The Oregon Coast is famous for its rocky beaches, cool coastal towns, scenic drives, and fun activities. It also has lots of great restaurants and fun dining experiences, particularly seafood and sweet treats.
I’m Cheryl, and I LOVE to visit the Oregon Coast. My husband and I have been writing travel guides since 2020. We know that food is a big part of a vacation, so we eat at several restaurants as part of our research (it’s a tough job…) I can’t wait to share with you our favorite spots to grab a bite to eat.
Since you are on the coast, seafood is the usual go-to. There are plenty of restaurants serving crab, chowder, and fish and chips. It’s really good. But don’t worry if seafood isn’t your thing. There are plenty of others that serve sandwiches and burgers.
Candy is another popular food to get along the coast. You will see several shops advertising their saltwater taffy. There will often be ~50 different flavors to choose from. It’s really fun to grab a bag with a variety and see if you can guess the flavor. If taffy isn’t your thing, these candy shops also sell other treats like chocolate, fudge, and often ice cream.
BUDGET: Pizza a’fetta, Cannon Beach and Seaside. Award-winning pizza by the slice.
FRESH SEAFOOD: Tony’s Crab Shack, Bandon. Best crab sandwich
BEST VIEWS: Mo’s Seafood and Chowder, several locations.
Almost always has a view of the ocean.
FAMILY FAVORITE: Pronto Pup, Rockaway. Giant corn dogs and fries…with lots of dipping sauces. Pig ‘n Pancake also serves breakfast all day and
makes fun sand dollar pancakes. Several Locations.
BREAKFAST: Chalkboard Cafe, Seaside. Some of the best pancakes ever, with a view of the river
TREAT: Bruce’s Candy Kitchen, Cannon Beach. best taffy and chocolate!
LOCAL EXPERIENCE: Bowpicker Fish and Chips, Astoria.
Food truck served out of a retired fishing boat.
SOMETHING BESIDES SEAFOOD: Thai Port, Newport.
Great views of the ocean and excellent curry.
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Before we get into the details of the best places to eat, here’s a map of the Oregon Coast so you can get familiar.
When we visited, we started at Astoria in the north and ended at Brookings in the south. They are all connected by HWY 101, and it takes around 8 hours to drive without stopping.
People rarely just drive HWY 101. They make a trip out of it by staying overnight in a few of the towns, making their way up or down the coast.
The northern part of the coast is more overcast and rainy, with more sunshine in the south. However, it’s super common for it to be overcast along the entire coast.
I’ll list the best restaurants by city, going North to South. Enjoy!
| Cost Breakdown | |
| $ | Inexpensive (under $10) |
| $$ | Moderate ($11-$24) |
| $$$ | Expensive ($25-$40) |
| $$$$ | Very Expensive (over $40) |
Bowpicker Fish and Chips is an Astoria establishment. It opened in 2012 and has only been serving one thing: fish and chips. Instead of the traditional cod or halibut, they use albacore tuna caught right from the Columbia River. They also use a special batter recipe that really sets them apart.
Food is served out of a retired bowpicker fishing boat, and it’s always parked near the Columbia River Maritime Museum in Astoria. It’s common for the line to be an hour long, but when I visited, it was only 20 minutes. An older gentleman was standing behind me, who was a local. I asked him if it was worth it and he responded, “Absolutely!”
Schwietert’s Cones and Candy is a feast for the eyes and the tummy. The colorful exterior is enough to lure you in, but you are instantly filled with happiness when you see the inside. The walls are filled with colorful candy from floor to ceiling. You feel like a kid again and want to grab a small paper bag and start stuffing it with every treat you see!
This isn’t my favorite candy shop on the coast (Bruce’s Candy Kitchen in Cannon Beach is, but more on that later), but Schwietert’s is the most available because they offer several locations: Seaside, Astoria, Cannon Beach, Rockaway Beach, and Manzanita.
If you are heading to Astoria, check out my article, Perfect One-Day Itinerary for Astoria
There is no shortage of restaurants in Seaside. Broadway Street, the main shopping area, has dozens of them, including several ice cream shops. We peeked in a few of them, and they weren’t anything special, charging close to $10 for an ice cream cone!
Sea Star Gelato not only had better prices ($4!), but it had the best gelato we had ever tasted- and we’ve been to Italy! My cherry lime ricky gelato was awesome, and Matt liked his lemon meringue. They also had some fun flavors like beach bonfire s’mores and Krocco Choco! Dairy-free options were also available.
Pig ‘N Pancake has been open since 1961 and is known for being a go-to family restaurant. They serve breakfast all day and are famous for their pancakes- including buttermilk, Swedish, sourdough, and sand dollar pancakes. They also serve chowders, soups, seafood, and burgers.
There are several of these across the Oregon Coast, including Seaside, Astoria, Cannon Beach, Lincoln City, Newport, and Portland. We kept thinking we’d eventually stop here for a meal, but ran out of time. Next time….
