sunset at Heceta Head Lighthouse in north Florence, OR

10 Outstanding Restaurants in Florence, Oregon

A small coastal city, Florence sits along the Pacific Ocean at the mouth of the Siuslaw River in beautiful Oregon. You will work up a monstrous appetite exploring miles of sandy beaches and rolling dunes. Thankfully, Florence offers delicious seafood and many other types of excellent cuisine. We will outline ten outstanding restaurants in Florence, Oregon, to satisfy your hunger and restore your energy tank. 

Florence, Oregon

The surreal Oregon Coast is one of America’s best scenic drives, with massive sea stacks, secluded beaches, and lighthouses. Take time to visit Florence as part of your road trip. 

Beyond the lovely sandy beaches and rolling dunes, its downtown area houses delightful boutique shops and antique stores. Fantastic restaurants await you between Florence’s charming downtown and the natural beauty along the coast.

Florence, Oregon Restaurants

florence bridge, siuslaw river

Although renowned for fantastic seafood, the coastal city delivers a vibrant food scene that offers various cuisine options. Some restaurants sit oceanside while others reside between downtown shops. Warm, friendly people with laid-back attitudes happily prepare food and serve visitors flavorful dishes that draw a satisfied smile.

Bridgewater Ocean Fresh Fish House & Zebra Bar

  • Location: 1297 Bay Street, Florence, OR 97439

A mouth full of more than just its name, the Bridgewater Ocean Fresh Fish House & Zebra Bar delivers an unbelievable experience. First, it rests in the Kyle Building, a historic structure built in 1901. Second, the food is outstanding!

The front is a nice restaurant with a relaxed atmosphere, while the back is a bustling bar. I ordered the fish and chips, unsure what to expect. The thick, meaty fish was fresh, piping hot, and tender, exceeding all expectations. Their flavorful tartar sauce blends perfectly with the juicy fish.

This place had our full attention after the first bite. We started to observe the room more closely. Smiles abounded as diners happily ate ample portions of expertly prepared food. As we continued our excellent meal, it began to sink in that we had discovered gold.

Bridgewater serves seafood, steak, burgers, chicken, pasta bowls, salads, and a few seafood soups. Their menu may be small, but the options cover most palates. 

The restaurant delivers a knockout punch with tasty dishes by focusing on several main dishes. Bridgewater is true to their word with “fresh” in the establishment name. Their fish is the best we have tasted, and we highly recommend you have lunch or dinner here during your time in Florence. 

I just remembered Bridgewater serves an extensive list of wines, draft beers, and specialty drinks. This zebra earned its stripes!

Mari’s Kitchen

  • Location: 1277 Bay Street, Florence, OR 97439

The chef-owned and operated restaurant sources ingredients locally, serving unique cuisine, including European-inspired dishes. Mari’s Kitchen has indoor and outdoor seating where you can enjoy fresh, delicious food in a relaxed atmosphere. The cozy restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, boasting a broad selection of wines and cocktails.

Mari’s Kitchen is not a fast food joint but an experience where you savor your food at a leisurely pace. Start with a hot bowl of comforting soup like clam chowder, meatball soup, or Hungarian Goulash. Enjoy a crisp salad with the house Balsamic vinaigrette or Mediterranean feta dressing.

Entrees include pork or chicken schnitzel, chicken marsala, savory meatballs, Musaca, seafood pasta, salmon filet, pasta linguini, and crab-encrusted halibut. Try a spicy gypsy burger if you are in the mood for a sandwich. Eat the four-cheese house-made macaroni and cheese if you prefer something simple yet comforting. Enjoy a delightful creme brulee or a unique pear pie for dessert.

Breakfast entrees come with fresh fruit and bread. The restaurant is known for its fantastic Bloody Mary cocktails, customizable Belgian waffles, and breakfast classics served open-faced. Whether you go for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, Mari’s Kitchen delivers excellent, friendly service and tasty fare.

The Hukilau

  • Location: 185 Highway 101, Florence, OR 97439

An eclectic joint, The Hukilau transports you to Hawaii, serving creative cuisine and cocktails with an aloha spirit. With a laid-back atmosphere, delicious food, and tropical drinks, it is a gathering place for friends and family. You will discover traditional and innovative-styled sushi and unique Pacific fusion dishes while you wash it down with a refreshing Tiki cocktail, draft beer, or wine.

The restaurant serves various sushi rolls, including simple, spicy, specialty, California, Nigiri, Sashimi, baked, and vegetarian. They offer miso soup and clam chowder if you are in the mood for soup. 

The main menu includes burgers, tacos, and an extensive list of Pacific fusion plates. Or, you can try a musubi, a Hawaiian on-the-go snack that usually includes grilled spam on a steamed rice block.

No matter what you decide, The Hukilau delivers an outing of laughter, tasty food, and Hawaiian vibes.

