After living on Salt Spring Island for five years, we can confidently say that this little island knows how to eat. Known for its sustainable farming and locally grown food, you'll see locals flocking to the Tuesday farmers' market and restaurants sourcing farm-to-table ingredients that inspire their menus.
The island's fresh, organic offerings and creative flair combine to make some delicious eateries. We list the 25 best restaurants on Salt Spring Island, each for a unique reason.
Planning a trip to Salt Spring? Check out how to get there, the best accommodation and our list of 33 fun things to do on the island.
25 Best Restaurants in Salt Spring Island
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1. Best neighbourhood restaurant: Off the Hook
Off the Hook Salt Spring
The highly-anticipated restaurant, Off the Hook, is now open. Taste their coastal-inspired dishes with an innovative twist.
Occupying the former Twig & Buoy space in Fernwood, the restaurant has a nautical charm, complemented by a blue neon sign proclaiming "The world's your oyster." The servers are very friendly and you can feel the passion behind the dishes.
In addition to their regular menu, they have a new sushi menu, featuring unique rolls, sashimi and nigiri.
😋 Must try: Vietnamese Crispy Chicken Wings, Wild Salmon Fish & Chips, and the Smash Burger - it's our favourite burger on the island.
2. Best for a unique setting: Tree House Cafe
Located in a wooden heritage cottage with a large plum tree as its centrepiece, Tree House Cafe is a fun place to eat at. It gets busy in summer, but the wait is worth it to dine in the treehouse.
Adding to its allure, from mid-May to September, Tree House Cafe hosts "Music Under the Stars," treating guests to live musical performances every evening from 7pm to 9pm.
😋 Must try: Grilled halloumi gyro wrapped in fresh warm naan bread
3. Best for share plates: Feast
Feast
Taking over the former House Piccolo space, the newly opened Feast is a fantastic addition to the island. They source their ingredients locally within a 100km radius. We've dined there twice and have been thoroughly impressed.
Located in a heritage building, Feast has a charming courtyard patio in the back, perfect for warm-weather dining. Reservations are highly recommended to snag one of their outdoor tables.
Their signature mains, called "Feast Platters," are designed for sharing and serve 2-4 people, depending on your appetite. It's a generous portion for two people, so appetizers aren't necessary.
Feast also features "Bruce Platters", with some feeding 4-6 people, making it easy to dine with a larger group of friends.
😋 Must try: their menu changes daily - check it out.
4. Best for a picnic: Kutatás Vineyard
Enjoy a wine-tasting experience at Kutatás while seated at one of their picnic tables overlooking the vineyard. This unique winery warmly welcomes you to bring your own picnic ingredients to complement their wines.
Enhance your tasting with a charcuterie picnic - pick up baked goods from Francis Bread, meats from South End Sausage and goat cheese from the Salt Spring Island Cheese Farm.
5. Best for a lively atmosphere: Cassette
Cassette Salt Spring Island
Set in a former 1950s gas station, Cassette plays old Top 40 and upbeat alternative hits over its lively indoor and outdoor spaces. It's a casual spot that's a lot of fun.
Its picnic tables can accommodate larger groups, so it's a good place to go if you're spending a weekend with friends. It's not the kind of place where you want to take your parents unless you want to hear them complain about the music volume.
The specialties here are the fried-chicken sandwiches, smash burgers and slushy margarita-style cocktails. The menu may be small, but the food is very tasty.
😋 Must try: Korean Cauliflower Nuggets and the Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich
6. Best for fine dining: Hastings House
Hastings House
7. Best for vegan: Ox Eats Grass
Ox Eats Grass
Tucked away down a forest road, about 4 minutes from Ganges, Ox Eats Grass operates out of a cute food truck and recently added a cozy, heated dining area inside a greenhouse.
Serving mouthwatering vegan comfort food for breakfast and lunch, it’s a hidden gem worth the trip.
😋 Must try: The BBQ Shrooms Burger, featuring locally grown oyster mushrooms slow-cooked in sweet & spicy BBQ sauce. Also, their masala chai!
8. Best for sushi: Express Sushi 2 Go
This takeout restaurant serves fresh sushi on par with the best casual sushi joints in Vancouver. Order takeaway and enjoy it back at your stay or at a scenic picnic spot with island views. Don't forget to pick up some sake from the liquor store!
