Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

When the Oregon coast turns cold and gray, rain coming in sheets, there are few better ways to warm the soul than with a creamy bowl of clam chowder.



And the coast has plenty of chowder to choose from. Most restaurants and seafood shacks sell it, and most of it is pretty darn good. But the central coastline has become particularly well-known for its chowder, through both new establishments and historic institutions, all found along a 30-mile stretch of U.S. 101.



Welcome to the chowder belt of the Oregon coast.



You can define the boundaries of the chowder belt as Lincoln City in the north and Newport in the south, with Depoe Bay smack in the middle. Here, most restaurants are on a first-name basis: Gracie's, Georgie's, Gino's, Mo's. I stopped at eight places that are known for their chowder and tried a cup at each place, then sorted them into three categories: the great, the good and the not so good.



It's hard to go wrong in the chowder belt. The chowder at most restaurants is excellent, and the difference here between "good" and "great" is merely a difference of taste. Some restaurants here make bold proclamations about serving "the best clam chowder on the Oregon coast," but those are just words. When we get down to the chowder, it's clear who serves the good stuff.

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WHAT STYLE OF CHOWDER?

Before we dive in, it’s important to discuss what we mean when we talk about clam chowder. On the Oregon coast, it’s almost always of the white, New England variety, made with clams and potatoes. Some include onions or celery, and a few spots top the chowder with a pat of melted butter. Chunks of bacon are traditional in some New England chowder circles, but they remain a rare addition out here.

READ MORE: Winter on the Oregon coast: Discovering the beauty of the off-season

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THE GREAT

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

The Horn Public House

The newest addition to the Chowder Belt, The Horn Public House in Depoe Bay is coming in hot, offering up superb stuff just a few doors down from the legendary Gracie's Sea Hag. The Horn stands out with a great taste and perfect consistency – not too thick, not too soupy. The clams taste fresh, and in my bowl were balanced about 50-50 with the potatoes, a rarity in the field. The pub is also home to Depoe Bay Brewing, which makes a malty red ale that pairs nicely.



Open 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Sunday through Thursday (closed Tuesday), 11 a.m. -9 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 110 S.E. North Coast Highway, Depoe Bay; 541-764-6886; find more information at thehorn.pub.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

Georgie’s Beachside Grill

Georgie's Beachside Grill looks every bit the hotel restaurant that it is – connected to the Hallmark Resort in Newport – but their clam chowder is without a doubt among the very best on the Oregon coast. The incredibly creamy chowder comes with a generous number of chunky clams, cooked perfectly. The restaurant eschews the added pat of butter, and rightly so: Their chowder is creamy and tasty enough on its own.



Open 7:30 a.m.-9 p.m. daily; 744 S.W. Elizabeth St., Newport; 541-265-9800; find more information at georgiesbeachsidegrill.com.

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Courtesy of Hallmark Inns & Resorts

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THE GOOD

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

Gracie’s Sea Hag

Gracie's Sea Hag is one of the most beloved establishments on the central Oregon coast, so it's no surprise their chowder is well-loved, too. Extremely thick and stuffed with well-cooked clams, this flavorful chowder is among the most crave-worthy. It tastes sort of like a 1950s-era recipe – classic, but a little out of date when held up against the competition. Of course, you should never expect a place like Gracie's to change its stripes, so just dig in and enjoy.



Open 7 a.m.-9:30 p.m. daily; 58 Highway 101, Depoe Bay; 541-765-2734; find more information at theseahag.com.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

Blackfish Cafe

Falling somewhere between a casual lunch spot and an upscale restaurant in Lincoln City, Blackfish Cafe serves a full menu of seafood that includes some seriously solid clam chowder. It's bit thinner than some of the others, but the flavor is spot-on, and the clams are cooked perfectly – a good chew, but not too rubbery. After trying a cup of the rich and delicious offering, I wanted to upgrade to a bowl.



Open 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. and 5 p.m. to "close" Wednesday through Sunday; 2733 N.W. U.S. 101, Lincoln City; 541-996-1007; find more information at blackfishcafe.com.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

Ocean Bleu at Gino’s

Ocean Bleu at Gino's is "where the fishermen eat," according to the Newport seafood restaurant, and if that's the case the fishermen are eating well. A heaping cup of creamy chowder comes with a good ratio of clams to potatoes, with a nice flavor. The dockside aesthetic, both inside and out, really adds to the experience as well. It wouldn't be a surprise to see a fisherman plop down beside you.



Open 11 a.m.-8 p.m. daily; 808 S.W. Bay Blvd.; 541-265-2424; find more information at oceanbleuseafoods.com.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

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The Chowder Bowl at Nye Beach

The Chowder Bowl has been around since 1980, serving up chowder alongside a full menu of seafood and American fare inside their Nye Beach storefront in Newport. Their creamy clam chowder comes with a lot of well-cooked clams and a pat of butter melted on top. It isn't the most flavorful (the dominant flavor comes from that pat of butter) and the potatoes in my cup were falling apart, but overall it's a consistently solid choice.



Open 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, 11 a.m. -9 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 728 N.W. Beach Drive, Newport; 541-265-7477; find more information at newportchowderbowl.com.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

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THE NOT SO GOOD

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

Dory Cove

Dory Cove in Lincoln City proudly proclaims to serve the Oregon coast's best clam chowder, but compared to others it just can't keep up. The flavor is actually pretty good, but it's somehow even thicker than the chowder at Gracie's, and my cup was criminally light on clams. Dory Cove is also the only restaurant of the eight here that puts pieces of bacon in their chowder – that might be a plus for some, but as the other chowders demonstrate, it's an entirely unnecessary inclusion.



Open 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, 8 a.m.-9 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 2891 S.W. Highway 101, Lincoln City; 541-557-4000; find more information at dorycove.com.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

Mo’s Original

With all due respect to Mo's Seafood and Chowder – the Oregon coast's original seafood chain, which opened in 1946 and has since expanded to eight locations – their clam chowder just doesn't match the billing. I tried the "world famous" chowder at Mo's Original in Newport, where it was served spilling over the brim of the cup as if it were a decadent indulgence, complete with a giant pat of butter. The chowder itself wasn't creamy at all, but sort of lumpy, like it was made with instant mashed potatoes. The clams themselves were rubbery and required a good chew. It might be that Mo's is just old-fashioned and that our chowder tastes have evolved since the '40s, but if that's the case it might behoove the chain to update its recipe.



Mo's Original is open (winter hours) 11 a.m. -8 p.m. Sunday-Friday, 11 a.m. -9 p.m. Saturday; 622 S.W. Bay Blvd.; 541-265-2979; find more information at moschowder.com

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

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--Jamie Hale | jhale@oregonian.com | @HaleJamesB



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