A top destination for these seasonal favorites is Newport — specifically Rogue Ales Public House on the historic bayfront.

While the bayfront isn’t really a beach, it’s a classic beach town — a perfect blend of kitschy (Ripley’s Believe It or Not and a wax museum), classy (galleries and upscale shops) and working (commercial fish-processing plants).

Tucked amidst all this, the brew pub serves up award-winning beers and what the menu dubs "the world’s greatest hamburger."

Sandwiches, salads and pizza round out the better-than-average pub grub options, and, because a trip to the coast should include seafood, the pub shines here, too.

I had looked forward to starting my meal with ale-steamed clams ($11.50), a garlicky dish of clams cooked in a rich broth featuring the brewery’s honey-cream ale. Alas, this delicious appetizer I had enjoyed on a previous visit was sold out this time.

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No matter, Yaquina Bay is known for oysters, so starting with oyster shooters ($3.95) was an excellent choice. These briny bits were plump, firm and bathed in a tangy cocktail sauce spiked with chipotle ale. (Yes, these rogues make a brew with chilies in it. Spicy and smoky, it won’t cool your palate after nachos, but it’s an interesting addition to this sauce.)

This being a brew pub, beer pops up in all sorts of menu offerings, even dessert. Beer floats, anyone?

My husband and I decided to sample a cup of beer cheese soup ($3.75) made with Rogue’s Dead Guy Ale and served with a crusty slice of bread baked on site with Hazelnut Brown Nectar Ale.

The ale’s malts add heartiness to the vegetarian soup, while its hops provide an herbal bitterness that’s a perfect counterpoint to the cheesy richness.

The burger that Rogue Ales bills as the world’s greatest is American Kobe beef, a hybrid of an exclusive Japanese breed and American Angus raised with special care by Snake River Farms near Boise, Idaho. My husband had to have it, topped with white cheddar from Central Point’s Rogue Creamery.

A $12.75 cheeseburger ought to be far from ordinary, and this one was worth every penny.

The half-pound patty was tender, moist and not at all greasy. A crisp leaf of romaine, a slice of juicy tomato and slivers of onion on the bun made the condiments served on the side completely unnecessary.

While the menu touts St. Rogue Red — a roasty, copper-colored brew with a bright hop finish — as the perfect match for this meat, my partner went with Rogue’s Brutal Bitter, an intense golden brew with loads of hoppiness. It was, he said, "arguably the best beer and burger in the country."

Looking for something a little lighter than all that prime-plus beef, I had popcorn shrimp — succulent rock shrimp fried in a batter flavorfully flecked with dill ($10.95).

An accompanying cup of coleslaw had a creamy dressing that lacked the typical vinegary taste but got plenty of kick from ample black pepper. An Oregon Golden Ale paired perfectly with my meal.

Fresh-cut fries came with both the burger and shrimp.

If you favor local businesses, the brewery got its start in Ashland in 1988 and opened in Newport the next year.

The 1997 flood washed it out of this valley, but its brew pubs have sprung up from San Francisco to Issaquah, Wash.

Newport’s bayfront location includes a casino and pool room, as well as vacation rentals upstairs. The dining room welcomes families.

Rogue Ales Public House is located at 748 SW Bay Blvd., Newport, Ore. Call 541-265-3188. The pub opens daily at 11 a.m.

— Anita Burke