Dig for clams or cozy up with a bowl of classic chowder while watching the waves.
Digging clams for dinner is a beloved tradition on the Oregon Coast. Whether they’re steamed, fried or the star of a hearty chowder, bivalves are a prized ingredient from the sea. Armed with a license and a few tools, you can explore an entire menu on Oregon’s coastal bays, which are home to five major clam species including the gaper, cockle, littleneck, butter and soft-shell. Or head to the North Coast, where you can find the succulent razor clam on ocean beaches. Here are some top places for clam digging and enjoying these briny treats on Oregon’s coast.
Guided Clamming or a DIY Quest
For a deep dive, join one of many guided clamming ventures across the Coast. John Kallas of Wild Food Adventures leads educational foraging trips around Tillamook, Rockaway Beach and Hug Point. In Lincoln City, sign up for educational “exploriences” to walk the squishy mudflats of Siletz Bay at low tide, where a local guide shares harvest methods and cooking techniques. Osprey Guide Adventures offers family-friendly clamming trips for seafood lovers out of Netarts, Yachats and Waldport.
For those who’d like to try your own DIY-clamming quest, start with expert tips from the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife. A state shellfish license is required for clam diggers 14 and older. No matter where you head on the Coast, check out Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife’s online resource for clamming and this guide for even more tips. Before heading out, it’s critical to check in with the Shellfish Biotoxin Hotline to learn of any area closures related to toxins affecting shellfish populations.
For razor clams, head out with your license and gear to an 18-mile stretch known as the Clatsop Beaches. They extend from Tillamook Head near Seaside to the Columbia River bar near Astoria in Clatsop County, accounting for 95% of Oregon’s razor-clam harvest.
If it’s bay clams like cockles and butter clams that you seek, you’ll be able to find them all along the Coast. A good place to start is Rockaway Beach, Garibaldi or Netarts on the North Coast. At Rockaway’s Jetty Fishery, a one-stop shop overlooking Nehalem Bay, you can rent all the clamming gear you’ll need from clam shovels to buckets. Another prime spot for clamming is the serene Siletz Bay in Lincoln City. As the tide recedes, mudflats emerge and you’ll find an abundance of purple varnish clams along with soft-shell clams. On the South Coast, the vast tidal flats around Coos Bay, North Bend and Charleston are where giant gaper clams, purple varnish clams and cockles thrive.
Savor Clam Chowder and Steamer Clams
Bright and briny, clams star in dishes at many seaside restaurants — from casual, on-the-dock cafes to upscale spots overlooking the water. At Bridgewater Bistro in Astoria, the legendary clam and mussel chowder has been a local favorite for over 40 years. The chowder recipe at nearby South Bay Wild Fish House is also a renowned recipe; it hails from a former restaurant that closed in the 1990s.
In Seaside savor a creamy bowl of chowder at Dooger’s Seafood & Grill, a multigenerational family recipe. Or snag a bowl of seasonal razor-clam chowder or fried razors at nearby Bell Buoy, a seafood market and restaurant that dates back to 1946. (Watch a Bell Buoy clam dig to see what it takes to go from tides to table).
Warm up with a bowl of chowder from Buttercup in Nehalem. At this tiny walk-up marketplace, the focus is on layering flavors — the stocks are made from scratch and packed with organic herbs and veggies — making the Northwest clam chowder a cut above the rest. Local dulse from Oregon Seaweed adds extra umami. Don’t miss other chowder specials, including a creamy coconut-curry vegan chowder, topped with fried shallots.
For no-nonsense, straight-up delicious, New England-style clam chowder, locals rave about the options at The Horn Public House in Depoe Bay and Luna Sea Fish House in downtown Yachats and Seal Rock.
Feast on Award-Winning Chowder and Other Clam Delights
Add the Newport Seafood and Wine Festival to your calendar this year and you can taste chowders from across the Coast as part of their annual chowder competition. In 2024 the winning chowder hailed from Newport’s Local Ocean. Chef Enrique Sanchez-Rodriguez added a medley of herbs and vegetables to his creamy broth along with crispy pan-fried pork belly for extra richness. His secret ingredient (besides freshly harvested razor clams)? A splash of zesty green jalapeño sauce for brightness and balance.
For a fried-clam sandwich or clams and chips alongside your chowder, check out Newport Chowder Bowl. If you crave a bowl of steamer clams, Pelican Brewing Company can’t be beat — the clams served at multiple locations are soaked in Kiwanda Ale broth with slivers of shallots and fresh herbs. (For serene water views, visit the newest brewpub in Siletz Bay.) Big Fish Cafe in Reedsport offers a creative spin on steamers with the clams Portuguese — you’ll love the calming Umpqua River views.
– By Kerry Newberry
Top photo: Courtesy of Explore Lincoln City