Bay Street Grille

  • Location: 1341 Bay Street, Florence, OR 97439

Located in the center of town, Bay Street Grille serves fresh seasonal fare and is popular with residents. The casual eatery feels like a combination bar and restaurant. It is a fantastic place to relax with a great meal. You can often listen to live music on the weekends while you enjoy your meal.

Bay Street Grille prepares juicy burgers and sandwiches like grilled chicken, crab melt, club, and Reuben. Entrees include delicious steaks, shrimp scampi, grilled salmon, parmesan-crusted halibut, chicken cordon bleu, clams, oysters, crab cakes, and fish & chips.

If you desire lighter fare, the restaurant offers various tasty salad options, including house, southwest, Caesar, and Cobb salads. Beverages encompass refreshing craft beers and Oregon wines, including red, white, blush, bubbles, and dessert wines.

1285 Restobar

  • Location: 1285 Bay Street, Florence, OR 97439

Nestled in Old Town Florence, 1285 Restobar brings the taste of Naples to the Pacific Northwest. The restaurant perfectly blends a casual environment with a touch of sophistication. You can pair healthy, organic food with local or international wines.

1285 Restobar provides cafe-style outdoor seating where you have a lovely view of the Siuslaw River and the Florence bridge. You can sit in the back patio area if you prefer a more intimate outdoor setting. Indoor seating offers a beautiful river view, or you can sit in a cozy space by their full-service bar.

The menu comprises Campania region-inspired dishes and various handmade pizzas. You can find vegetarian selections and gluten-free options as well.

Starters include parmesan crab cakes, mussels, a shrimp cocktail, and a Caprese salad. You can build your pizza or order one of their signature pizzas like Hawaiian luau, Greek, Margherita Rustica, and the 1285 special. 

They offer mixed greens, sandwiches, burgers, seafood, steaks, and pasta dishes. 1285 Restobar shines with specialty plates of pasta like manicotti Florentine, four-cheese truffle macaroni, crab ravioli, and seafood pasta.

Beachcomber Pub & Grill

  • Location: 1355 Bay Street, Florence, OR 97439

Known as a hangout for locals, Beachcomber Pub serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Customers rave about the wide selection of beers, tasty food, and excellent service. Do not dismiss this place as a dive bar. Although the menu consists of pub grub, the food is delicious.

Beachcomber Pub regularly carries more than twenty beers on tap, consistently rotating so customers can experience new brews. They offer bottled beers, wine, and cocktails as well. You can play a round of pool or shuffleboard or watch a game on one of their nine large televisions.

Their menu includes appetizers like honey garlic prawn skewers, clam strips, Bavarian pretzels with beer cheese, and spicy battered cauliflower. Try one of Beachcomber Pub’s tasty sandwiches like a deli-style Reuben on rye, chicken pesto sandwich, or French dip sandwich. Choose from many delectable burgers on a brioche bun, or try their flavorful fish tacos.

If you are in the mood for seafood, Beachcomber Pub serves fantastic fish & chips, clam chowder, and their signature dish, Buena Vista coconut shrimp. Go with one of their crisp salads if you prefer something lighter.

Hiding under the guise of a bar, Beachcomber Pub delivers food that will leave your tastebuds dancing. Hang with the locals and give Beachcomber a chance it deserves. You will not regret it.

Waterfront Depot Restaurant

  • Location: 1252 Bay Street, Florence, OR 97439

A riverside bistro, Waterfront Depot Restaurant creates upscale takes on classic American dishes using fresh, locally sourced meats and produce. The restaurant exudes old-world charm with its sophisticated ambiance, offering indoor and outdoor seating.

Mouthwatering appetizers include crab stuffed mushrooms, Cajun grilled oysters, lime-pepper prawns, lamb riblets, and tempura asparagus. Relish a fresh Caesar, Caprese, or a house salad and artisan bread before your entree arrives.

Although you may not think of having a burger at a classy restaurant, Waterfront Depot elevates its offerings:

  • All American burger
  • Cajun fish burger
  • Parmesan fish burger
  • Veggie burger

Main dishes incorporate savory meals like wild Alaskan salmon, seafood platter, linguine and clams, pasta jambalaya, steak, surf and turf, maple leaf duck breast, and braised lamb shank. If you miraculously save any room for dessert, try the delectable tres leches or the fantastic Oregon berry cake.

Waterfront Depot pours delicious draft beers and signature cocktails. Try a flaming Spanish coffee if you seek something different.

With old-world charm and unique, delicious food, you cannot go wrong with an elegant evening at Waterfront Depot Restaurant.

Homegrown Public House & Brewery

  • Location: 294 Laurel Street, Florence, OR 97439

If you seek tasty homemade food in a cozy public house setting, head to Homegrown Public House & Brewery. The casual, family-friendly joint serves up locally sourced seasonal fare and draft microbrews, wine, and spirits. This place takes great pride in its fresh, local, and healthy dishes.

