This food and beverage guide is a short list of excellent places to eat while you are touring the Sunshine Coast. We left many fine restaurants off the list in Gibsons, Sechelt, Pender Harbour and Powell River. Our selections are based on proximity to moorage and of course food quality, atmosphere and uniqueness. We know boaters look sometimes for elegant dining and other times for a pub where they can meet locals and other boaters.
Beachcomber Coffee (Gibsons) 855-252-3267
IT’S NOT JUST A COFFEE, IT’S A LIFESTYLE
SPECIALTY COFFEE
Sunshine Coast Farmers’ Markets (Sunshine Coast)
Decade old farmers’ & artisan markets enrich the culture of this sunny mainland coastline. Pick up some garden-fresh produce and locally raised meats from seaside farms, and take home treasures forged, sculpted, carved or painted from the largest community of artists in the province.
32 Lakes Café and Bakery (Powell River) 604-483-3223
Highlighting quality local ingredients. We offer specialty coffees, croissants, sourdough bread, and a selection of treats.
Coastal Cookery (Powell River) 604-485-5568
Proprietors Chef Michael Salome and front-of-house Guru Sarah Salome began their restaurant careers at a young age in Vancouver. Working separately with many great concepts and mentors in the industry, they were brought together while climbing the ranks with Cactus Restaurants. In 2012 Michael and Sarah moved to the Sunshine Coast and opened Costa del Sol serving Latin-inspired cuisine over a beautiful space across the street from Costa – it was time to bring their second concept Coastal Cookery to life.
Batch 44 Brewery & Kitchen (Sechelt) 604-740-3805
OPEN Monday-Sunday (Mon & Tues Open 12-7pm Full Bar)
We at Batch 44 would like to thank all of our customers, local and not, for supporting us. Please check out or Instagram or Facebook page for all of our events.
Gibsons Public Market (Gibsons) 604-886-8814
The Market is a delight to visit and to shop for fine meats, fish, baked goods, fresh produce, chocolates and a bouquet of flowers for your galley. The market is steps from Gibsons Marina.
Emelle’s Catering Market Bistro is an award-winning establishment that is sure to win over your taste buds. Emelle’s brings great food, great service, and a great experience together to form a lasting impression. The owner and executive chef, Mary Lee Newnham, ensures that each and every guest leaves feeling better than when they arrived. Locals best know Emelle’s for their amazing brunch, but every meal hits a home run in our books. Open Tuesday-Sunday for lunch and dinner.
Lunitas Mexican Eatery (Gibsons) 604-886-1289
At Lunitas, the focus is on authentic Mexican food, and they have a great assortment of cocktails.
Tapworks Brewing Company (Gibsons) 778-462 2337
Check bottom of page for Burger Shack Hours! Taproom food available whenever we’re open.
Brunch on Sundays from 11:30-2:00 and late night eats Fridays from 8:30-10:00.
Order Online, drop in or give us a call for takeout: 778-462-2337. Please note, our brunch menu is not available online.
101 Bar and Grill at the Lund Resort at Klah ah men (Lund) 877-569-3999
One look at our beautiful website and understand why our customers return year after year.
Smitty’s Oyster House (Gibsons) 604 886-4665
This place is so popular in the summer there are line-ups. Boaters from Vancouver and Vancouver Island make Smitty’s Oyster House a reason to get out in the boat. Good times prevail at the long table, where before long it is hard to tell who came with who. People come for some of the best oysters in the world, but the chowders, salads, and fresh fish creations – and the have-a-good-time, we-are attitude that begins with owner Stafford Lumley – offer many additional reasons. Chef Conor Lowe has been in residence since opening in 2009 and his skill with flavours makes every dish a culinary delight. When you come to Smitty’s, don’t forget to see the rest of Gibsons.
Gramma’s Marine Pub (Gibsons) 604 886-8215
Best view of the harbour and breath-taking North Shore Mountains backdrop. Enjoy the usual pub fare on the lower outside deck, or the glass-framed upper deck or inside, out of the heat. Servers are pleasant and attentive, but service can be slow on busy summer days. Most people don’t mind, because the setting and convivial table arrangements take any hurry out of you. The beer list is so-so, but there is always at least one draft selection on special and every day has entrée and drink specials.
Smoke on the Water BBQ Shack (Gibsons) 604.840.0004
At Smoke on the Water, we’re passionate about food and our customers’ dining experience. We use the freshest local ingredients whenever possible. Our meat is slow smoked on-site in a southern style BBQ tradition. We offer the best smoked meat sandwich on the West Coast along with flavourful seafood dishes, and gluten free and vegetarian options. Located on the Government Wharf, you can dine on our patio overlooking the marina. We also have take-out and catering.
