When you think about it, Tofino isn’t exactly the most likely culinary destination. It’s way out there on the edge of the world, shrouded in fog and rain much of the year, with neither farmland to supply ingredients nor a big city to supply diners.
Yet this fishing village on Vancouver Island’s west coast is consistently one of the best places to eat in Canada.
For that, credit a bounty of pristine local seafood, the support of the Tofino Ucluelet Culinary Guild and a handful of passionate chefs and restaurateurs who’ve made this place their home.
If you haven’t been in a while—or ever—here’s what you need to know to start planning your foodie adventure. Just be sure to arrive hungry.
A selection of brunch items, include the smoked beet rancheros and sweet waffles, at Long Beach Lodge Resort in Tofino. Joanne Sasvari photo
Ocean culture
It’s easier to get to Tofino these days than it used to be, but it’s still a bit of a journey. Highway 4 is wider and safer now, but it’s still a narrow, twisty, mostly single-lane trek that will take you about three hours from Nanaimo or four from Victoria. And in addition to the daily Pacific Coastal flights to YAZ, Harbour Air is now flying from Vancouver or Victoria to Tofino harbour, but bad weather can, and does, delay or cancel flights on the regular.
By the time you get here, you will certainly be peckish, so we suggest swinging by Wildside Grill in the Live to Surf complex or its sibling restaurant, Surfside Grill, over at the Pacific Sands Beach Resort for a snack—some crispy fried local fish on a bun, for instance.
Energy restored, consider your options for dining.
The famous potato-crusted oysters at Wolf in the Fog in Tofino. Joanne Sasvari photo
One good way to get a taste of all that’s on offer is by joining one of the Chew on This Tasty Tours. These are new to Tofino (the company also offers food tours in Vancouver, Fort Langley, Langley, Abbotsford and Chilliwack) and introduce participants to everything from coffee joints like the Beach Shack at Pacific Sands to resort dining (think: irresistible brunch waffles in Long Beach Lodge Resort’s gorgeous Great Room) to some of the people working behind the scenes to keep everyone fed.
“I love Tofino. I’m happiest when I’m here,” says Lise Hines, owner and “culinary experiences curator” of Chew on This Tasty Tours. “It’s because there’s this culture of the ocean and the forest.”
One of the stops on the tour is likely to be a visit to the warehouse where the non-profit Tofino Ucluelet Culinary Guild collects foodstuffs for the region’s restaurants. TUCG started 14 years ago to solve the challenge of getting fresh produce to this remote coast by connecting Island farmers with Tofino chefs. As Rob Renna, the guild’s executive director, says, “Farmers, they want to farm. They don’t want to be selling.”
Since then, TUCG has been instrumental in creating a community grocery project and one of the best school food programs on the coast. It also makes weekly deliveries to the food bank and makes sure every scrap of food is used in preserves and staff meals.
“Waste diversion, food security, we’re really proud of what we do,” Renna says. “This is a special story and we’re really proud of that.”
Ombré chef David Provencal. Gail Nugent photo
Global flavours
It’s always good to know where your food comes from and about the people who produce it, but maybe you’re just hungry and want to find something good to eat. Well, we can help you with that, too.
The buzziest place in Tofino right now is Ombré Restaurant, where chef David Provençal is cooking up Mediterranean-inspired dishes that are like a taste of sunshine on even the rainiest day.
Housemade campanelle pasta with maitake mushrooms at Ombré Restaurant in Tofino. Gail Nugent photo
He’s taken inspiration from global rock-star chefs like Evan Funke and Massimo Bottura for housemade pastas like the spelt gnocchetti with meat ragu or sourdough campanelle with local maitake mushrooms. But he also has clever twists on everything from the lentil hummus to the madeleines piped with creamy duck liver. Everything is meant for sharing and grazing, and it’s all accompanied by a dynamic list of low-intervention wines and flavourful cocktails.
Wolf in the Fog Chef Nicholas Nutting. Gail Nugent photo
Before Ombré, Provençal was sous chef at Wolf in the Fog down the street, the lively room where chef Nick Nutting is still serving up satisfyingly generous portions of globe-trotting fare like Thai Humboldt squid, ling cod in laksa curry and the ribeye with gorgonzola bread pudding. His legendary potato-crusted oysters are a must.
Nearby, Jeju is a teeny Korean restaurant that serves up great big flavours, thanks to the talented chef Yunyoung “Dylan” Kim. There will likely be a lineup outside, but it’s worth the wait for the exceptional bibimbap, japchae and especially Kim’s famous galbi, Korean BBQ short ribs that have been aged for 35 days to mouthwatering tenderness. Best advice: Eat everything.
A madeleine with pipe duck liver at Ombré Restaurant in Tofino. Joanne Sasvari photo
Longtime visitors to Tofino will notice an empty lot where the popular Shelter Restaurant used to be; it tragically burned down in December 2022. But from those ashes a whole new Shelter has emerged, relocated to the Tofino Resort + Marina where it now enjoys spectacular views of the inlet and a sprawling space, indoors and out, with breakfast café, outdoor patios and an event space. Executive chef Matty Kane has ever-so-slightly upscalified his menu; expect loads of local seafood and terrific gourmet burgers.
Finally, no visit to Tofino is complete without a stop at Chocolate Tofino, back at the Surf to Live complex, where owners Kim and Cam Shaw make artisanal bonbons and bars. Load up on goodies for the trip home, but be sure to enjoy one of their housemade gelatos or ice creams while you’re there. May we suggest the “kookville,” their take on cookies ’n’ cream, named for bit of local surfing slang? Don’t ask; just enjoy.
For more information, go to tourismtofino.com.
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