scallops, haddock and lobster ($26). But get there early, I stopped in .... Richard's is known for the best fish and chi
BACON IS
MAGIC
WHERE TO EAT IN PEI:
THE
SEAFOOD GUIDE
WHERE TO EAT IN PEI: THE ULTIMATE SEAFOOD GUIDE
A
few weeks ago I was invited to judge the chowder competition for the PEI International Shellfish Festival. I was so excited to go because the festival is so well known, but also I wanted to come a few days earlier in search of the ultimate list of where to eat in PEI. As a Maritimer I grew up with very simple food, but seafood was always a constant. My grandmother made Nova Scotian chowder most Fridays, I remember when we needed to watch out for bones when eating fish, and lobster was and still is my favourite food. But just like not all food in Italy is amazing, not all seafood in the Maritimes is delicious.
SO THIS POST IS FOR MY FRIENDS, who want to
know where to eat in PEI and are afraid they’ll get stuck going to a tourist joint that sells the captain’s frozen fish sticks – although that was also one of my favourite suppers growing up so I guess it’s sort of authentic. There are some good spots to eat seafood in Charlottetown but the best spots are around the island, which is why I created this map. Don’t be intimidated by driving, Prince Edward Island is small but beautiful. Driving out to these spots gives you a great understanding of just how diverse the island is.
WHERE TO EAT
A LOBSTER ROLL IN PEI
The Lobster Barn Pub and Eatery Located in picturesque Victoria by the Sea, you can’t miss this restaurant on the wharf. Although it may scream tourist trap, this is where many locals go and so the prices are quite reasonable as it’s open year round and so it must survive with local support. It was started by two sisters in 2009 and on the menu it says:
Eat whatever you want. And if someone tries to lecture you, eat them too!
The lobster roll ($17) is a very generous portion of fresh lobster on a buttered bun, served with a choice of fries, potato salad, onion rings, house salad or caesar salad. Interestingly they also put a bit of sugar in their mayo so it’s a bit sweet. I’ve never had it like that but I really enjoyed it. The menu is vast with veggie options and notably appetizer mussels and a beer ($10), chilled lobster dinner ($26), scallops ($19), bar clam burger ($16) and Wharf Platter with scallops, haddock and lobster ($26). But get there early, I stopped in at 11:15am and was able to sit at a table overlooking the water but in a span of ten minutes the joint was packed.
The Lobster Barn
19 Main St, Victoria, PE C0A 2G0 (902) 658-2722
“
more than you’d get from a full 1 lb. lobster dinner!
”
Dave’s Lobster Located in Charlottetown, just up from where the cruise ship guests dock, I was curious about this roll as there is an option to buy a cold roll (most common), hot roll (with butter, lemon, garlic) or a half and half. It’s on the small side, although lobster rolls ($21) are made with 4 oz. of PEI lobster, which they proclaim “more than you’d get from a full 1 lb. lobster dinner!” I don’t know any Maritimer who would eat a 1lb lobster, it’s so small. If you only have time to eat in Charlottetown this is a great option, tastier than others that get more press in the city. It comes on a split roll along with local kettle chips. I’d stick with the traditional cold roll. But get there early, I stopped in at 11:15am and was able to sit at a table overlooking the water but in a span of ten minutes the joint was packed.
Dave’s Lobster
6 Prince St, Charlottetown, PE C1A 4P5 (902) 200-3600
Sugar Skull Cantina Not a lobster roll, but appropriately a lobster taco from a Mexican cantina inspired restaurant. Sugar Skull Cantina is the sister restaurant to Hopyards and both bring a younger, modern feel to Charlottetown which I like. I wasn’t sure what I would think about this innovation. I’m an old school lobster purist – I like it cold without butter. On a boat from Panama to Colombia I had lobster in a tomato sauce and hated it. But at Sugar Skull it works, they serve lobster with charred corn salsa, red pepper mayo, iceburg lettuce and hickory sticks. The portion is so generous I think it works better as a salad as most will fall out of the taco. It’s definitely worth popping in for one.
Sugar Skull Cantina 83 Water Street, Charlottetown (902) 370-2227
BEST LOBSTER ROLLS IN PEI
THAT I MISSED
Terry’s Berries Seasonal food truck Terry’s Berries has become very popular for its warm Salt Daddy Lobster Melt ($16.31). It’s served on a hearty baguette with garlic and chives so it’s not traditional and definitely a “melt”. I made the mistake of coming to the truck the Sunday after the Shellfish Festival, I think Terry may have had too much fun so he wasn’t open but he did stay open until September 20th. Make sure you check the Facebook page for hours.
