They might call the Vancouver Island region home to communities like Nanoose Bay, Parksville, and Qualicum Beach "mid" - as in Mid-Vancouver Island - but when it comes to their blossoming food scenes, there's nothing "mid" - as in middle-of-the-road - about it.
The past few years have seen a lot of growth and change in the area just north of Nanaimo, and with an influx of residents representing a younger demographic, and some Mainland folks making the move across the Strait of Georgia, there's been a big shift in the local food scene.
Breweries, restaurants, coffee roasteries, and fresh leadership at local legacy businesses are making a visit to the "Mid-Island" region all the more worthwhile.
Put these food and drink experiences on your next visit to this charming part of Vancouver Island to see - and taste - what has developed.
Nanoose Bay Cafe
Never been to Nanoose Bay? This new restaurant is reason enough to change that - if beautiful waterfront views, deer frolicking on sloping hillsides, and friendly locals don't do the trick. Located at the marina at Fairwinds (and adjacent to some recently renovated short-term rental accommodations perfect for an Island getaway), this massive space not only boasts an excellent restaurant but also a daytime cafe and grocer showcasing locally-made foods and a retail store with more local arts and goods.
Opened earlier this year, the Nanoose Bay Cafe is the venture of powerhouse trio Eli Brennan, Alan Tse, and Chef Todd Bright, who also happen to be behind the nearby Qualicum Beach Cafe and Vancouver's own Water Street Cafe. In Nanoose, as at the other restaurants, the emphasis remains firmly on using fresh locally-sourced ingredients in delectable and vibrant dishes, served alongside incredible B.C. wines in a bright, light, and inviting space.
You'll find plenty of stunning seafood on the menu here, like beautiful tuna sashimi, fresh oysters, and clams in a garlicky broth with tomatoes and bread to soak it all up. The Nanoose Bay Cafe is turning out all sorts of seafood classics, like raw bar towers, Cioppino, chowder, and hot crab dip alongside playful options like the oh-so-snackable Shrimp Toast.
You'll also want to save room for their house-made dumplings, served with ponzu sauce made in-house (and available by the bottle in the cafe/grocery section), and their lovely desserts, like a matcha cheescake. Naturally, they're serving up the Island's calling card boozy coffee cocktail the Shaft (and yes, they'll oblige by making it decaf if you don't want the full jolt).
Address: 3521 Dolphin Dr, Nanoose Bay, B.C.
Rusted Rake Brewing Co.
The motto here is "farm to tap" and that's because the brewery-restaurant came out of the owners' decision to farm barley on-site. Envisioned as a family-friendly gathering place with all the laid-back and welcoming vibes of a true farmhouse hangout, Rusted Rake delivers on its homey atmosphere surrounded by farmland.
The restaurant serves up hearty plates of approachable fare, but it's clear why a dish like the rich and melt-in-your-mouth low and slow-roasted brisket platter is so popular they sometimes sell out. The menu was crafted as a way to celebrate locally-sourced ingredients, so you'll see components like house-made blueberry ketchup, Island-grown potatoes, and plenty of seafood featured on their plates. If you save room for dessert, they're doing their take on the Island's hallmark Nanaimo Bar, only their version tones down the sweetness, making for the perfect finish to a meal.
Rusted Rake also brews about a half-dozen beers at its onsite brewery, creating refreshing and popular pours like their Rosa the Rebel Mexican Lager or The Wandering Scotsman's Spruce Tip IPA, created by award-winning brewer Dave Woodward (formerly of local brewery Mount Arrowsmith). Alongside the crop fields, brewery, and restaurant, the impressive Rusted Rake property has beautiful spaces for events, and future plans include setting up rental accommodations.
Address: 3106 NW Bay Rd, Nanoose Bay, B.C.
Wild Culture Artisan Bakery
You don't have to be new to be considered what makes a local food scene great, and this somewhat off-the-beaten-path bakeshop proves it. They've been baking locally since 1995, and have perfected the art of creating beautiful breads and treats, available at their cozy garden cottage shop and cafe.
Using only 100 per cent sourdough, Wild Culture's breads and treats are yeast-free, and deploy heritage grains; most of their flour is actually milled on-site. Wild Culture's bakery has a rotating schedule for bread in addition to a bakery case filled with beautiful goodies, like spelt flour carrot cake, lemon tarts, cookies, and brownies, and bags of house-made granola.
Take note that on Fridays, Wild Culture makes pizzas using sourdough crust, so if you happen to pop in that day, you'll be watching wistfully as people carry out their boxed pies, unless you've put in a pre-order of your own. Speaking of pre-orders, if you want to ensure Wild Culture has what you're looking for, they accept online orders for pick-up; the retail shop is open just Wednesday through Friday from noon to 5 p.m. so plan your visit accordingly.
Address: 692 Bennett Rd, Qualicum Beach, B.C.
Fern + Cedar Brewing Co.
The mid-Island region has been a go-to tourist destination for a long time, but in the past couple of years, the growth in this seaside community has been exponential. Case in point, Parksville's Mount Arrowsmith Brewing Company's sibling venture in Qualicum Beach, Fern + Cedar. This is a microbrewery and brewpub-style restaurant that is anchoring the East Village development, and a harbinger of what's to come as this community continues to grow.
They're brewing constantly here, in small batches enough to keep the taps flowing in the bustling dining room and bar. Your best bet is to get a tasting flight to try Fern + Cedar's own IPAs, ales, and lagers, as well as anything exciting and seasonal they're creating in the brewery, which cleverly makes great use of the small space.
When it comes to food, Fern + Cedar's kitchen is turning out crowd-pleasing plates of approachable fare, with options like spicy shrimp and lobster lettuce wraps and a phenomenal house burger you'll want to complement with their truffle parmesan fries.