😋 Must try: spicy salmon roll and crunch roll
9. Best for sandwiches: Buzzy's Luncheonette
This Jewish deli serves up delicious Montreal smoked meat sandwiches on fresh marble rye. The sandwiches are mouthwatering and one of a kind! You can either take away or grab one of the few tables inside or outside.
It's a convenient place to stop for lunch after browsing the Saturday Market. Just make sure to get there before they run out of meat!
😋 Must try: The Hungry Jew or The Rabinowitz
10. Best for comfort food: Salt Spring Inn
😋 Must try: crispy cod burger (ask for extra tartar sauce!)
11. Best for Italian: Auntie Pestos
Step inside the cozy eatery to enjoy mouthwatering Italian cuisine and seasonal specialties. Their pasta is homemade and they are proud to support local producers.
We particularly love the ambience and jazz music that plays. It's a great spot to go out with friends or to bring a date. We always take our friends here.
😋 Must try: chilli lime prawns and beef carpaccio
12. Best for coffee: Switch Board Cafe
Tucked away on a side street in Ganges, Switchboard Cafe is a quirky spot serving specialty coffees and tasty baked goods. It's a lovely place to start your morning on their outside patio.
They also offer unique coffee-free lattes, like beetroot, turmeric and reishi cacao, and recently started serving Mexican brunch favourites, like chilaquiles, burritos and tacos.
13. Best for breakfast: Barb's Buns, Dagwoods Diner or Salt Spring Inn
Barb's Buns is the best spot if you're looking for a quick bite. They have delicious fresh baked goods and sizeable breakfast sandwiches. Try one of their sourdough cheese twists, the perfect salty treat.
Dagwoods Diner is the best spot if you're looking for a classic greasy spoon diner. It's great value and a favourite with locals. We usually go for their breakfast special or perogies.
Salt Spring Inn is the best spot if you're looking for a country-style breakfast including buttermilk pancakes or buttermilk waffles. On Sundays, they serve breakfast until 2pm and have extra options like a traditional eggs benedict or a crab cake bennie.
14. Best for daytime drinks and a farm lunch: Salt Spring Wild Cider House
Salt Spring Wild Cider House is not only our favourite place to drink cider but also our favourite spot to have lunch. The huge outdoor space with picnic tables overlooks the farm, making it a great spot for a sunny day.
The items on the menu are perfect for sharing and light enough that you won't have to lie down from a food coma after.
We recommend trying a flight of ciders. There are up to 10 to try! Our favourites are the bitter orange-rosemary, farmhouse scrumpy, plum and elderflower/elderberry.
Too cold to sit outside? Salt Spring Wild Cider has an indoor dining room with great tunes. Their menu changes frequently and we are always delighted by the new arrivals.
For small plates, we love their mezze platter, roast aubergine with whipped feta and pan-fried scallops. For larger plates, our favourites are the pan-seared wild coho with chimichurri and jerk chicken. Yum!
If someone in your group doesn't drink cider, they also offer BC wines, regional craft beers and local kombucha.
15. Best locals' pub: Moby's Pub
Moby's Pub is the best locals' bar where you can listen to live music, have a couple of cold beverages and order pub favourites. Ari's favourite dish is their 18-Hour BBQ Brisket. Kitchen hours are from 11:30 AM - 9:00 PM.
Check out their events calendar for live music shows, karaoke nights and music bingo.
16. Best for food made from scratch: Rock Salt
Pulled Pork Burger at Rock Salt
Down south in the quaint village of Fulford Harbour, you'll find Rock Salt. Their food is all made from scratch and focuses on local ingredients.
Rock Salt has a dining room with 180° ocean views, as well as a cafe where you can order food to go. This is great if you need to catch the ferry nearby. The best quick treat to grab is their cheese bun stuffed with different daily ingredients, like pulled pork.
😋 Must try: Cider braised pulled pork burger served on a potato bun
17. Best for Pizza: True Love Pizza
At last, the pizza place we've been waiting for on Salt Spring - wood-fired, bubbly sourdough crust with creative toppings that all come together to make the perfect pie.
Try the Wise Guy, an olive-oil base pizza with house-made lemon & fennel sausage, roasted onions and aged mozza. It's absolutely delicious!
