Imagine enjoying breakfast, lunch and dinner beachside as a warm salty breeze gently tickles your face through an open-air, covered complex. Summer is here and life is good. Welcome to Coast-AL, a picturesque dining experience in Orange Beach.
Coast-AL is Orange Beach’s only beachfront restaurant, the result of a partnership between the City of Orange Beach and co-owners John McInnis and Cameron Price, also co-owners of the Flora-Bama and The Orange Beach Store across the street. “The way the city is laid out, most of the land that sits on the beach is residential,” says McInnis. “We saw the property and thought it would be a beautiful spot for a restaurant. So, we went to the city of Orange Beach, and we bought half the land and they bought the other half.” First came the beach bar, which opened in December of 2022. The main restaurant wasn’t far behind, opening last May.
The expansive restaurant allows for diners to customize their experience, whether they choose to sit on the covered porch, inside or at the bar. The wall above the booths is decorated with vintage pictures of the area, lending a sense of nostalgia. Jolly Roger flags hang from the ceiling, emblazoned with “No Shoes Nation” as a variety of customers mingle, echoing the laissez-faire attitude that comes with the surf-and-sand lifestyle. “We have everyone here, from people coming in bikinis and board shorts from the beach to people who dress up and come out for a fancy dinner,” says Price. “It literally runs the gamut, but everyone is welcome at all times.”
The food is just as wide-ranging as those who enjoy it, featuring anything from lighter bites to indulgent entrees across the all-day breakfast, lunch and dinner menus. Health-conscious yogurt bowls topped with fresh fruit and dried coconut mingle with enormous pastries and stuffed French toast to start the day. Lunch encompasses burgers, sandwiches, salads and oysters available in a variety of styles. Dinner is the most expansive of the menus, with gumbo, fresh fish, crab cakes, pasta and even filet mignon.
At its heart, though, Coast-AL is a casual dining establishment. The restaurant is not only a joy for beachgoers and vacationers but also keeps a focus on the local community, hosting events for area schools and giving locals a place to eat and relax on the beach. “At the end of the day, you have what I feel like is the best use of the property,” says Price. “With Coast-AL, you get the best of both worlds where you have the city beach but when you want a cocktail or something casual to eat, this is the place to do it.”
Left to right Blackened Grouper Sandwich and Asian Tuna Salad
On the Menu
Asian Tuna Salad
Asian dressing drizzles over mixed greens, cucumbers, tomatoes, red peppers, edamame and mandarin oranges. Seared sesame yellowfin tuna and crispy noodles top it all off.
Blackened Grouper Sandwich
Light yet filling, this sandwich combines a fresh fish filet, blackened just right, with coastal coleslaw and made-from-scratch tartar sauce and served with your choice of pasta salad, fruit or homestyle breakfast potatoes.
The Beachbody
Creamy vanilla yogurt is sprinkled with sweet baked granola, mixed fresh fruit and berries and dried coconut
for a tropical, healthy start to the day.
Stuffed Blueberry French Toast
Bring your appetite for this one. Thick-cut, fluffy challah bread is stuffed with a generous dose of cream cheese, fresh blueberries and berry compote to create a breakfast that can also double as dessert.
Cinnamon Bun
It doesn’t get much sweeter than a fluffy cinnamon bun topped with homemade caramel icing. This soon-to-be- famous pastry is so enormous that college students have been known to take bets on who can finish the entire thing.
Coast-AL • 25722 Perdido Beach Blvd., Orange Beach • 240-6001 • Sun – Sat 8 a.m. – 10 p.m.