This is a lively, welcoming space that has handily proven to be a draw in the area and one that is assuredly signalling the food and drink game is getting stronger in Qualicum Beach, thanks to Fern + Cedar's commitment to crafting quality brews and eats.
Address: 680 Berwick Rd S #101, Qualicum Beach, B.C.
French Press Coffee Roasters
The baked goods are piled high on trays in the front window and the aroma of fresh coffee wafts out the front door. It's a busy morning inside French Press, but roastery and cafe owner Jeremy Perkins says it's pretty much always busy, with locals and visitors alike making the cozy coffee shop a popular stop. Perkins came to Vancouver Island in 2017, moving with his wife and family from the U.K., where he had spent several years in the coffee business.
The timing was just right; Perkins took over the cafe on Primerose Street and created a warm, welcoming space with fantastic coffee and delicious casual eats, like mammoth sweet and savoury scones, muffins, and plated dishes like avocado toast with eggs. French Press grew steadily, taking over the neighbouring space to double the cafe's footprint and then adding a roastery facility and mini-cafe in Parksville. Now French Press Coffee is the flagship coffee of the community and is the bean of choice for several local restaurants. You'll definitely want to grab a bag of beans to take home, or, if you're really a fan, try out their three-, six-, or 12-month coffee subscriptions.
Address: 694 Primerose St, Qualicum Beach, B.C.
Qualicum Beach Cafe
Launched in 2021, the QBC has swiftly settled in as a tour-de-force dining destination in the area, thanks to the savvy of Brennan, Tse, and Bright (most recently of Nanoose Bay Cafe) and the restaurant's laid-back but elegant indoor and outdoor setting.
The menu here is rooted in West Coast classics with a welcome dose of Italian influence, which means you can balance your feast with something bright and easygoing like a Cobb Salad decked out with gorgeous crabmeat and shrimp and a soul-satisfying bowl of pappardelle with rich, meaty Bolognese.
The QBC's signature item, however, is their house-made gnocchi. They make and serve the pillowy morsels with your choice of sauce/toppings: mushroom, pesto, or the showstopping seafood option, with juicy tiger prawns, sweet bay scallops, smoked salmon, and a dill cream sauce with a hint of lemon.
The QBC is elevated without even a whiff of pretentiousness; the menu offers something for everyone, and the vibe is just right for a beach-side venue tucked inside a renovated inn. Get to know some of B.C.'s best wines from the restaurant's impressive menu (look for special offerings like a summertime spotlight on rosé, available in customized flights), or enjoy a brew or cocktail with your meal.
Address: 2690 Island Highway W, Qualicum Beach, B.C.
Little Qualicum Cheeseworks
There have been some significant changes behind the scenes at this venerable local cheese producer, but to customers, the shifts may only seem subtle. That's because in 2021 the business came under new ownership, as Albert Gorter and Chelsea Enns and their young family came to the Island from Manitoba to start their next chapter.
Gorter and Enns brought their dairy farm expertise to Little Qualicum, and stepped into the beloved business that has been a pillar in the community - and the B.C. artisan food scene - for over 20 years now. With veteran staff staying on, much of the production has remained the same, with just small tweaks to the cheese recipes and plans to slowly grow the product line.
Though Little Qualicum is no longer selling at farmers' markets, Gorter and Enns are keen to see retail distribution broaden and are also growing relationships with other mid-Island food, drink, and farming operations. Little Qualicum cheese is used by restaurants in the region, and spent grain from places like Fern + Cedar comes to them for farm feed - a true local food loop.
Featuring the products' refreshed logos and labelling, you'll want to have a cooler on hand to bring home items like squeaky curds, spreadable fromage frais, and Little Qualicum's signature semi-firm "Jills" (Monterey Jack-style) in an array of flavours from spicy to wine-infused. But it's a visit to the farm that reveals the heart of the operation, with a chance to greet the cows, learn about dairy farming and cheese-making, and even fill a bottle with farm-fresh milk. A stop at this special place is an ideal way to get to know the local food scene first-hand.
Address: 403 Lowrys Rd, Parksville, B.C.
Pacific Prime at The Beach Club Resort
The site of The Beach Club Resort has been a hotel in Parksville for over a century (a trip to the local museum includes a chance to see a model and photos of, and memorabilia from, the former Island Hall Hotel). But even if The Beach Club is your memory's go-to for the area, that doesn't mean the property hasn't undergone some clutch recent changes.
Food lovers should note one crucial switch-up at Pacific Prime, the beachfront restaurant on the property, and that's the appointment of Nate Catto to the role of head chef. Chef Catto brings with him a deep-rooted love of Island ingredients, and this spring introduced a brand new menu for Pacific Prime, with seafood and other regionally-sourced touches, in the spotlight. For example, you're now going to see Vancouver Island Sea Salt and Little Qualicum Cheeseworks on the menu, and from the bar, local brews and wines.
Dishes like the Dungeness crab-loaded "Beach Club" sandwich exemplify the best of waterfront dining, meshing beautiful fresh ocean fare and casually elegant dining. While there are hearty plated mains, refreshing salads, and share-able pub-style grub (including some of the best chicken wings you can get your hands on), even something as simple as a salmon burger is taken up a notch here with the addition of house-made balsamic onion jam and a preserved lemon yogurt to temper bold Mediterranean seasonings.
Address: 181 Beachside Dr, Parksville, B.C.
Disclaimer: Thanks to Parksville Qualicum Beach and the Nanoose Bay Cafe for facilitating the visit and some of the meals and experiences. All opinions and inclusions are those of the author and were not guided or influenced in any way, and none of the businesses or entities mentioned were granted any previews of the article prior to publication.
