Searching for the top Salt Spring Island restaurants? You’ve arrived to the correct location!
Salt Spring Island is one of the Salish Sea’s Gulf Islands located between mainland British Columbia and Vancouver Island. It is a gorgeous ferry or floatplane journey from Vancouver, making it a great destination for a break.
It is a fantastic area for a culinary holiday since there are no chain eateries. Every restaurant emphasizes fresh, local foods, and some even prepare prepared dishes from scratch.
The biggest of the Gulf Islands, it is just 17 miles long and 9 miles broad. You may easily spend a weekend exploring the whole island.
Top Restaurants in Salt Spring Island
This is a list of the top eight places to visit in Salt Spring Island. We’ve covered the finest the island has to offer, from bakery delicacies to gourmet dining.
Visiting other parts of Canada? See our other guides:
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- 7 Best Winnipeg Restaurants
- 12 Best Toronto Brunches
- Nova Scotia’s South Shore Lobster Crawl: A Sea-to-Table Lobster Adventure
Contents
The Top 8 Restaurants on Salt Spring Island
The Embe Bakery
+1-250-537-5611174 Road. Fulford-Ganges
This bakery, a neighborhood favorite since 1978, delivers delectable sweet delicacies, savory pies, and freshly baked cookies and bread. Make this your first trip of the day to prevent disappointment since this bakery’s delicacies sell out immediately and seldom last the whole day!
You’ll discover their bargain rack of day-olds just inside the front door. This is the greatest method to save money on their baked bread and buns. Stock up before you go and you’ll be able to enjoy them for days after you get home.
There is no longer any interior sitting, however there are numerous picnic tables out front if you want to consume your delights right away. I normally purchase a couple and eat one straight immediately, then save the rest for later.
Before leaving the island, stop here and get one of their frozen meat or vegetable pies. These are ideal for a night when you don’t feel like cooking but yet want something homemade. Their fluffy pastry crust is really divine. I can’t go to Salt Spring Island without eating at least two and taking home a few more.
Tree House Restaurant
Purvis Lane, +1-250-537-5379106
It is a one-of-a-kind café nestled right in the center of Ganges. The Tree House Café gets its name from a massive plum tree that grows in the middle of its patio.
During the winter, they build barriers around it, so the tree is actually in the middle of the restaurant. They are open all year and are dedicated about offering tasty, wholesome meals created from scratch.
They are renowned for their tree, but the cuisine is also delicious. The quantities are big and always filling, from my personal favorite, their Morning Burrito, to a broad choice of burgers.
Pestos from Auntie
+1-250-537-4181 115 Fulford-Ganges Rd#2104
Auntie Pestos, like every other restaurant on this list and the majority of eateries on Salt Spring Island, promotes local food suppliers, companies, and people. Since 2004, they have been serving supper on Thursdays through Sundays.
Aunty Pestos is centrally situated in Ganges Village. They provide both breathtaking vistas and delectable seasonal fare on the lovely waterfront promenade.
Its primary meals are pastas in which you may choose the noodle and sauce of your choice, giving customers a plethora of possibilities. If pasta isn’t your thing, they also serve fish, duck, and beef tenderloin as main courses. For a really delicious evening, I suggest the truffled mushroom risotto.
A tiny, cozy restaurant, make a reservation early to avoid disappointment. If you can’t secure a reservation, you may order take-out.
Café Rock Salt
Fulford-Ganges Rd.
This is the only restaurant on our list that is situated in the hamlet of Fulford, which is located across the island from the main town of Ganges. This is a great place to relax and wait for your boat since it overlooks the ferry port.
Are you in a hurry? Take something from their grab and go area with you on the boat. If you have the leisure, I recommend coming early for your ship and eating a lunch while admiring the panoramic views of the Fulford Marina.
Every dish at this environmentally conscious, sustainable restaurant is prepared from scratch, with an emphasis on local foods. I really suggest their Bombay Surf bowl, which is loaded with fresh, delectable seafood in a tomato coconut broth. I served it with a glass of Garry Oaks Pinot Gris, a local crisp white that delightfully balanced off the rich meal.
Another meal that you can’t go wrong with is the creamy seafood chowder. If you’re craving a burger, they provide a vast selection. My particular favorite is the Lamb Burger with goat cheese from Salt Spring Island.
