Looking for the best restaurants on Salt Spring Island? You’ve come to the right place!
Salt Spring Island is one of the Gulf Islands in the Salish Sea between mainland British Columbia and Vancouver Island. From the city of Vancouver, it is a scenic ferry or floatplane ride away, making it an ideal spot for a getaway.
With no chain restaurants to be found, it is an excellent place for a foodie vacation. Every restaurant focuses on local, sustainable ingredients and some even create homemade meals from scratch.
While it is the largest of the Gulf Islands, it is a mere 17 miles long and 9 miles wide. You can easily explore the entire island over a weekend.
Best Salt Spring Island Restaurants
Here is a list of 8 spots not-to-be-missed on any trip to Salt Spring Island. Ranging from bakery treats to fine dining, we’ve covered the best the island has to offer.
The 8 Best Salt Spring Island Restaurants
Embe Bakery
174 Fulford-Ganges Rd // +1-250-537-5611
A local favorite since 1978, this bakery serves up decadent sweet treats, savory pies and freshly baked cookies and bread. To avoid disappointment, make this your first stop of the day because this bakery’s treats go quickly and rarely last the day!
Just inside the front door, you’ll find their sale rack of day-olds. This is the best way to get an excellent deal on their homemade bread and buns. Stock up before heading home and you can enjoy these for days, once you’re home.
They no longer have any indoor seating, but there are several picnic tables out front should you wish to devour your treats immediately. I usually buy a few and enjoy one right away before saving the rest for later.
Before you leave the island, be sure to pop in and grab one of their frozen meat or veggie pies. These make the perfect meal for a night when you don’t feel like cooking, but want something homemade. Their flaky pastry crust is absolute perfection. I can’t visit Salt Spring Island without devouring at least two during my visit and bringing home a few more.
Tree House Cafe
106 Purvis Lane // +1-250-537-5379
A unique cafe if you ever saw one, it is located right in the heart of Ganges. The Tree House Cafe is aptly named as there is a giant plum tree growing in the center of its patio.
During the winter months, they place walls around it, so the tree is quite literally in the center of the restaurant. Open year-round, they are passionate about serving delicious, healthy food made from scratch.
They may be famous for their tree, but the food is equally worth the visit. From my personal favorite, their Breakfast Burrito, to a wide variety of burgers, the portions are generous and always satisfying.
Auntie Pestos
#2104 – 115 Fulford-Ganges Rd // +1-250-537-4181
As with every restaurant on this list, and the majority of restaurants on Salt Spring Island, Auntie Pestos supports local food producers, businesses and individuals. Family-owned since 2004, they offer dinner service on Wednesdays to Sundays.
Auntie Pestos is ideally located in the heart of Ganges Village. Situated on the picturesque waterfront boardwalk, they serve both stunning views and scrumptious seasonal eats.
Their main dishes are pasta where you get to choose the noodle and the sauce of your liking, providing diners with endless options. If pasta isn’t what you’re after, they also offer salmon, duck and beef tenderloin mains. I recommend the truffled mushroom risotto for an especially decadent dinner.
A small, intimate restaurant, be sure to book a table early, or you risk disappointment. If you can’t get a reservation, take-out is available.
Rock Salt Cafe
2921 Fulford-Ganges Rd // +1-250-653-4833
This is the one and only restaurant on this list that is located across the island from the main town of Ganges, in the village of Fulford. Overlooking the ferry terminal, this is the ideal spot to sit and wait for your ferry to arrive.
In a rush? Grab something from their “grab and go” section to take on the ferry with you. If you have the time, I suggest arriving early for your ferry and enjoying a meal while taking in the 180-degree views of the Fulford Marina.
Every meal at this ocean wise, sustainable restaurant is made from scratch with a focus on local ingredients. I highly recommend their Bombay Surf bowl; it’s chock full of fresh, delicious seafood in a tomato coconut broth. I paired it with a glass of Garry Oaks Pinot Gris, a local crisp white that balanced out the creamy dish perfectly.
The creamy seafood chowder is another dish you can’t go wrong with. If you’re hungry for a burger, they offer a wide-variety. My personal favorite is the Lamb Burger with local Salt Spring Island goat cheese.
Moby’s Pub
124A Upper Ganges Rd // +1-250-537-5559
A local favorite, Moby’s Pub has spectacular views of the Ganges Marina. Their views are so good that the Salt Spring Exchange newspaper put up a live webcam feed right on their deck!
While sitting on their patio, you can watch the floatplanes fly in. Whether it’s lunch, dinner, late-night, or any time in between, there’s always something happening at Moby’s Pub. Late nights at Moby’s often include live music or trivia.
