9 Best Restaurants in Orcas Island, The San Juan Islands

Most of the tables in this warmly rustic dining room at Doe Bay Resort overlook the tranquil body of water for which the café is named. This is a popular stop for brunch or dinner before or after hiking or biking in nearby Moran State Park—starting your day off with a smoked-salmon Benedict with Calabrian-chili hollandaise will provide you with plenty of fuel for recreation. The kitchen uses ingredients foraged from the lush resort garden in such artful, healthy dinner creations as crisp-skinned wild salmon with onion-port jam, dandelion greens, salsify-chevre-quinoa cakes, and walnuts; and Thai green curry with local spot prawns.

You might make it a point to get to this wildly popular village bakery by late morning—come midafternoon, many of the best treats are sold out. Delectables here include flaky almond-coated bear paw pastries, rich croque monsieur sandwiches, hubcap-size "Sasquatch" cookies, Tuscan olive bread, and moist blueberry muffins. Dine on the garden patio on sunny days.

The restaurant at this stylish, contemporary inn just a mile from Eastsound offers among the most memorable dining experiences on the island. Tucked into a renovated 1869 farmhouse, the dining room and bar serve food that emphasizes local, seasonal ingredients. Island greens, fruits, and seafood are served alongside a regionally focused wine list, and the results are spectacular. Notable dishes include sea scallops with bacon-potato hash and lemon aioli, and local roasted pork with creamy garlic farro, sweet onions, rhubarb, and wilted greens. Even the bread is memorable; the restaurant serves house-made sourdough from a starter that's more than 100 years old.

Situated on the Eastsound waterfront, this pub-style eatery serves classic Northwest cuisine: pan-fried local oysters, Dungeness crab cakes, Angus beef burgers, and grilled wild Coho salmon. But what really stands out here is the atmosphere. A vaulted ceiling with exposed wooden beams gives the little space some serious personality, a small patio is ideal during warm summer nights, and a rotating cast of microbrews on tap complement the restaurant's spectacular water views.

For a special-occasion dinner, it's worth the drive to this grandly romantic dining room inside the historic main inn at Rosario Resort, known for polished service, sweeping bay views, and Northwest cuisine. The dishes are more classic than creative, like king salmon with risotto and a seared strip steak with potatoes au gratin, but made with high-quality ingredients (some sources are listed on the menu). Brunch is served daily, as well.

A recent Orcas Island addition, Matia has already garnered national accolades for its outstanding seasonal cuisine that focuses on local ingredients, creative flavor combinations, and artistic presentation. Many of the dishes are vegetable-focused, such as an ancient grain panisse with mushrooms and carrot dumplings with pumpkin-seed pesto, but you'll also find options like a lamb pancake with gochujang creamed cabbage and king salmon with apricot confit and Szechuan chili crisp. Set in a cozy dining room with a stone-clad fireplace, the vibe at Matia is polished but casual and advance reservations are a must. If you can't nab a dinner time, they also have a patio with first-come-first-served seating only—it's truly worth the wait.

A bustling family-friendly Mexican restaurant with a cozy dining room and a sprawling shaded garden patio is helmed by Raul Rios, who learned to cook during his years growing up outside Mexico City. The flavorful food here isn't entirely authentic—expect a mix of Mexican and Mexican-American dishes, many featuring local ingredients. The tender braised short ribs in blackberry mole sauce and red-snapper tacos are justly popular, and there's a good selection of margaritas and beers, too.

Inspired by the owners' culinary dream visit to Rome, Monti stands out for its authentic homemade pastas made with primo ingredients. The menu also features a small handful of main dishes like whole trout and a pork chop. Monti also serves as a market and wine shop.

A charming small café with bountiful planters of flowers and artsy touches like a gorgeous forest-scene stained glass window, the relatively new Olga Rising has become a neighborhood fixture quickly. (Note: Despite the name, it's in Eastbound, not the tiny hamlet of Olga.)