Homegrown Public House delivers unique greens like their big salad, protein power salad, beet and quinoa, and the “no bun intended” cheeseburger salad. Starters consist of the Oregon mushroom flatbread, vegan tacos, fish tacos, hippie pie, and a creamy cheddar ale spread served with a sourdough baguette and celery.

The joint offers tasty burgers and sandwiches like a BLT, veggie sandwich, fish, French dip, turkey club, and the Schnitz, a fried chicken sandwich slathered with a mouthwatering homemade jerk sauce.

Homegrown Public House even has a dog menu for your furry companion. 

You will feel like a local as Homegrown Public House treats you to fantastic food and friendly service. Be forewarned. You may become a regular customer. 

Nosh Eatery

  • Location: 1269 Bay Street, Florence, OR 97439

Tucked along the bayfront in the heart of Old Town Florence, Nosh Eatery presents locally inspired comfort food, creating everything from scratch, even the salad dressings. The eatery has indoor and outdoor seating with an excellent view of the historic Siuslaw River Bridge.

Nosh Eatery offers vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free alternatives. Yes, they have many options for you carnivores as well.

Shareables include:

  • Fried cheese curds
  • Garlic parmesan cauliflower
  • Sauteed Brussels sprouts and bacon
  • Kung pao calamari
  • Pork chili verde frachos 

Their menu contains sections specifically for salads and plant-ish plates. Other notable menu items comprise the superfood salmon bowl, pistachio pesto halibut, ginger ale pork ribs and Brussels, meatloaf and mash, and their house specialty, mac & cheese.

Try to save room for dessert so you can savor scrumptious chocolate cake or donut holes rolled in cinnamon and sugar and served with a mildly tart marionberry jam.

Note the restaurant does not accept reservations during peak season, June 15 through Sept 15.

Little Brown Hen Cafe

  • Location: 435 Highway 101, Florence, OR 97439

A quaint cafe, the Little Brown Hen Cafe serves breakfast, brunch, and lunch dishes. The homey eatery concocts comfort food that tastes as good as it smells. With delicious food and friendly service, you will feel right at home.

Breakfast offerings consist of eggs Henedict, omelets, egg scrambles, steak and eggs, fluffy biscuits with gravy, plate-sized pancakes, French toast, waffles, and shrimp and grits. The eatery provides fresh seasonal fruit and regularly rotates its specials. 

Recent specials included:

  • Oreo waffles with a cream cheese drizzle
  • Homemade donut holes
  • Pecan-crusted challah bread French toast topped with a Bordeaux compote and drizzled with cream cheese 
  • Eggs in purgatory – two eggs baked in a spicy tomato sauce, topped with feta

Enjoy a cup of hot, locally roasted coffee with your meal. You may prefer a refreshing mimosa or a spicy Bloody Mary. Or, you can opt for tea, juice, or a rich and creamy smoothie.

Their lunch fare includes burgers, sandwiches, fried chicken, and homemade soups.

Everything about the Little Brown Hen Cafe feels like home. It is the perfect way to start your day with a delicious and comforting breakfast or brunch.

Things To Do in Florence, Oregon

The quaint coastal city offers many places to explore and things to do. Visit Heceta Head Lighthouse State Scenic Viewpoint, where you can find the 56-foot-tall namesake beacon. The area offers hiking trails and a sandy beach with tide pools and caves. You can spend an entire afternoon here.

If you enjoy lighthouses, you are in luck. Historic lighthouses dot the Oregon Coast, towering above the rocky shores. Savor the surreal vistas and learn about history during your road trip.

Many consider Florence a coastal playground. If you desire a fun adventure, explore the Oregon Dunes. You can climb the dunes for a workout or take a wild buggy ride that will lift you out of your seat as you careen over the rolling dunes.

Tour the Sea Lion Caves, where you can observe and hear barking sea lions in the caves or on the rocky outcroppings along the shore. Head to Darlingtonia State Natural Site to discover the cobra lily, a carnivorous plant.

A short half-hour drive north takes you to Cape Perpetua State Scenic Area, where you will find natural wonders like Thor’s Well, Devils Churn, and Spouting Horn. This place bursts with beauty and leaves you astounded at God’s handiwork.

When it comes to things to do in Florence, this is just the tip of the iceberg. You will discover secluded beaches, sea stacks, and other alluring places to explore. If you are traveling as a family, check out our guide for 24 things to do in Oregon with kids. The state offers entertaining activities for children of all ages.

Wrap-Up: Restaurants in Florence, Oregon

Although a small, coastal city, Florence packs a punch with beautiful scenery, places to explore, and delicious food. Savor the alluring views, wonderful memories, and delicious food in Florence, Oregon.

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Scott and Julie at Miles with McConkey

Scott And Julie McConkey

After 30 years, Scott and Julie McConkey left the corporate world for a life of travel and adventure. What started as a gap year became a second act, and they are now full-time travel bloggers!
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