The charming Chalkboard Cafe is right along the boardwalk of the Necanicum River. The café offers both indoor and outdoor seating, and we loved relaxing outside, being surrounded by pretty potted flowers and watching paddlers drift down the river. Inside has a fun vibe with a lot of energy, with locals enjoying their coffee.
They are famous for their Philly cheesesteak sandwich and pancakes. Since it was breakfast, we ordered the pancakes. An order comes with two. They are huge (enough to share an order) and are perfectly crispy on the outside and warm and fluffy on the inside. We also liked their hot chocolate.
Curious which beach town is better? Check out my article, Seaside vs Cannon Beach: Which Beach Town Should You Visit?
Pizza a’fetta opened in 1988 and has been ranked in the top 50 pizza establishments in the United States. They serve whole pizzas and pasta, but the popular menu item is pizza by the slice! You can choose from three cheese, meat, veggie, and pepperoni. The veggies they put on depend on what they’re doing that day, so the day I got it, it had tomatoes, zucchini, and olives. My husband liked his meat pizza.
The crust was perfect. Soft and chewy on top and then crispy on the bottom, and strong enough to keep the slice from getting all bendy when you eat it. Plus, we loved that it was only around $5 per slice. Pizza a’fetta is both in Cannon Beach and Seaside.
I had the most delightful time exploring this iconic treat shop. Bruce’s Candy Kitchen was established in 1963, and something that makes it especially fun is that you can see the candy being made and… watch the taffy being wrapped! They have this super-cool machine that wraps over 140 pieces of taffy per minute. It was fascinating. They also give you a free taffy sample. The flavor of the day was mango-chili when we visited and it was DELICIOUS. I’m not a foody- regular people will like this too- trust me.
They also had lots of chocolates, fudge, and other specialty candies to choose from. I tried the seafoam, and it was also very good. We filled our paper bag with multiple flavors of taffy and were surprised that all our treats were less than $10. We enjoyed playing “guess the taffy” as we put different pieces in our mouths without looking at the color as we walked along charming Hemlock Street.
There was no way I could eat anything else, but I have to mention the Oasis Cafe because I saw several people walking around with their acai bowls. They looked INCREDIBLE! I saw bowls containing acai sorbet or puree, berries, bananas, granola, nuts, honey, and coconut. I’m getting one of these next time I visit!
Driftwood Restaurant and Lounge has been open since 1944! It has indoor and outdoor seating and offers an extensive menu. Clam chowder in sourdough bread bowls, steamed mussels, oysters Rockefeller, and steaks are customer favorites. I didn’t get to eat here, but I had to mention it for three reasons.
Tom’s Fish and Chips was the first restaurant we tried on the Oregon Coast. I like seafood, but I don’t LOVE it. However, I did LOVE their fish tacos. They were fresh, had yummy toppings, and didn’t taste too fishy. Other popular items to order include the blackened salmon salad. They were also serving sturgeon as their daily special, which looked interesting.
The atmosphere inside is so cute—they’ve got the glass floats hanging from the ceiling and wooden fishing décor on the walls—kind of what you’d expect at a beach restaurant. They also have outdoor seating. We would eat here again.
People have a love/hate relationship with Mo’s Seafood and Chowder. I think it is because it is a chain that has several locations in Oregon, including Astoria, Seaside, Cannon Beach, Newport, Lincoln City, Florence, PDX, Newport, and Otter Rock. Before we visited the Oregon Coast, a few people recommended it to us because they thought the food was good and there is always a good view of the ocean.
We tried the one in Cannon Beach and had a great experience. It was kind of crowded and loud, but I liked my shrimp alfredo and Matt enjoyed his clam chowder. We also had a great view of the beach and the ocean. It lacked charm and personality, but we can see why so many tourists enjoy it. They also have burgers… if seafood isn’t your thing.
Heading to Cannon Beach? Check out: PERFECT Cannon Beach One-Day Itinerary (+ Ecola State Park)
1. There Are Local Chains. As you drive along the coast, you’ll notice that you see
the same restaurant popping up in several towns. This includes
Mo’s Seafood and Chowder, Schwietert’s Cones and Candy, and Pig ‘n Pancakes.
If you want to try one of these and miss it, it will most likely be in the next town, too.
2. Restaurants Have Short Hours. Many restaurants close by 7 or 8 pm. Many also close certain days of the week. Make sure to check hours before making plans.
3. Food is Affordable. It’s common to be able to get lunch for ~$13,
which is about $5 cheaper than in typical tourist towns.
4. Picnic Supplies Available. You’ll be traveling through cities, so there are plenty of grocery stores to pick up what you need, including coolers and firewood to roast hot dogs on the beach.
