The Pismo Clam was named for our long, wide beach where so many were once found. Can you believe that clams were once in such abundance that they were harvested with plows? Thousands converged on Pismo Beach during low tides to dig for the coveted mollusks. Clamming is still legal with certain restrictions due to over-harvesting by humans and being a favorite food of the protected sea otter.  Pismo Beach adopted the motto "Clam Capital of the World" in the 1950s and still holds the Pismo Beach Clam Festival every October, complete with a clam-themed parade and clam chowder competitions. As you enter Pismo Beach at the southern end of Price Street, visitors are greeted by a huge concrete clam and Pismo Beach Surf Shop, the oldest surf shop on the Central Coast. Additionally, an eight-inch Pismo Clam shell (Tivela stultorum) is on display at the Pismo Beach Chamber of Commerce.

While digging for clams on the beach is now limited (there are size and quantity limits), you can still get a taste of the sea at the annual Pismo Beach Clam Festival or at a casual eatery like Splash Café. This order-at-the-counter restaurant in Downtown Pismo Beach serves more than 30,000 gallons of clam chowder every year in sourdough bread bowls, a delicious to-go container for your feast. Additionally, here are just some of the top seafood restaurants in Pismo Beach for your culinary pleasure:

All of our excellent seafood restaurants welcome you to Pismo Beach! We look forward to dining with you soon.