Terry’s Berries
20 Great George St, Charlottetown 902-394-6524
The Lobster Shack on Souris Beach Owned by legendary fisherman Johnny Flynn, this is THE place for a lobster roll as well as his Coleville Oysters and fresh or cooked lobster. Not surprisingly they won the 2017 PEI Lobster Roll Challenge. With a view you can’t beat, they overlook the beach. If you can only drive to one location in PEI to eat this would be the one. They open June 15th closed September 15th, I had planned to go on the 16th. Keep an eye on their Facebook page.
The Lobster Shack 8 Main Street, Souris (902) 743-3347
BEST CHOWDER ON PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND In the Maritimes you can order chowder in 99% of local restaurants. It’s so common to order a cup of chowder and half sandwich.
Point Prim Chowder House and Oyster Bar If you want to eat the best chowder on the island need to drive out to Belfast to Point Prim. It’s a 45 minute drive from Charlottetown and there’s nothing else out there but picturesque Point Prim lighthouse – the island’s oldest lighthouse. You must call ahead for a reservation, even in September as it’s quite popular to eat at sunset.
Point Prim Chowder House 2150 Point Prim Rd, Belfast (902) 659-2187
Blue Mussel Cafe This cafe is a worth a drive just to see North Rustico, which is so pretty – but also very cold off season so bring a sweater. I did not order the chowder here after judging 21 different kinds and instead opted for the seafood bubbly bake ($21), which was like a thickened chowder with cheese.
So much for going light! Blue Mussel Cafe did enter the competition and after discovering their entry and while they didn’t win they were a strong contender. This is one of the most popular spots for tourists. Open from May to October with the first seating at 11:30 and final at 9pm, with a quick closure from 4-5pm.
Charlottetown Note:
The Claddaugh Oyster House won the Chowder Competition at the Shellfish Festival (Point Prim did not compete) and if they are serving the same chowder on the menu it’s a great option in Charlottetown
Go early at 4:30pm and put your name on the dinner list (no reservations) as they’ll give you a buzzer to let you know when your table will be ready. There’s plenty of instagram friendly spots to walk around while waiting for dinner.
Blue Mussel Cafe
312 Harbourview Dr, North Rustico Harbour (902) 963-2152
BEST FISH AND CHIPS ON PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND Richard’s Fresh Seafood Richard’s is known for the best fish and chips but everything here is so beloved by locals it’s simply called Richards for almost 40 years. It’s also a fish mart if you’d like to buy seafood to go and prices are very reasonably based on market prices. It opens in June and sadly they closed for the season on September 8th, five days before I arrived. It’s best to keep an eye on their Facebook page for updates.
Richard’s
9 Wharf Rd, York, PE C0A 1P0 (902) 672-3030
WHERE TO EAT OYSTERS ON PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND Raspberry Point Prince Edward Island has some of the best oysters in the world. At the International Shellfish Festival I tried 21 different kinds and it’s impossible to say what is the best. James Strong from Raspberry Point suggests looking for oysters with a deep shell instead of a shallow one. He also isn’t a fan of buck a shuck as it encourages the production of cheap oysters that will grow quickly instead of quality. You get what you pay for with oysters. My best advice is to try many and choose what you like.
Gallant’s Seafood Market Gallant’s is a seafood supplier on the island and you can find them at the Charlottetown Farmer’s market or at the seafood market in New London. It’s a small shop where you can pick up seafood to go or order from a very small menu and eat at one of two tables out front. I used this photo of the Belle River rock crab cakes to emphasize that you should go for oysters AND get the best crab cakes I’ve ever had. And if you haven’t had lobster they will cook and crack it for you for only $2 extra per pound, which is really a steal. They’ll even give you melted butter although personally I skip the butter as it interferes with the delicious taste of lobster.of instagram friendly spots to walk around while waiting for dinner.
Gallant’s Seafood Market 10056 Rout 6, Stanley Bridge (902) 886 2716
Carr’s Oyster Bar Just around the corner from Gallants in New London, Carr’s has a great view of New London Bay. Stick with the raw oysters on the half shell range from $2.50 – $6 per oyster. The $6 oyster is known as the George Carr special and they’ll warn you before ordering as it’s quite large.
Carr’s Oyster Barr
32 Campbellton Road, Stanley Bridge (902) 886-3355
Old Dublin Pub If you want to try buck a shuck oysters, the Old Dublin Pub in Charlottetown is one of the most popular places to go. Upstairs from the Claddaugh Oyster house, from 4-6pm each day they offer small choice oysters for $1 each with the purchase of a beverage.
Old Dublin Pub
131 Sydney St, Charlottetown (902) 892-6992
BEST EXTRAVAGANT SEAFOOD EXPERIENCE
Inn at Bay Fortune Inn at Bay Fortune 758 Route 310, Souris (902) 687-3745
Without a doubt Fireworks at the Inn at Bay Fortune is a dinner to talk about. You begin with a reception wandering the grounds, eating Coleville Bay Oysters and other island delicacies and move to a family style dinner of local food cooked over a fire. It should be noted this is the vision of Chef Michael Smith, although a popular chef, author and tv producer, he’s not the day to day chef but has a Chef de Cuisine to bring his vision to life.
