We’re back with a new edition of Restaurant Roundup! The theme? Where To Eat This Weekend. We profile different parts of Canada with a list of great dining recommendations for you to check out — from fancy to hole in the wall and everything in between! If you're planning a trip to PEI this summer, look no further. Today Janice Lawandi take us on a tour of PEI restaurants. You'll want to check it out whether you're a local or planning a trip - now you'll know where to eat in PEI!
With its gorgeous red sand beaches, Prince Edward Island, the home of Anne of Green Gables, is a popular summertime destination for travellers from all around the world. Prince Edward Island offers more than a scenic holiday, and scattered throughout the island are some great eats that you won’t want to miss on your next trip.
Brunch or Lunch in PEI
Leonhard’s Café & Restaurant
If you are visiting PEI, you are probably staying at a Bed & Breakfast, but that doesn’t mean that you should spend every single breakfast eating at the B&B. Breakfast at Leonhard’s Café is definitely worth leaving the B&B for.
Leonhard’s vanilla Swiss roll cake is very well known around town, but if you're going for breakfast, Leonhard’s offers many great “non-cake” options (not that I would judge you if you ordered cake for breakfast). The French toast is made from Leonhard’s fantastic homemade multigrain bread. It’s a hearty French toast, served with maple syrup. Or if you feel like having eggs for breakfast, I recommend ordering an omelette (my favourite was garnished with black forest ham & a very generous amount of Havarti cheese).
And if you are still feeling a little peckish, you must try the cream horn (a.k.a “Schillerlocken” in German), which is a horn of flaky pastry filled with the most delightful vanilla cream.
Receiver Coffee Co
To get your much-needed caffeine fix, head to Receiver Coffee Co. The great thing about Receiver Coffee Co. is that, besides good coffee, they also have a small, but impressive menu that changes often. When you visit, the breakfast menu may include a breakfast club sandwich, crêpes, Eggs Benedict, or even breakfast nachos (yes, I really do mean nachos that you eat at breakfast).
The daily lunch specials vary too, and usually include hot dishes like mac & cheese, sweet and savoury apple bbq beef brisket sandwich, feta stuffed lamb burger.
The Charlottetown Farmer’s Market
If you are visiting Charlottetown for a weekend, spend your Saturday morning eating your way through the Charlottetown Farmer’s Market, where you can have anything from a healthy smoothie or a fresh juice, a St-Viateur bagel topped with locally smoked salmon from Medalion Trading PEI, an incredible falafel pita from Shaddy’s, or even Polish pierogies and apple strudel.
Of course, you can also pick up fresh fruits and veggies at the Charlottetown Farmer’s market too, but the prepared food stands are so great, it’s hard to resist. The market is open Saturdays and Wednesdays too, from 9AM to 2PM.
Dinner in PEI
Lobster Dinner
When you drive around Prince Edward Island, you will probably notice that just about every restaurant seems to offer a lobster dinner, and even many of the churches too!
You can’t go wrong with a lobster dinner from the Water Prince Corner Shop and Lobster Pound (a classic recommendation from the locals, open 7 days a week), where I was served a dinner roll and a bowl of chowder (featured on Food Network’s You’ve Gotta Eat Here).
If you are on a tight budget, head to one of the local fish shops and pick up a cooked lobster. You can pick up cooked lobsters at Doiron’s Fisheries, which is conveniently located near The Olde Village Bakery, where you can grab dinner rolls and classic sides, like potato salad and coleslaw. The Olde Village Bakery is also known for their selection of classic squares, so you definitely don’t want to miss this gem for dessert.
Terre Rouge
It’s no surprise that Terre Rouge has been ranked among Canada’s top restaurants. Named after the red earth of PEI, Terre Rouge is committed to local growers and producers, and firmly believes in the farm-to-table movement. Whatever you decide to order for dinner (their menu changes almost daily), the house-cured charcuterie and cheese platter is a great way to start your meal.
Terre Rouge also has a small market area where you can shop for a few of the local preserves and ingredients they feature on their menu.
Other fun places to eat in PEI
Cow’s Creamery
There are several locations around the island, of which the biggest location is the Cow’s Creamery factory offering a factory tour. The line of ice creams ranges from the classic vanilla to crazy flavours like “Wowie Cowie” and “Mooey Gooey”. My personal favourite is the PEI Strawberry ice cream. Their homemade waffle cones are awesome, so definitely order your ice cream in a cone.
Glasgow Glen Farms (formerly The Gouda Cheese Lady)
This one’s for all the cheese-lovers! There was a Dutch lady in PEI who became famous for her gouda cheese and became known as the Gouda Cheese Lady. She made gouda cheese for over twenty years in PEI, until she handed the business over to the McCourts, who continue to make great gouda cheese, from plain to smoked, and even flavoured with cumin, red pepper flakes, or mustard seeds.
Glasgow Glen Farms also makes fabulous artisanal breads to go with all that cheese and even pizzas baked in a wood-fire oven.
Richard’s Fresh Seafood
Richard’s Fresh Seafood is apparently THE place to go if you are craving a lobster roll which, for the record, is excellent and served on a toasted hot-dog bun.
Really, you can’t go wrong with any of the menu items. Served with a homemade tartar sauce that is flavoured with fresh dill and sun-dried tomato, the fish & chips feature panko-crusted haddock fillets that are light and very crispy on the outside and almost buttery inside. And the fun part of Richard’s Seafood: they give you gummy candies for a sweet treat to enjoy after all that seafood.
The Chip Shack
A stop at The Chip Shack is an absolute must because the Chip Shack has THE BEST, crispiest french fries I’ve ever had. The french fries, made from PEI potatoes, are blanched and fried to order, and honestly, you should make a point of stopping by for a snack.
More Great Places to Eat This Weekend
Looking for more places to try across Canada this weekend? Here's a few suggestions:
- Where to Eat This Weekend: Cape Breton Island Edition
- Where To Eat This Weekend: Ottawa Edition
- Where To Eat This Weekend: Saskatoon Edition
- Where To Eat This Weekend: Jasper Edition
- Or visit our whole Where To Eat This Weekend Archive for more great places to eat this weekend across Canada
Where to Eat PEI and Kitchen Geekery series is written by Janice Lawandi. Janice is a PhD-chemist-turned-baker, which is why she loves to use science to understand and solve problems in the kitchen. She is currently working as a recipe tester and writer in Montreal, QC. Visit Janice’s blog, The Bake School, for more baking science and inspiration. You can also follow her on Facebook and Instagram.
Would be nice to have a more exact location in PEI for these recommended places, PEI is not that small .
They’re all in the Charlottetown area!
Terre Rouge changed hands over the winter – when did she visit PEI?
Doirons and The Olde Village Bakery are in North Rustico – well worth the 30 minute drive!!!
Buono Mangia is well worth a visit while in Charlottetown.