COFFEE SHOPS & DINERS Salt Part cafe, part boutique, Salt is a departure from the typical outlet-mall experience. A hip environment leads customers past displays of jewelry and clothing to the back, where you’ll find the counter to order breakfast burritos and bagel sandwiches, as well as yogurt or açaí bowls. If you’re in the mood for a boozy brunch, Salt’s bartenders can whip up a mimosa, too. Located in the Nelscott strip, Left Coast Coffee Co. sells coffee and espresso using its exquisite, freshly roasted beans. You can also purchase a bag to take home or just start your day off right with classic coffee specialties like cappuccinos and lattes. Otis Cafe, the little diner with a big heart, opened in Lincoln City’s Taft neighborhood in 2021 following a destructive fire at the original inland location. Today customers eagerly pack tables at the new spot, which is more than double the size. Any classic breakfast will fill you up for the better part of a day, including the signature original German potatoes: hand-shredded spuds flecked with green onions and smothered in Tillamook white cheddar — a lumberjack-worthy dish. Plenty of coastal restaurants seat customers in front of the ocean, but few immerse you in the quiet beauty of a coniferous forest. In fact, a meal at The Wildflower Grill almost feels like stepping into a Brothers Grimm tale, since it’s a converted cottage on the edge of the woods. While at the beach, it’s hard to bypass Wildflower’s Benedict, where the traditional ham is swapped out for local crab. Colorful plates come out of the kitchen at Nelscott Breakfast House, including sunny eggs Benedicts; huevos rancheros showered in green onion, avocado and bell pepper; and beignets with strawberry garnishes. This is also home of the French toast flight — one Texas, one almond-cornflake coated, one crusted in oats — which should fuel anyone for a day on the beach. ALEX JORDAN (2) EXPLORELINCOLNCITY.COM 27
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTcxMjMwNg==