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Tofino Restaurants: From Budget Eats to Fine Dining

July 21, 2014 by Helen

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tofino dining

How many places can you say you’ve been to where you didn’t experience the disappointment of one unsatisfactory meal?

Chances are that Tofino, a small town on the edge of Vancouver Island, will be one of those destinations. Mark my word: there’s no shortage of great eats here, especially coastal seafood of the highest quality from the very waters that surround this fishing town. And they’ll suit budgets of all sizes; during my one-week stay, I went from spending $70 for a meal one day to $5 the next.

Here’s my round-up of Tofino restaurants, cafés and food trucks that won’t disappoint:

Caffe Vincente

Known for their generously sized lattes, Caffe Vincente, a tiny, modest joint, also serves up quick breakfasts and lunches in an atmosphere that made me feel like a local, even though I had just arrived in town. Served with a side of fresh fruit, the breakfast croissant ($9.95) was absolutely scrumptious — stuffed with a free-range egg, ham, Swiss cheese, spinach, tomatoes and chipotle mayo.

caffe-vincente

Bonus: Catch up on emails or post your next Facebook status update by taking advantage of the complimentary wifi.

Shelter Restaurant

shelter restaurant, tofino

Rustic yet sophisticated, Shelter Restaurant offers more than a roof over your head: local, organic ingredients; all-natural meats; and seafood caught by Tofino’s own fishermen. Add to that a gorgeous view and first-rate hospitality, and you have an outstanding culinary experience — certainly one of my most memorable. I mean, how often are you served chunks of beet and squash still warm in your salad?

best restaurants tofino, shelter restaurant

As a member of the Tofino Ucluelet Culinary Guild (TUCG), Shelter proudly partners with local providers and remains at the forefront of sustainability initiatives.

The Pointe Restaurant

The Wickaninnish Inn is the legendary, luxury resort with an award-winning restaurant (also a TUCG member) on the ocean’s edge. Apart from its exceptional service and superb cuisine, guests enjoy a breathtaking, panoramic view of the Pacific Ocean.

best restaurant in tofino

restaurants tofino

It’s as if all the stars were aligned for my brunch and dinner here. Read more about my meals and The Wickaninnish Inn here.

Beachfront Bistro

tin wis resort lodge, tofino

You may not associate the Best Western brand with quality cuisine, but the Beachfront Bistro in the Tin Wis Resort Lodge will surprise you. This property is owned and operated by the First Nations, so you can expect unique dishes influenced by the Nuu Chah Nulth people. While peering through the floor-to-ceiling windows at Mackenzie Beach one morning, I devoured my Wildman Skillet ($14) — a hearty stack of sautéed sausage, ham and vegetables with hash browns, cheese, egg and toast.

beachfront bistro tofino

Do walk out to the beach afterwards. On the way, visit the totem pole dedicated to the many children forced to attend Indian residential schools from 1906 to 1986 — a moving, sobering reminder of a dark chapter in our country’s history.

Tacofino

I was elated to find Tacofino, a Mexican food truck with a menu of affordable burritos, tacos and gringas.

tacofino, tofino food, food truck

The seared Albacore tuna tacos ($4.50) and Baja fish tacos ($6.50) were so delicious, I couldn’t help but order the exact same thing on my second visit.

Sobo

sobo restaurant tofino, where to eat in tofino

Short for “Sophisticated Bohemian”, Sobo collaborates with the TUCG to showcase the freshness and quality of Vancouver Island ingredients. How fresh, you ask? My “Left Coast” seafood stew featured wild fish, scallops, mussels and clams caught just a short distance away, straight out of the Pacific.

restaurant tofino, sobo

places to eat in tofino, sobo restaurant

Common Loaf Bake Shop

This breakfast and lunch eatery has the feel of your beloved aunt’s kitchen.

common loaf bake shop

The Common Loaf is a local favourite famous for its baked goods, but something needs to be said about the breakfast sandwich with eggs, local ham, spinach, mozzarella and tomato ($6.95). Just look at this! It’s quite possibly the most amazing breakfast sandwich on this side of Canada. If I had space left in my stomach, I would’ve sampled the breakfast pizza too ($5.50).

common loaf bakery, tofino

RedCan Gourmet

Located in an industrial area of town, RedCan Gourmet offers gourmet take-out for the days you just want to hibernate inside your hotel room after your beach combing or hiking plans get rained out. Executive Chef Tim May sources food locally and works closely with First Nations communities to prepare delectable meals that are reasonably priced by Tofino standards.

The artisan pizza ($12-$22) is a local favourite, but I loved my house fettuccine with beef tender tips, mushrooms, red pepper and pesto sauce ($18.95). My friend ordered the jerk chicken with rice, black beans, vegetables and mango salsa ($16.95).

redcan gourmet, tofino food

Call ahead to find out what’s on the weekly menu and place your order.

