Bayside Café, Dining Beside the Marina

By Donna | August 22, 2019

Where is the best spot in Morro Bay for lunch? If you ask a local, chances are that you will hear Bayside Café.

This down-home hotspot is a favorite for San Luis Obispo County residents and is hard to beat, with its fine, yet leisurely dining, including a spectacular view of the Marina. Bayside Cafe is family-operated and has been cranking out great food for over 30 years. There’s something for everyone on the menu, from farm fresh to deep-fried foods.

The restaurant is tucked away a short distance from Morro Bay State Park campground. There’s a kayak rental shack, museum, and a bird-rich peninsula trail, all within one hundred feet, making this the perfect spot to eat before or after any of these adventures.

Once you arrive, you’ll find plentiful parking and many home-town smiles accompanied by furry friends. That’s right, another huge perk about eating here, is that the wonderful outdoor area is pet-friendly, so you can include the whole family. The customer service will have you feeling good and your dog feeling like a prince/princess.

You can’t go wrong with anything on the menu.

The house-made green chili soup is fantastic and the clam chowder holds up as some of the best around.On a recent visit with my girlfriend, I ordered the salmon sandwich. The salmon was huge and cooked to perfection! I ordered mine with caramelized onions, but the fresh tartar sauce and toppings that it comes with is all it needs. My girlfriend ordered the fish and chips, which was delicious.

Make sure you go hungry enough for large portions and leave enough room to order dessert.

The Bayside has amazing Tres Leches Cake. This cake has rum-soaked, Central-American sweet cream, with orange peel in the cream cheese frosting that’s added on top.On Mondays-Wednesdays, they’re open during lunch time and Thursday-Sunday they’re open for dinner.

The Bayside Café is always a crowd pleaser and a true hidden gem on the Central Coast.