As the winner of our Most Awesome Award for travel in 2014 (HERE), Tofino is a destination we've more than introduced you to the awesomeness of. Not only is it a wonderful place to explore and to relax but they've got some of the best food in British Columbia due to 2 key factors: the first that they're able to attract incredible talent and the second is since it's not exactly easy to get outside ingredients to the edge of the world they tend to use as many local ones as possible. This means freshness, and it means seafood, and it's a big part of what draws me onto the Duke Point ferry every few months. For my most recent trip there with my small family I decided to expose 5 of the best dishes from a range of different spots. Some of them required reservations, some we simply dropped in on, and at all of them I asked for them to serve me either their most popular seafood dish or their chef's favourite. As there's no seafood variety I dislike, this proved to be the winning formula for tracking down the best ones! Seafood Chowder at The Fish Store and Oyster Bar This recently-opened spot in a new building adjacent to the water has a bit of a leg up when it comes to ingredients; their owner also has a hand in a local fish processing plant, promising only the freshest stock with which to make their meals. Up until this trip my favourite seafood chowder was Ned Bell's at Yew Seafood + Bar in Vancouver but upon my return I had to break it to Ned that this one is my new favourite. Partly due to the insane amount of seafood, and that freshness just takes it completely over the top. This is bar-none the best thing I ate on my trip, and I'll be back for more when I return! - Visit fb.com/fishstoreandoysterbar Charred Sturgeon at The Pointe Restaurant If you're planning to go for one high end meal when you're in Tofino, The Pointe at the Wickaninnish Inn is your spot. This sturgeon - which came from a sustainable, closed containment farm on the Sunshine Coast - was a part of a rotating tasting menu and isn't regularly available, but ask for it if you're there. If it's not on the arctic char will be, and that dish is also worthy of recommendation. - Visit wickinn.com/pointe-restaurant Cod Tacos at Wildside Grill Wildside is a spot I stop in at every time I'm in Tofino. They're a takeout window with picnic tables out front and, much like the Oyster Bar, they've got a line on fresh ingredients; one of the owners is a commercial fisherman and operates a small fleet of boats, and they take their pick of the finest fish! I'm always on the hunt for great fish tacos and prior to this had never had cod ones but am now a convert. - Visit wildsidegrill.com Mussels at Shelter Restaurant Shelter is another haunt I always stop in at, usually for brunch or evening drinks. The mussels are one of the most popular dishes on the menu for a reason (and that reason is that they are excellent!). - Visit shelterrestaurant.com Crab leg dinner in your own kitchen at Pacific Sands! We stayed in a beach house at Pacific Sands for our visit and seeing as there was a huge, fully equipped kitchen it would have been ridiculous to have eaten out for every meal, so we did one really great one. Right as you're driving into town there's a sign that says "Crab Lady", which is a shop run by (you guessed it) a lady who sells crabs. Her sons run a commercial crab fishing operation and while they sell to suppliers they also sell to everyday folks who pop in. Prices are $10, $12 and $15 each, depending on the size. - Visit pacificsands.com. The trip was all about getting into a bunch of great spots for food but it was sometimes tough to pull ourselves away from the comforts of the beach house. 2 storeys, right on the beach, a hot tub on the patio, there's not much more you could ask for. I'll leave you with this photo of the sunset, taken from the master bedroom! And this map of all the spots we hit... ******************** Big thanks to Samantha Geer at Avenue Communications, Tourism Tofino, Pacific Sands and BC Ferries for assisting us with this trip!