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I have to mention Kelly’s Brighton Marina because it was one of the funnest activities we did on the Oregon Coast! Here, you can rent baskets to go crabbing. It includes the basket (complete with a gross, gutted fish for bait) and a bucket to store your crabs in. You can crab from the dock or rent a boat. It was easy and super fun!
I mention Kelly’s because they will also cook and clean your crab for you, for no additional charge. If you don’t catch any crabs you can keep, you can also order food here. They have live crabs, clams, and oysters that they cook to order. You can eat it there (outdoor seating) or take it to go.
Want more ideas of fun things to do on the Oregon Coast? Check out my article 13 Absolute Best Things To Do On Your Oregon Coast Road Trip.
There are other places to get a Pronto Pup corn dog, but this is the original. It also claims to be the birthplace of the corn dog AND has the world’s biggest corn dog on the roof. While riding the Pacific Coast Scenic Railroad, the conductor recommended it, so we gave it a try!
The batter they use is more like pancake batter and we really liked it. We just tried the original corndog with fries, but the people we shared a table with tried a zucchini dog with ranch sauce and a giant corn dog- over one foot long! It was super busy and crowded- probably because everyone who had just gotten off the train headed straight there, but we thought it was a yummy and fun stop.
Of all the places we visited on the coast, this was the biggest tourist trap. But I kind of feel like you have to do it anyway. You’ve probably heard of Tillamook cheese or ice cream. The Tillamook Creamery has a dining hall, gift shop, and self-guided tour where you can see the cheese-making process, including watching the workers slice and wrap the cheese. It’s very well done and we loved the free cheese samples at the end.
The big thing to do is get an ice cream cone– which we did. I loved my Oregon Cherry ice cream. We waited in line for 20 minutes, but noticed that no one looked miserable. They were enjoying being outside and spending time with their family. The dining hall also offers cheese curds, mac and cheese, grilled cheese, cheeseburgers, cheese boards… you get the idea. You can also book a cheese or ice cream tasting tour, which I heard from another tourist was worth it!
PRO TIP: There are actually four lines to get ice cream. Scope them out before you pick one. The first one you see is often the longest line.
If seafood isn’t your thing or if you just need a break, Thai Port is an excellent choice! It has great views of the bay where you can watch the fishermen coming and going, though it was kind of tucked away between shops. The service was quick and our server was sweet.
I got the green curry (spicy), and Matt got pineapple pork rice. We both loved our food. Other popular choices are pad thai, mango sticky rice, duck curry, sizzling beef, and boba tea.
GOOD TO KNOW: Newport had a fishy smell that I didn’t enjoy. One thing I did appreciate was that there was a fruit stand where I bought some Mount Rainier cherries. Yum!
Tony’s Crab Shack is right by the river and was packed when we arrived. They’re famous for crab. Their seafood is fresh and never fried. Matt got a crab sandwich and loved it—especially the sourdough bread. I got fish tacos, which were not quite as good as Tom’s Fish and Chips. There are a few tables inside and some outdoor seating. We sat outside and it would have been nice, but it was a very windy day (which it often is on the Oregon Coast).
Plan on ~$30 per entrée, more if you’re getting market crab. Something special about Tony’s Crab Shack is that they will cook your own catch for you, if you have been fishing or crabbing.
I’m sure that Bandon has plenty of other great restaurants, but by the end of our Oregon Coast road trip, my tummy was full and my pants were feeling a little bit tight.
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Here’s a quick, skimmable list of many of the restaurants I mentioned before, with links… just in case you are driving through town looking on your phone for somewhere to grab dinner.
| Tony’s Crab Shack (Bandon) | Tiny, casual shack on the dock, fresh off-the-boat seafood. We loved their crab sandwich |
| Thai Port (Newport) | Authentic Thai food right on the coast with views of the water. It was a nice change if you’ve had your fill of seafood |
| Tillamook Creamery (Tillamook) | Awesome cheese and ice cream (they serve regular food too) |
| Pronto Pup (Rockaway Beach) | Huge corn dogs and yummy fries. Home of the world’s largest corn dog (it’s on the roof!) |
| Mo’s Seafood and Chowder (most Oregon Coast Towns) | People love to hate on this place, but there are always great views of the ocean and we thought their clam chowder was great! |
| Sea Star Gelato (Seaside) | Homemade gelato and the best we’ve ever had (and we’ve been to Italy!) We love their unique flavors |
| Bowpicker Fish and Chips (Astoria) | Albacore tuna, secret recipe for the batter, and served out of a retired fishing boat. Fun and delicious. |
| Tom’s Fish and Chips (Cannon Beach) | Inexpensive and had amazing fish tacos |
| Pizza a’fetta (Cannon Beach and Seaside) | Ranked in the top 50 pizza places in the country! Crust is perfect- soft and crunchy at the same time. Buy a whole pie or by the slice. |
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Click the PNW Bundle to see all the amazing things you can do. If you’re only visiting the Oregon Coast, you can also grab just the Oregon Coast guide.
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