5 Best Restaurants in Vancouver Island, British Columbia

Auntie Pesto's

$$$$

Fresh local ingredients and made-from-scratch fare keep regulars and visitors well fed at this family-run spot on Ganges' waterfront boardwalk. Here chef Shawn Walton takes it up a notch with, for example, duck confit with pear-and-Gorgonzola ravioli, or beef tenderloin with port demi-glace. The art-filled interior is welcoming, and on warm evenings the marina-view patio is positively romantic.

Modern Canadian Dinner $$$$
2104–115 Fulford Ganges Rd., British Columbia, V8K 2T9, Canada
250-537–4181
www.auntiepestos.com
Known For
  • local ingredients
  • seasonal fare
  • waterfront location
Restaurants Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues. No lunch

House Piccolo

$$$$
Piccolo Lyytikainen, the Finnish-born chef-owner of this tiny restaurant in a quaint village house, serves beautifully prepared and presented European cuisine. Creations include Scandinavian-influenced dishes such as BC venison with a juniper-and-lingonberry demi-glace and charbroiled fillet of beef with Gorgonzola sauce. For dessert, the chocolate terrine Finlandia and vodka-moistened lingonberry crepes are hard to resist. The 250-item wine list includes many hard-to-find vintages. The indoor tables are cozy and candlelit; the outdoor patio is a pleasant summer dining spot.
European Dinner $$$$
108 Hereford Ave., British Columbia, V8K 2T4, Canada
250-537–1844
www.housepiccolo.com
Known For
  • fine dining
  • Scandinavian-influenced cuisine
  • extensive wine list
Restaurants Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sat. and Sun.

Rock Salt Restaurant & Café

$$$
You can watch the ferry coming across the harbor from the sea-view windows of this Fulford Harbour eatery. Wholesome goodies run the gamut from slow-baked ribs to seafood curries to much-loved yam quesadillas. The made-from-scratch breakfasts are worth getting up early for, and the take-out counter offers provisions for your onward journey.

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Salt Spring Coffee

$

The Ganges location of this popular local organic coffee, which is sold all around Vancouver Island and Vancouver, is the flagship café and roastery where it all began in 1996. Stop by for an organic brew and tasty treat. A bag of their fair trade coffee also makes a thoughtful gift to bring home.

Café Quick Bite $
109-109 McPhillips Ave., British Columbia, V8K 2T6, Canada
250-537–0825
www.saltspringcoffee.com
Known For
  • organic fair trade coffee
  • local favorite
  • family-owned and operated for 25 years

The Tree House Café

$$$
Gulf Island charm flourishes at this Ganges outdoor café, where handmade wooden booths are gathered under a spreading plum tree so you can sit and hear live music playing every summer night. Visitors and locals flock here for big wholesome breakfasts (think French toast with real maple syrup) and made-from-scratch burgers, wraps, and quesadillas. It's all yummy, but favorites include the lamb burger, the Thai green curry, and the butternut squash stew. On summer evenings, grab a table early as this is the place to be.