Spotted Bear Bistro

France meets the Canadian west coast at the Spotted Bear Bistro, where classic, upscale comfort food is showcased in an intimate setting.

As part of the TUCG collective, this bistro offers a seasonal menu dependent on the current availability of local and the freshest seafood. The white bean chowder ($10) and fish of the day (market price) were full of flavour, and the braised octopus ($14) couldn’t have been more tender and succulent.

spotted bear bistro, where to eat in tofino

restaurants in tofino, spotted bear bistro

Tofino Co-op

After days of eating out, you may want to head to the local supermarket for some economical, ready-made meals. From breakfast sandwiches ($2.99) to whole barbecue chickens ($10.99), you and your friends will find something at Tofino Co-op to suit your tastes.

tofino grocery store

tofino co-op, tofino supermarket

Your wallet will thank you.

Eat Seafood, and Lots of It

There are a myriad of reasons to visit Tofino — and the food scene is unmistakably one of them. My first piece of advice: indulge in the coastal, fresh-as-can-be seafood (and lots of it) because, if you live in a land-locked city as I do, you’ll quickly learn that the salmon, shellfish and octopus at home don’t come remotely close to Vancouver Island quality.

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tofino restaurants

Most of the Tofino restaurants and smaller establishments listed above came recommended to me by both visitors and locals themselves but, if you have your own recommendations, I (and my readers) would love to read them, so feel free to leave a comment below.

Disclosures: my meal at RedCan Gourmet was discounted and dinner at The Pointe Restaurant complimentary but rest assured all opinions expressed in this post are my own. I also earn a modest commission from Booking.com if you click on their link and make a reservation through their site (at no cost to you). Thank you for your support!

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Comments

  1. casacaudill says

    July 22, 2014 at 3:02 pm

    Shelter looks so much different to me during the day. We always sit in front of the fire at night. 🙂

    • Helen Suk says

      July 23, 2014 at 9:38 am

      That’s a cozy spot, for sure!

  2. AfterTheKidsLeave says

    July 24, 2014 at 7:20 am

    So many choices! When we finally move to the island, we’re definitely taking a trip to discover these restaurants 🙂

    • Helen Suk says

      September 8, 2014 at 3:57 am

      I encourage you to do so! I ate very, very well 🙂

  3. Ryan says

    August 12, 2014 at 9:05 am

    The food in Tofino looks just divine, especially all of the seafood! I never would have thought such a small town would have so much fine dining. Thanks for sharing, Helen 🙂

    • Helen Suk says

      September 8, 2014 at 3:58 am

      It was definitely the best seafood I’ve had during my travels. Thanks for reading, Ryan.

  4. Paige Smith says

    June 2, 2015 at 11:37 am

    The food here looks amazing. Sophisticated Bohemian reminds me of a soup and sandwich shop we have down here. I always appreciate the variety with food. Thanks for the great ideas to eat at.

    • Helen Suk says

      June 6, 2015 at 2:46 pm

      Thanks, Paige! The food in Tofino was indeed incredible. I just can’t get that kind of seafood here in Toronto. 🙁

  5. Jenni says

    July 10, 2015 at 12:34 pm

    We lived in Ucluelet, BC, just 35 minutes down the road from Tofino, for 5 years. My husband worked at the Pointe Restaurant, and we were able to dine at many of these fabulous places! May I add that in Ucluelet, Jiggers fish and chip truck, right on Peninsula Avenue has the most amazing, fresh halibut and chips, also salmon and chips you have ever tasted. For fine dining, see Chef Richard Norwood at Norwoods, also on Peninsula.

  6. Eliza Cranston says

    November 16, 2015 at 9:08 am

    Thank you for sharing these restaurants in Tofino! I’m planning a trip to British Colombia and wanted to know where to eat on Vancouver island, so this will be really helpful. I’m glad to see that there are some Mexican food trucks up there! Do you have any suggestions for dining in Campbell River?

    • Helen Suk says

      November 19, 2015 at 2:08 am

      Hi Eliza. I believe Tacofino is the only Mexican food truck in Tofino. As for Campbell River, I’ve never been there so I’m afraid I can’t help you there. Sorry!

  7. Eliza Cranston says

    November 19, 2015 at 7:57 am

    Ok no problem, thank you for your response!

  8. alivinglaboratory says

    December 11, 2015 at 11:59 pm

    I’m inspired. I’ve had Tofino on my list for a long time, but your post just bumped it up the list.

    • Helen Suk says

      December 16, 2015 at 1:05 am

      I’m glad I was able to provide you with inspiration! I have such treasured memories of Tofino.

About Helen

Helen Suk

Travel writer. Photographer. Always curious. I search the world for beauty and inspiration while sharing valuable tips to help you plan your next trip.

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