Moby’s serves up traditional pub fare as well as other mouth-watering dishes such as local Salt Spring Island Coconut Curry Mussels. Their duck wings are legendary and easily my favorite appetizer. Whatever you do, do not miss out on these.
Their Mini Prime Rib Yorkies are my choice and they pair well with a pint of Hoyne’s Dark Matter, a local BC dark brew. If decadent comfort food is what you’re after, I suggest you try their Brisket Mac ‘n Cheese. Made with 18-hour hickory-smoked beef brisket, it is ooey-gooey delicious.
Should you have room for dessert, their Chocolate Extravaganza Cake is downright deadly. I usually end up sharing it with the table so everyone gets a taste. It’s the perfect way to end the evening.
Oystercatcher
#201 – 110 Purvis Ln // +1-250-537-5041
If freshly-shucked oysters and local seafood are what you’re after, then the Oystercatcher is where you want to be. They are known as the Island’s waterfront restaurant of choice.
They serve sustainable and ethical meals, often with ingredients from their own island farm. What they don’t grow or ethically raise on their farm, they source from other like-minded, local farmers. This includes the beer and wine they serve as well.
Offering brunch, lunch and dinner, the Oystercatcher overlooks the marina from both its outside fire pit tables and upstairs deck.
For the perfect meal, I suggest you start with oysters on the half-shell, followed by the seafood chowder and then a lamb burger. End your meal with their sinfully-delicious, house-made gourmet doughnuts and you’ll leave satisfied.
House Piccolo
108 Hereford Ave // +1-250-537-1844
The current owners established this fine eatery in 1992. Located in a heritage building, House Piccolo has been serving food and wine-loving locals and visitors for almost 30 years.
When you pull up to House Piccolo, you understand that it’s fittingly named. When you walk in, you feel as though you are dining in someone’s house. This quaint eatery could just as easily be a friend’s dining room. It’s not just the decor, the staff make you feel right at home as well.
Open at 5pm nightly, they only offer dinner service. If you are celebrating a special occasion, this is the place to go. It’s one of the best dinners you’ll have on Salt Spring Island.
The last time I went, I enjoyed the freshly-caught halibut and it melted in my mouth. It was one of the best pieces of fish I’ve ever had the pleasure of eating. Imagine my astonishment when I learned that it was cooked by an 18-year old high school graduate in training under their Chef.
I ended my meal with the dessert crepes, which were both sweet and savory. While delicious, the star dessert was the chocolate cake with vanilla bean ice cream. It was simply divine.
Hastings House Manor Dining
160 Upper Ganges Rd // 1-800-661-9255
Sitting on 22 acres of waterfront, the Hastings House is a boutique, luxury hotel, restaurant and spa. The most exclusive fine-dining restaurant on the island, they are known to be the finest culinary experience in all of the Southern Gulf Islands.
Manor Dining features the freshest ingredients with produce grown in their own gardens. They are so fresh, in fact, that the vegetables, flowers, fruits, and herbs are often harvested mere hours before cooking.
Everything they grow onsite is non-GMO and free of pesticides and chemical fertilizers. They offer an à la carte menu as well as a three-course Chef’s menu. I am a huge fan of tasting menus and always order these when a restaurant offers one. In my experience, they are the best way to try a variety of what they offer and they rarely disappoint. At Manor Dining, the Chef’s menu changes with the seasons, so you are guaranteed to have a spectacular culinary experience.
Summary Of The 8 Best Restaurants On Salt Spring Island
This list of the best restaurants on Salt Spring Island will ensure that you are well-fed and satiated during any visit to this Southern Gulf Island.
Enjoy any or all of these eateries on your next visit to this scenic BC Island and we’re sure that you’ll want to come back again and again.
Visiting other destinations in Canada? Check out our other guides:
- 13 Best Things To Do On Salt Spring Island BC
- 10 Best Mont Tremblant Restaurants
- 7 Best Winnipeg Restaurants
- 12 Best Toronto Brunches
- Nova Scotia’s South Shore Lobster Crawl: A Sea-to-Table Lobster Adventure
Which of these Salt Spring Island restaurants do you want to try first? Let us know in the comments section below!
Kathryn Anderson is a travel and wellness expert who runs the award-winning travel blog Coffee and Mascara as well as contributes to a variety of publications as a Freelance Journalist. This former Fitness Instructor shares expert advice on how to infuse balance into travelling so people can enjoy fun and fulfilling vacations without derailing their healthy lifestyle goals. She sits on the Board of Directors for the International Food, Wine & Travel Writers Association as the Social Media Chair. Follow her adventures on Instagram.