I spent the previous weekend in Astoria, OR. One of my favorite places in Oregon to visit. It’s got everything, super scenic river and ocean views, great access to nature, and the best breweries and brewpubs in Oregon, especially per capita! Especially since Breakside opened an outpost recently. There is Breakside, Buoy and Fort George all within a few blocks of each other, and Rogue down the pier. There are plenty other smaller ones as well, like Obelisk which I checked out. The town is really a destination spot for beer lovers. I visited Breakside at golden hour and sat outside and enjoyed some food and beers. Above is their Belgian White. Was very tasty and refreshing and paired well with their ceviche, pictured below.

My aim is always to eat as much seafood as possible when I’m out at the coast. Their ceviche was good and unique. Large hunks of fish and seafood marinated in a slightly spicy chile and citrus juice mix, with a lot of cilantro and avocado. Perfect snack/light meal. Breakside is going a different route with their pub menu than their Portland locations, as well as other coastal brewpubs. They are focusing on lighter, seafood based fare. No burgers and sandwiches, which of course you can get next door at Fort George and Buoy. I only got this one thing, but the menu looked solid. Oysters, shrimp cocktails, lobster rolls are on the menu. Definitely worth a visit, also it’s a lot less crowded than Fort George next door.

My first stop in town was Buoy (as always). It’s tragic that their former location fell into the river, I’m really hoping they rebuild on the iconic waterfront. For now they are posted a few blocks away. It was super busy and there was a solid wait to both order and get food. Finally managed to snag an outdoor spot and enjoyed sitting in the sun and people watching. They had a salmon BLT which sounded interesting, and in all my sandwich eating days I have never come across. It was solid, it could have been executed better though. A bit of grill and butter on that bread would’ve made a big difference. I’m cutting them some slack though since they are in a temporary spot and all.

Other things eaten (but not documented here) were: salmon fish and chips at Rogue and arugula salad and clam chowder at Fort George. I love salmon, but am convinced it is not served best as a vehicle for fish and chips. Too delicate and doesn’t crisp up like the white fishes (rockfish, cod and halibut). Halibut remains my fave. Then final dinner at Fort George I had gotten “fried” out and needed a salad (arugula, bacon, pecorino), not bad for a pub salad served with a cup of chowder, which was solid as well. I haven’t gotten the pizza upstairs before, but Fort George seems to be more of a beer destination then a food one. The food is fairly standard pub fare. All in all a great trip with some good food and great beer. If you have never been to Astoria, I highly recommend it!