Manzanita coffee is a small scene, and that's the appeal. There's no drive-through, no chain, and no line that snakes out the door unless it's a holiday weekend and everyone forgot to make breakfast. There is, however, very good coffee within a five-minute walk of the sand, and a couple of bakeries that will ruin grocery store bread for you. Here's where we go.
Laneda Avenue is the whole map
Manzanita is basically one main street, Laneda Avenue, running from Highway 101 straight down to the beach. Almost everything on this list is on it or a block off it. From Puffin Lane you can walk to coffee, walk to the beach, and walk home without touching the car. That is not a small thing when the parking on a sunny Saturday fills by 11.
Almost every coffee spot in town has outdoor seating and a water bowl out front, and Manzanita is one of the friendliest towns for dogs on the entire coast.
Manzanita Coffee Co.
This is the daily-driver coffee shop. Good espresso, drip that isn't an afterthought, and a case of pastries and breakfast items that turns over fast. It's the kind of place where the locals with the muddy dogs and the visitors in new rain jackets share a bench outside. Mornings between 8 and 10 are busiest. If you want a quiet cup and a table, go at 7 or after 10:30.
Our order: a cortado and whatever scone is closest to warm. Take it two blocks down to the beach and drink it watching the fog decide what it's doing.
Manzanita News & Espresso
Part newsstand, part coffee bar, fully a Manzanita institution. This is where you buy the paper, a magazine you didn't know you wanted, and a latte, then stand outside and talk to strangers about the weather. It's smaller and a little slower-paced than the coffee company, which is exactly why some people prefer it. Also a reliable spot for a quick pastry when the bakery is out.
Bread and Ocean
The bakery. Bread and Ocean does European-style breads, morning pastries, and a lunch menu of sandwiches and salads that's worth planning around. Their croissants and cinnamon rolls disappear early, and by early we mean go before 10 on weekends. Grab a loaf for the house while you're there. It's the best bread on this stretch of the coast and it makes a big difference to the "we'll just do sandwiches on the beach" plan.
Fair warning: hours shift by season and they take a mid-week break in the off-season some years. Check before you make it the center of your morning.
Breakfast beyond the pastry case
If you want eggs and a real sit-down, Yolk on Laneda is the breakfast spot. Expect a wait on weekends and a menu that leans creative. Big Wave Cafe, up near 101, is the diner-style option with big portions and easy parking, good for the group that doesn't want to walk yet. For a quick bite with your coffee, the deli case at Manzanita Grocery also does a solid breakfast sandwich.
The Nehalem detour: Wanda's
Two miles down 101 in Nehalem is Wanda's Cafe and Bakery, and people drive from Cannon Beach for it. Homey, busy, cinnamon rolls the size of a fist, and a breakfast menu that will make you want a nap. Weekends are packed. Go on a weekday, or put your name in and walk down to the Nehalem riverfront while you wait. Combine it with a paddle or a bike ride at Nehalem Bay State Park and you've got a full morning.
A morning that works
- 7:30: Coffee at Manzanita Coffee Co. or News & Espresso, dog in tow.
- 8:00: Walk the beach north toward Neahkahnie while the sand is empty.
- 9:30: Bread and Ocean for pastries and a loaf for later.
- 10:30: Back to the house. Hot tub or second coffee on the deck, your call.
The rest of the day, whether that's Neahkahnie Mountain, Short Sand Beach, or just more sand, is on our Manzanita things-to-do page. If you're planning a longer stay and want a house where all of this is a walk away, our Manzanita rentals page has the details.
One last thing. Every one of our homes has a coffee maker and we leave a starter bag of beans. Use it on the day you sleep in. The other mornings, walk to town. That's the whole point of Manzanita.