Molly’s Reach by Black Bean (Gibsons) 604 886-9710
Famous as TV icon, but still there because of good food and attentive service. There is nothing really extraordinary about this place. It has a varied enough menu to make choosing difficult. The food is consistently tasty and plentiful. The patio secludes you from the activity at the heart of Gibsons Landing, the head of the wharf. Inside you look through wooden-framed windows that remind you of the time of the Beachcombers and the walls are a gallery of photos from the fabled show. I have taken many a guest here and we leave glad that we came. In 15 or more visits, I have always had excellent service. Licensed.
Lighthouse Pub (Sechelt) 604 885-9494
Lighthouse Pub is one more good reason they should build a canal from the Salish Sea to Sechelt Inlet (just kidding). To get there by boat, one must cruise to the base of Jervis Inlet, time the Skookumchuk Narrows’ rapids and cross the length of Sechelt Inlet. A trip with many rewards besides dinner at the Pub. Or, you can fly directly to the floats below the pub. The view up Sechelt Inlet from the pub deck is my wife’s favourite view on the Sunshine Coast. And this is one of our favourite places for a couple of cold ones and fish tacos or a burger. Great burgers! Oh, and if you need to replace some gear or tackle, there is a chandlery next door.
Lagoon Restaurant (Madeira Park) 604 883-2456
This is fine dining at its best. And, where you might least expect it. Except, this is Painted Boat Resort, which has turned pleasing its guests into an art. Tie up under the dining room. If its early, stop in for Happy Hour which begins at 15:00. Before your evening meal, why not relax in the spa. Your table over-looks the pretty maze of points and islands that create a haven off the main body of Pender Harbour. The menu is classic with an assortment of seafoods, viands and a tip of the fork to vegetarians. We loved the bouillabaisse with its fresh seafood and zesty fennel mating well. Excellent choice of wines.
Inlets Restaurant, West Coast Wilderness Lodge (Egmont) 778 280-8610
This is where you want to get married or celebrate your 50th anniversary. The dining and banquet rooms are built and appointed in the grand tradition of rustic opulence. That is not an oxymoron or I’m a moron. That doesn’t mean you need a jacket at dinner. This is west coast casual. But there is nothing casual about the astute service or attention to culinary detail. There is a dock below the restaurant reserved for Fly N’ Dine parties, if that tells you anything about quality. The menu is strong in all departments and you can linger through courses with one of the best views on the Sunshine Coast. Inlets serves breakfast, something you cannot get elsewhere between Madeira Park and Powell River.
The Seasider Bistro + Wine Bar + Patio (Powell River) 604 485-0996
The Seasider resides in Beach Gardens Resort and Marina, a popular staging point for excursions to Harmony Islands, Princess Louisa Inlet and Desolation Sound. It has fabulous ocean views, a varied bistro-style menu, good choice of beers and they source their fresh ingredients locally as much as possible.
Costa del Sol (Powell River) 604-485-2227
This flourishing pantry catches your eye walking down Marine Avenue. Ambitious vines and other greenery enclose a little deck that seems right out of Latin America. On the deck and inside people relax like this is where they are going to sit all day. The food is authentically Latin American, with an array of tacos and a short list of traditional dishes served with cheeses and choice of salad; all quite affordable. They are licensed and feature the local Townsite Brewery beers.
Snickers (Powell River) 604 485-8441
It’s a Greek restaurant. It’s a pub. It’s a pizzeria. Many restaurants that try to appeal to wide culinary tastes wind up doing none of them well. Snickers is an exception. Owner Telis Savvaidis is a perfectionist and it shows in the immaculate care of his rooms and in the quality of what you are served. Snickers is a great place for a pizza-lunch on the vine-covered deck over-looking the harbour or for a romantic dinner. God help you deciding on what to choose from a menu that never ends. Locals rave about the pizza, but if you are into authentic Greek food, come here. Licensed, of course.
Laughing Oyster (Lund) 604 483-9775
We had heard so many marvelous things about the Laughing Oyster that I feared expectation would exceed reality. Not in the least. First, there is the novelty of a rambling inn set in a garden on the shore of remote Okeover Arm. You may tie up below at the restaurant’s float or at the Okeover Harbour Authority, if there is room. Of course you can get here by car, but that misses the fun of travelling through wilderness seas for days and then lighting upon civilization at its finest. The setting and the view cannot be equalled. Chef David Lowe has created a master piece menu. Entertainment adds liveliness. The wine list is short, but we found a Pinot Noir to our liking.
Boardwalk Restaurant (Lund)
The boardwalk to the Boardwalk Restaurant is a delight. But the delights that await are extraordinary. Dine inside amid a comfortably idiosyncratic décor or on the deck over-looking the active harbour. Chef Roy has gathered inspiration from around the world to create such noelties as Tequila Lime Wild Salmon and Mediterranean Backed Chicken. His seafood chowder is to die for. Service is casual and spot on. There is no gluten here, so if you need grain-sourced amino acids and vitamins, best to bring a piece of bread.
