Savor fresh seafood, baked goods and corn dogs at these local favorites.
For beachgoing families, Oregon’s coastal destinations offer every kind of food from seafood shacks to date-night dining — and everything in between. While the Coast has many popular places that draw in crowds for good reason, residents and frequent visitors know to share the love with smaller eateries off the beaten path, especially in the busy summer season. We’ve rounded up some under-the-radar spots worth their salt so you can spend more time beachcombing than searching for a place to eat.
Quick Bites for Your Coastal Road Trip
In Warrenton near Fort Stevens State Park, cozy bakery The Nest serves sweet and savory baked goods and made-to-order sandwiches on its house-baked bread. A quiche daily special is available on Sunday visits. Don’t leave without one of its famous cinnamon rolls, which are drizzled with buttermilk cream cheese frosting, and a specialty drink like an Oregon Fog with Earl Grey tea and rose syrup.
Pronto Pup is unmissable on a drive through Rockaway Beach — the snack shack on the side of Highway 101 entices visitors with a 30-foot fiberglass corn-dog sculpture mounted to its roof. Here generations of families have ordered these batter-dipped treats on a stick, which founders George and Versa Boyington invented here over 80 years ago. Though the traditional pup is a beef hot dog, you can now find a range of options, including a deep-fried dill pickle, a zucchini spear, or a cheese-filled pup. Good news! There’s also a location in Seaside.
For a sweet treat, head to Scoops Handmade Ice Cream in North Bend, where the menu boasts at least 58 small-batch flavors on any given day. Cool down with a towering nine-scoop ice cream cone or enjoy your chosen flavors in a milkshake, sundae, or banana split — or even atop a crepe or Belgian waffle. Ice cream sandwiches made with rotating cookie flavors are a good option for road-trippers on the go.
Stop in for Delicious Oregon-Caught Seafood
Located across Highway 101 from Salishan Coastal Lodge in Gleneden Beach, the Squatchsami (a portmanteau of Sasquatch and tsunami) food truck sustainably sources wild fish from fishing families in Newport and Astoria for its beer-battered fish and chips. Crispy lingcod and chips, clam chowder bread bowls, and chicken and waffles all have loyal followings.
Open seven days a week, Tony’s Crab Shack in Bandon sits on the Coquille River’s boardwalk. You’ll find a cute little spot decorated in nautical gear, brimming with coastal ambience, that serves everything but fried fish. Grab a seat at the outdoor oyster shack to enjoy briny local oysters on the half-shell or hot crab-and-shrimp sandwiches.
Situated between Bandon and Gold Beach, Port Orford keeps fishing traditions alive from its unusual dry dock. Pull up to the small processing facility of Port Orford Sustainable Seafood — a collective of the town’s fishing families — for a view of Battle Rock Beach and lunch. The team there operates The Galley, a sea-to-table takeout spot where diners chow down on a rotating menu that’s posted on Instagram. You’ll find specialties like rice bowls topped with miso black cod or fried tuna, fish sandwiches served with dulse-flake fries and hearty bowls of fisherman’s stew. The Galley is open year-round; check the website for hours.
Casual Dining and Drinking With Great Atmosphere
The charming Bay City Kitchen is a destination for couples on a beach getaway in search of a date-night meal. Unfussy yet thoughtfully plated dishes like spiced lamb loin with roasted carrots and sauce soubise, salmon filets with marinated wax beans and lobster mushrooms, and house-made ricotta dumplings appear on the rotating menu.
Pizza lovers enjoy a range of creative wood-fired pies at Groundlings Pizza Co. in Gold Beach, which has Rogue River views and experimental creations that may include premium toppings, wild-yeast-fermented dough or pink crusts naturally dyed with beet juice.
Misty Mountain Brewing & Tap Haus prides itself on being the Oregon Coast’s southernmost brewery. Family owned and located right off Highway 101 in Brookings, the “Lord of the Rings”-themed pub brews beers like Elven IPA or Rivendale saison, which pair perfectly with Smaug’s fiery quesadilla.
– By Janey Wong
Top photo: Bay City Kitchen by Robbie McClaran
in Food & Drink