Catalyst Seafood 72 VISITTHEOREGONCOAST.COM WILD RIVERS COAST FOOD TRAIL The Southern Coast offers great seafood, but try the region’s other specialties. Stop into the Peters’ Cranberries farm stand near Cape Blanco for fresh, sustainably grown cranberries, as well as jams and berry vinegar. You can also sip cranberry rum at Stillwagon Distillery and cranberry cider at Bandon Rain. You may find local blueberries or beautiful cheeses for your beach picnic at Bandon Farmers & Artisan Market at The Warehouse or Coos Head Food Co-op in Coos Bay. A loaf of sourdough or hand-laminated pastries from Leavened Bakery in Gold Beach will hit the spot on a road trip. It’s not a trip to the Coast without seafood, and you can buy yours straight from the hands that caught it at local seafood markets in Coos Bay, Charleston, Bandon, Brookings-Harbor, Port Orford and Gold Beach. To taste the region through its ingredients in the hands of its chefs, try the pan-seared scallops at Port Orford’s Redfish. Visit WRCFoodTrail.com for more information and to discover more local culinary specialties. TRAVEL OREGON CASUAL BITES In Reedsport Kismet’s Landing serves a crowd-pleasing menu of steaks, seafood and sushi rolls. The tuna sandwiches at Blue Box Seafood Company in Winchester Bay are made with albacore caught directly offshore. In Coos Bay, cozy up with a curry at Himalayan Restaurant & Bar, or opt for fresh fish and chips at Fishermen’s Seafood Market under the Coos Bay boardwalk. Rubber boots are definitely allowed at Clausen Oysters in North Bend, the largest oyster farm in the state. Choose a bottle of local pinot gris from its cooler, then order a dozen freshly shucked oysters served with blackberry mignonette. Spring through fall, follow your nose to Persephone Cafe & Bakery in Charleston, which mills its own wheat to make fresh sourdough bread, pastries and cookies. Bandon Fish Market on Bandon’s Old Town Waterfront is locally famous for its deliciously crispy fish and chips. From April to November, visit the Bandon Old Town Marketplace Farmers Market, the largest indoor farmers market in Oregon. Farm & Sea — a market stocking local fish, meat and produce plus coffee and pastries — is open year-round. Face Rock Creamery makes amazing cheddars, like the Vampire Slayer for true garlic lovers. For breakfast in Port Orford, get biscuits and gravy at Cafe 2.0 or smoothies and a breakfast sandwich at Golden Harvest Herban Farm and Bakery. Fish and chips are an institution at The Crazy Norwegian’s (you can also get your fried fish fixed as a taco). In Gold Beach, breakfast with Rogue River views can’t be beat at Indian Creek Cafe. The menu changes every week at The Bearded Chef, which serves tasty options for vegans, vegetarians and omnivores. Brisket, tri-tip and ribs are the main attraction at Gold Beach BBQ. In Brookings try Catalyst Seafood for fish caught by local fishing families or Zola’s on the Water for woodfired pizza with views of the port boat launch. CHEERS! More than a dozen rotating taps plus pizza, burgers and live music make 7 Devils Brewery and Public House a Coos Bay community hub. A second location, the Waterfront Ale House, serves up views of the bay and walls hung with pieces by local artists. Fancy a game of pool? Head for the laid-back Up the Creek Tavern in Lakeside. Taste several different rums — including one featuring locally grown cranberries — at Stillwagon Distillery’s tasting rooms in Bandon and Reedsport. Bandon Rain also uses local cranberries in its ciders. You’ll find guided tastings in a cozy space at Arch Rock Brewing Co. in Gold Beach. In Brookings Chetco Brewing Company and Misty Mountain Brewing and Tap Haus are among the craft brewers making waves in town. Oxenfrē Public House also has a full bar complete with rotating taps and an extensive beer bottle list. Wine lovers should head for the Augustino Estate tasting room in Harbor. OUTDOORS CYCLING Whether you’re tackling single-track trails, quiet backroads or even the shore itself, you’ll find no shortage of epic bike rides on the South Coast. The mixed-use Hundred Acre Wood trails at the edge of Coquille offer a mix of beginner-friendly cross-country loops and more technical challenges geared toward expert riders. South of Coos Bay, the growing Whiskey Run system comprises 32 miles (51 km) of forested riding across more than 60 trails. Locals love this trail network for its gentle ascents, rolling trails and swooping descents through stands of evergreens. Shuttles to local trails and guided trips are available via local outfitter South Coast Tours. Explore local logging history, enjoy plenty of solitude and savor Pacific Ocean views along the 45-mile (72-km) Bombsite gravel
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