Rainy Day on the Coast Calls for a Bowl of Clam Chowder

If there’s ever a comfort food served up along Half Moon Bay’s coastline on a dreary damp rainy day like today, it’s clam chowder.

Whether it’s New England style with a milk- or cream-based recipe that's been around since the mid-18th century, or Manhattan style with its clear broth plus tomato, a traditional part of Portuguese cuisine, Half Moon Bay’s restaurants all have their own version of the traditional soup known for its comforting blend of clams, broth and potatoes.

Many of the area’s restaurants claim to have their own unique chowders and recipes for fish and clam chowders that, while not falling into traditional categories, nevertheless are veritable chowders themselves, many with excellent original creations and some even surpassing the famous original recipes.

Here’s how a few of the Coastside’s restaurants serve up an old classic.

is perhaps the most hearty and original with its take on the traditional recipe. There is no cream or milk used in Barbara's Fishtrap's recipe. The consistency is surprisingly thick and creamy and reminiscent of a New England style chowder, but feels and tastes like a healthier version. Chock full of potatoes, celery, onions, and clams and seasoned with a mild blend of herbs, this excellent clam chowder deserves recognition on any day regardless of the weather outside.

“We make three pots a day in a giant pot that you’d use for making cioppino,” said Barbara’s Fishtrap waitress Jeanie Stratis. “Thicken with flour and margarine, one cup of our chowder is less than 100 calories and it tastes really, really good.”

is unique in that it’s one of the only places around that offers both New England and Manhattan style clam chowder on their menu. Though both are popular—especially in the Northeast—only one usually will be served at a restaurant. This is not the case at Sam’s.

The New England clam chowder is made in the traditional New England style, with clam broth, cream, clams, potatoes, smoked bacon, onion and thyme. The Manhattan style is a tomato-based little neck clam chowder with potatoes, vegetables, and herbs, both served with sourdough and oyster crackers on the side.

Ketch Joanne also offers both homemade New England and Manhattan style chowders on their menu. Since Joanne is a second generation Italian-Portuguese American, it's no wonder the restaurant is best known for its Portuguese version of clam chowder with a tomato stew-like base. Bread is served on the side.

’s version of clam chowder is without a doubt a classy one. It’s New England style with a rich creamy base and clams, but enhanced with Dungeness crab and shrimp and laced with a decadent splash of sherry.

For those looking for the San Francisco standby of clam chowder in a sourdough bread bowl, look no further than the . The house-made clam chowder here is rich and creamy boasting large pieces of clams simmered with seasonal vegetables, bacon and aromatic spices.

also serves up their award-winning clam chowder in a bread bowl. Many locals find this version of New England clam chowder, with a traditional recipe, rich and creamy flavor and big chunks of clams, some of the best on the coast.