A Delicious Tofino Tour – Part Two of Two

Julie is the food and nutrition columnist for the Calgary Eyeopener on CBC Radio One and is the contributing food editor for the Globe and Mail.  She also writes cookbooks and is known for her food and recipe blog, dinnerwithjulie.com.  Mostly, she loves feeding people – as well as spending time in Tofino.

Julie is a Calgarian who knows Tofino.  In this 2-part blog series, she shares her favourite things to do here.  Did you miss Part One?  Well, read it right here.

What to eat:
Must-visits include Tacofino for just about anything (my usual picks are fish tacos, cheese gringas and mint-lime slushies), Wildside Grill for a crispy cod club or fish and chips, which we also get in town at Big Daddy’s Fish Fry. And Chocolate Tofino still has the best homemade gelato I’ve had just about anywhere, with handmade waffle cones that have often cooled down just minutes before being filled with one scoop or two. (My fave: the surf sundae— salted caramel gelato in a waffle bowl, garnished with a chocolate surfboard.)

When it comes to sit-down restaurants, SoBo has been a Tofino institution since it began in a little purple truck back in 2003. If you don’t have a chance to eat in, you can grab a container of their famous wild fish chowder to go—and some of their baked goods, like berry or key lime pie, or plate-sized cookies to bring to the beach. If you’re looking for a great picnic or something to bring back to your resort or rental, Picnic Charcuterie on Industrial Way has their own cured meats, a great selection of cheeses and house-made preserves and prepared foods (think hummus, grainy salads and even mains), and the new Summit Bakery across the street turns out some of the best croissants, pastries and sourdough loaves I’ve ever eaten, every day.

Wolf in the Fog has been much celebrated in recent years, and is definitely worth a visit. Across the street, the space that for decades housed Tuff Beans is now Shed, opened by the folks behind Shelter (also a good visit!)  Shed offers all their menu items for takeout through windows that open up on the side of the building, and has a patio with a great vantage point for people-watching right in the middle of town. Shed’s menu is casual but thoughtful, with fantastic burgers, snacks and interesting grain and noodle bowls, all very affordably priced.

And Tofino Resort and Marina has just undergone an overhaul, transforming the space that was Weigh West into two eateries: 1909 Kitchen (named after Tofino’s first post office, which opened in 1909) and the Hatch, Tofino’s only pub. Both offer a variety of west coast-inspired dishes, sourced and foraged from Tofino’s oceans, shoreline and forests; on a recent trip, we ordered some delicious battered shrimp and one of the best wood oven pizzas I’ve ever had. Situated right on the water, there’s a great view inside the dining rooms, at the bar and out on the patio, and they have plenty of local brews on offer—we always go for the classic Tuff Session from Tofino Brewing Co.

What to drink:
There are plenty of great options— Tofino Brew Co. recently moved into their new digs on Industrial Way; pop into their tasting room for a flight or a pint, and grab a few bottles, cans or a growler to go. Next door, the new Tofino Distillery also has a tasting room, and some pretty fantastic gins (one is infused with cedar) along with vodka to taste straight or order in a cocktail made by one of the owners, all local paramedics and firefighters.

Photo Credits: Chocolate Tofino, Julie Van Rosendaal, Chris Pouget, Tofino Brewery, Tofino Distillery

This is just a fraction of the places that make Tofino worth a visit—there are more than enough reasons to schedule a return visit, even before you leave.