😋 Must try: Wise Guy
18. Best for long coffee chats with a view: Waterfront Country Cafe
Waterfront Country Cafe
This relaxed Western-themed cafe is the place to go for leisurely coffee chats with a view. Overlooking Ganges Harbour, their solarium offers scenic vistas year-round.
Look out for their country-style lunch specials, like chilli and shepherd pie.
19. Best for the sunset: Seaside Restaurant
Seaside Restaurant is one of the best spots to see the sunset. Grab a spot on the outdoor patio and take in stunning views of the ocean and Vancouver Island.
Seaside Restaurant is known for its fish & chips. You can choose from fresh-battered halibut, cod or haddock.
20. Best for live music on the harbourfront: Oyster Catcher
Oyster Catcher
If it's a nice day, head over to Oyster Catcher to take in waterfront views on their large outdoor patio. During summertime, the restaurant has live music every day of the week starting at 6PM.
Enjoy listening to cheerful classics and take in the island vibes. Don't go if you're in a rush - it's a busy spot, so service can be slow at times.
😋 Must try: Salt Spring mussels
21. Best for cheese lovers: Salt Spring Island Cheese Cafe
Cafe at Salt Spring Island Cheese Farm
During summertime, Salt Spring Island Cheese Farm opens up its cafe and outdoor terrace. Order one of its specialty pizzas, like the truffle chevre pesto pizza, and sit at a picnic table in the back overlooking the farm and cute goats. For dessert, try the chevre cheesecake.
The kitchen is open from 11AM-4PM, however, pizzas and cheesecake can run out beforehand on busy days.
😋 Must try: any of the pizzas with goat cheese
22. Best for cocktails & dancing: Mateada
Mateada Lounge
Mateada is one of Salt Spring Island's hottest spots. The lounge features live music, creative cocktails and tasty bites, and has a funky ambience with its rich textures, coloured lighting and ornate woodwork.
Outside of their creative cocktail selection, Mateada serves a unique selection of non-alcoholic drinks, like kombucha and yerba mate served in a traditional gourd.
We saw The Della Kit with David Morin perform a groovy set of jazz-inspired neo-soul songs. The atmosphere was lively and a ton of fun. About halfway through, almost everyone got up to dance on the dance floor in front of the stage.
Mateada hosts different styles of music from Thursdays-Saturdays, so don't miss checking out their list of events!
23. Best for a quick bite: any of the food trucks!
Indulge in a food crawl through Ganges by trying different specialties from the local food trucks:
- For Japanese: Kitchen Kodama
- For Indian: Omja
- For poke bowls and smoothies: Pura Vida
24. Best for daily features: Francis Bread
Francis Bread Salt Spring
Recently opened in Merchant Mews, Francis Bread has quickly become a hot spot for its wood-fired bread using BC-grown organic grains and sandwiches made daily with their signature sourdough.
Look out for their daily features, which could easily be your best meal on Salt Spring. We had their Chinese spice BBQ pulled pork sandwich and it was amazing!‌
25. Best for prepared meals: Woodshed Provisions
Starting as one of the best farm shops on the south end of the island, Woodshed has now expanded with a storefront in the burgeoning Merchant Mews. If you're searching for local, seasonally-inspired dishes to enjoy in the comfort of your accommodation, Woodshed Provisions is the place to go.
This is a great option if you're travelling with a group and want delicious, but effortless meals you can heat up in the oven at your stay.
😋 Must try: Chicken Marbella
We hope you enjoyed these 25 fantastic places to eat on Salt Spring!
Our top hotel picks on Salt Spring Island:
- Best for value: Salt Spring Inn
- Best for luxury: Hastings House Country House Hotel
- Best for groups: The Cottages on Salt Spring Island
Start planning your trip to Salt Spring
- 🏡 Accommodation: see our list of the best Airbnbs and hotels in Salt Spring
- 🍷 Fun activities: see our list of the top 21 things to do in Salt Spring Island
- ⛴ Book your ferry: BC Ferries
- 🚗 Car rental: see Rentalcars.com to compare car rental prices across different companies.
- 🛫 Flights: see the Kayak tool to compare flights (includes float planes)
Don't miss our Salt Spring itineraries:
Explore more of the Gulf Islands:
- 5 Restaurants on Pender Island You Have to Try
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- 6 Hornby Island Restaurants you have to try
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