Lunch on the Lighter Side at Gulf Shores, Orange Beach Restaurants

Warm summer temperatures fire up the cravings for lighter lunch fare that's packed with flavor, but easy on the calories. The Alabama Gulf Coast is known for decadent dishes, but you can also have coastal fare on the lighter side.

• Motor down to the Homeport Marina in Gulf Shores and catch one of the Big Ole Salads at LuLu's, featuring grilled or blackened chicken, shrimp or mahi mahi. Roasted pumpkin seeds, cucumbers, tomatoes, radishes, yellow bell peppers and carrots provide a good daily dose of veggies. Peel & Eat Shrimp and Mahi Tacos are also good options when you're dining on the lighter side.
• Grilled chicken or shrimp salads are a fresh option for lunch at Bahama Bob's Beach Side Café on West Beach Boulevard in Gulf Shores.
• Fresh-made broccoli salad, chicken salad and greens and veggies aplenty dot the salad bar at Wolf Bay Lodge in Orange Beach and nearby Foley. Get a salad bar with your meal or have it as the main event. Try Broiled Flounder prepared Ono-style with a tropical topping of peach, pineapple, cilantro and lump blue crab meat, paired with sautéed vegetables and a salad for a high-protein, high-fiber meal that's as delicious as it is good for you.
• Head over to the Island Wing Co. on Alabama Highway 59 South to try some of their baked wings with a variety of sauces. The Jahmon Jerk Taco filled with grilled chicken and finished with pineapple pico and Magic Jerk sauce served atop cool cabbage is a delicious way to keep your diet promises while not sacrificing flavor. You can get your greens fix here with a Buffalo Chicken Salad or the Funky Jerk Salad brimming with grilled chicken, diced pineapple, avocado and greens tossed in a tangy mango curry vinaigrette.
• Can't decide how you like your salad dressed? The salad bar at the Original Oyster House features options of brightly colored goodness with potato salad, proteins and more. Pair the salad bar with a cup or bowl of seafood gumbo or some peel-and-eat shrimp for a meal that hits all of the high points without leaving you feeling sluggish.
• Cosmo's Restaurant and Bar in Orange Beach touts its food as “far from ordinary.” Lunch choices are fresh and savory – such as the Sesame Seared Tuna served over a bed of greens and topped with dried cranberries, toasted sunflower seeds and crispy noodles in a ginger soy vinaigrette. Try the Roasted Red Pepper Caesar Salad or the Salmon Salad for a change of pace that will have your taste buds dancing to a brand new tune.

Almost any Gulf Shores or Orange Beach restaurant offers its seafood grilled, blackened, steamed or broiled, making light options easy to find and even easier to devour. Check our restaurant directory for additional options. Follow Gulf Shores Orange Beach's board Gulf Shores Dining on Pinterest.