Moby’s Bar
+1-250-537-5559124A The Upper Ganges Road
Mobys Tavern, a local favorite, boasts stunning views of the Ganges Marina. Their views are so spectacular that the Salt Spring Exchange newspaper installed a live camera stream directly on their terrace!
You can see the floatplanes sail in from their terrace. There’s always something going on at Mobys Pub, whether it’s lunch, supper, late-night, or any time in between. Live music or trivia are often featured on late evenings at Mobys.
Mobys delivers classic pub cuisine as well as other delectable specialties like Salt Spring Island Coconut Curry Mussels. Their duck wings are renowned, and they are without a doubt my favorite appetizer. You not, under any circumstances, pass them up.
My favorite are their Mini Prime Rib Yorkies, which go nicely with a pint of Hoynes Dark Matter, a local BC dark beer. If you’re looking for indulgent comfort cuisine, I recommend their Brisket Mac n Cheese. It’s ooey-gooey wonderful and made with 18-hour hickory-smoked beef brisket.
If you have space for dessert, their Chocolate Extravaganza Cake is lethal. I normally share it around the table so that everyone gets a taste. It’s the ideal way to round off the evening.
Oystercatcher
+1-250-537-5041, ext. 201 110 Purvis Ln
If you want freshly shucked oysters and local seafood, the Oystercatcher is the place to go. They are well-known as the preferred beachfront restaurant on the island.
They provide ethical and sustainable meals, often using foods from their own island farm. They get what they don’t cultivate or raise responsibly on their farm from other like-minded, local farmers. This includes the beer and wine that they offer.
The Oystercatcher, which serves breakfast, lunch, and supper, views the waterfront from both its outdoor fire pit tables and its upstairs terrace.
I recommend starting with oysters on the half-shell, then moving on to seafood chowder and a lamb burger. You’ll be happy if you finish your meal with their sinfully delicious, house-made gourmet doughnuts.
Piccolo’s Residence
+1 (250) 537-1844108 Hereford Ave
This superb restaurant was founded in 1992 by the present proprietors. House Piccolo, located in a landmark property, has been feeding cuisine and wine-loving residents and guests for almost 30 years.
As you get to House Piccolo, you realize why it is so appropriately called. As you walk in, you get the impression that you are eating in someone’s home. This charming bistro might easily pass for a friend’s dining room. It’s not simply the décor that makes you feel at ease; the service does as well.
They only serve supper and open at 5 p.m. every night. This is the place to be if you’re celebrating a special event. It is one of the greatest meals on Salt Spring Island.
I had the freshly caught halibut the last time I visited, and it melted in my mouth. That was one of the most delicious pieces of fish I’ve ever eaten. Imagine my surprise when I discovered it was prepared by an 18-year-old high school graduate in training under their Chef.
I finished my dinner with the sweet and savory dessert crepes. Although exquisite, the standout dessert was the chocolate cake with vanilla bean ice cream. That was really wonderful.
Eating at Hastings House Manor
Upper Ganges Rd.
The Hastings House is a boutique luxury hotel, restaurant, and spa located on 22 acres of shoreline. They are recognized as the greatest culinary experience in the Southern Gulf Islands and are the most exclusive fine-dining restaurant on the island.
Manor Dining uses only the finest foods, including vegetables produced in their own gardens. In fact, they are so fresh that the vegetables, flowers, fruits, and herbs are sometimes gathered only hours before cooking.
Everything they cultivate on-site is non-GMO and pesticide- and chemical-free. They provide both an a la carte and a three-course Chefs menu. I am a major lover of tasting menus and usually order them when a restaurant provides one. In my opinion, they are the finest way to sample a wide range of what they have to offer, and they seldom disappoint. The Chef’s menu at Manor Dining varies with the seasons, ensuring a fantastic gastronomic experience.
A List of the Top 8 Restaurants in Salt Spring Island
This selection of the greatest Salt Spring Island restaurants will guarantee that you are well-fed and satisfied throughout your visit to this Southern Gulf Island.
Enjoy any or all of these restaurants on your next vacation to this picturesque BC Island, and we’re certain you’ll want to return again and again.