WHERE DO LOCALS EAT LOBSTER
ON PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND So many people want lobster dinners with locals. But Maritimers don’t eat lobster in restaurants, they eat it at home. Sure, we *might* take our upper Canadian friends out somewhere that we visit once a year with tourists. But it’s much more likely that we’ll boil it at home and serve it to them in our backyard. That said, there’s nothing wrong with eating a lobster dinner with fellow travelers. If you’re in PEI for the International Shellfish Festival there’s likely to be a lobster supper. If you want to go to a formal “Lobster Supper” the Fisherman’s Wharf, New Glasgow and Saint Ann’s are well known. You could also look for a community fundraiser lobster supper for locals or if you’d like lobster without the fuss buy it cooked from Gallants, Richards or the Lobster Shack mentioned above.
While the summer has the warmest weather it also has the most crowds. I think the best time to visit Prince Edward Island is the beginning of September. The weather is still warm and the crowds are gone so you can get really affordable accommodation. Plus there’s Shellfish Fest! The only downside is that the later you go in September the more you risk some of the best seafood spots being closed. If you’re worried about swimming in the ocean let me assure you it is ALWAYS freezing so whether you go in July or September you’ll find it cold.
Thunder Cove beach’s tea cup rock. You won’t find tourists here.
Where I Stayed The Great George is a boutique hotel in Prince Edward Island but it’s not one location. You check in at the main house and there’s complimentary breakfast along with coffee and tea throughout the day. However, it’s a series of historic buildings close to each other so you can stay in a hotel room, suite, cottage or efficiency units. When I mentioned my mother was coming to visit they booked us in a two bedroom condo. I love non-traditional accommodation. It was fantastic as there was so much room AND a back patio with a barbecue. If you’re traveling with a group for a few days this is a great way to do it. There’s a full kitchen and two bathrooms with lots of space. I would highly recommend for a family or friends visiting.
The Great George
58 Great George St, Charlottetown, PE C1A 4K3
I hope you found this guide useful for planning your own gluttonous trip to Prince Edward Island.
This guide was in partnership with Tourism PEI, who invited me to judge the chowder competition at the PEI International Shellfish Festival.
If you would like more tips on where to eat around the world and how to make great food at home check out BaconIsMagic.ca, @Ayngelina on Twitter and Instagram, or my YouTube Channel.
WHERE TO EAT SEAFOOD ON
PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND 13
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6
4
2
5
3
15 14
8
9
11 7
1
Malpeque Oyster Barn
4
Fisherman's Wharf Lobster Suppers
7
Lobster Barn
King St, Malpeque Bay C0B 1M0, 902-836-3999
7230 Rustico Rd, North Rustico C0A 1X0, 902-963-2669
fishermanswharf.ca
19 Main St, Victoria C0A 2G0, 902-658-2722
10
Terry's Berries Food Truck
13
Rick's Fish & Chips
20 Great George St, Charlottetown, C1A 4J6
5544 PE-2, Saint Peters Bay C0A 2A0, 902-961-3438
ricksfishnchips.com
2
Carr's Oyster Bar
5
Blue Mussel Cafe
8
Olde Dublin Pub
32 Campbellton Rd, Breadalbane C0A 1E0, 902-886-3355
carrspei.ca
312 Harbourview Dr, North Rustico Harbour, C0A 1N0, 902-963-2152
bluemusselcafe.com
131 Sydney St, Charlottetown C1A 1G5, 902-892-6992
oldedublinpub.com
11
Sugar Skull Cantina
14
The Inn at Bay Fortune
83 Water St, Charlottetown C1A 1A5, 902-370-2227
sugarskullcantina.ca
758 Route 310, Souris C0A 2B0, 902-687-3745
innatbayfortune.com
Find out what to eat at each spot at
BaconIsMagic.ca
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3
Gallant's Shellfish & Seafood Market
6
Richard's
9
Dave's Lobster Charlottetown
10056 Route 6, Stanley Bridge C0A 1E0, 902-886-2716
gallantspeifood.ca
9 Wharf Rd, York C0A 1P0, 902-672-3030
richardsfreshseafood.com
6 Prince St, Charlottetown C1A 4P5, 902-200-3600
daveslobster.com
12
Point Prim Chowder House and Oyster Bar
15
The Lobster Shack
2150 Point Prim Rd, Belfast C0A 1A0, 902-659-2187
chowderhousepei.com
8 Main St, Souris C0A 2B0, 902-743-3347
tourismpei.com
