Craving a vegan chili dog after a day on the beach or a gluten-free pepperoni pizza after playing arcade games with the kiddos at Funland? No matter your palate and dietary restrictions, Seaside’s thoughtful chefs have options for most visitors. Here are some scrumptious top dishes for plant-based and gluten-free dining at popular restaurants in town. 

Gluten-Free Breakfasts, Pizza and Corn Dogs 

Gluten-sensitive visitors are in luck, as Seaside offers a number of options. Just keep in mind that folks with food allergies should always verify food-preparation methods directly with the restaurant before you order, as most don’t have separate facilities. 

Tucked inside the Best Western Plus Ocean View Resort and right off the Prom­, Ocean Café & Bar offers the option of gluten-free bread and vegan butter in all its dishes. Begin the day with a Beachcomber breakfast sandwich with scrambled eggs, applewood bacon and cheddar — or try the smashed avocado toast with arugula. 

The Pig ’N Pancake is practically an Oregon institution, and it got its start right here in Seaside in 1961. The vast menu includes wheat-free seafood specialties like cheesy Dungeness crab omelets and gluten-free homemade pancakes. You can also request a gluten-free bun or bread for any burger or sandwich combo that catches your eye.

Nothing hits the spot like a piping-hot pizza after a blustery day on the beach, and Pizza a’fetta makes the dream real for the gluten-intolerant. Every pie on the extensive menu can be made with fresh gluten-free crust. Vegans will also love the herb artichoke pizza with kalamata olives, and another with garlic and spinach, both available with gooey vegan mozzarella. 

Seaside Slushies & Dogs is a laid-back beachy spot that uses a dedicated gluten-free fryer for its hand-dipped foot-long corn dogs and Ronnie Dogs — corn dogs filled with chili, cheese and onions. Add a gluten-free bun and it’s a wrap. The Chicago Dog is also a vegan fave; it’s a plant-based hot dog loaded with relish and pepperoncini. 

Vegan Delights From Sushi to Burritos

Globally inspired dishes perk up the menu at the Osprey Café, and the restaurant serves some creative vegan dishes. Try the Ocean Vista breakfast hash with sweet potatoes or the veggie brown-rice bowl with chimichurri sauce. The gluten-free arepas — cheesy cornmeal cakes with crisp exteriors that have origins in South America — are also a hit.

Tora Sushi Lounge in the heart of downtown Seaside is a sp­­acious spot that offers many fish-free vegan options. Start with the crispy agedashi tofu garnished with grated daikon radish, move on to the asparagus avocado roll, and finish with a tempura banana that’s crunchy on the outside and creamy on the inside. The menu also includes a dedicated gluten-free section, including specialty sushi rolls like the Doug & Kathy, with double the spicy salmon.

North Seaside’s The Noodle House has an array of vegan options, including a vegan pho with tofu and veggies that will warm you from the inside, plus avocado salad rolls with vegan peanut sauce (made without fish sauce) and a Vietnamese-inspired grilled-tofu banh mi sandwich. Gluten-free options are plentiful as well; try the seafood tom yum soup with rice noodles.

For a vegan Mexican fix in a pinch, Los Tacos Locos’ drive-through serves a savory zucchini burrito loaded with veggies and lard-free beans — just hold the cheese and sour cream. Its tasty street-style tacos are all made on gluten-free corn tortillas, as well.

Other Plant-Based and Low-Carb Specialties

For an unforgettable low-carb and/or gluten-free seafood meal, the “No Mo Gluten” menu at Mo’s Seafood & Chowder highlights many of the dishes that have made this Oregon Coast seafood chain famous. Enjoy a generous heap of fresh Oregon shrimp on its Bay Shrimp Louie salad, and bouillabaisse stew chock-full of Yaquina Bay oysters, crab legs, shrimp, salmon, cod and clams.

Healthy eaters on the go, rejoice! At Prep Kitchen in Gearhart, an upscale takeaway deli and market just north of Seaside, everything is made from scratch with minimal preservatives. For breakfast in your vacation rental, stock up on vegan orange cranberry overnight oats with chia seeds and oat milk, or pack your picnic basket with a vegan roasted eggplant and pepper melt and a hearty house salad with sunflower seeds and candied walnuts. Call to see if the gluten-free focaccia is available for snacking on the road.