron sauce
