9 Best Restaurants & Foodie Stops For A Vancouver Island Road Trip From Victoria To Tofino
You won't regret stopping at any of these!
An employee making pie at Old Town Bakery in Ladysmith, BC. Right: Sushi at Nori Japanese Restaurant in Nanaimo, BC.
Vancouver Island, B.C. has many amazing restaurants so if you're planning a road trip from Victoria to Tofino on your next visit, then you'll want to leave enough time for several stops along the way.
Whether you love breakfast foods, pastries, sushi, fish tacos, or a good cup of coffee, Vancouver Island has it all.
We did some research to see which cafes and restaurants along the route from the B.C. capital city to Tofino are worth stopping at.
From hidden gems that are tucked away to popular restaurants and food trucks, here are the nine spots we found.
John's Place
Address: 723 Pandora Ave, Victoria, BC
Price: 💸💸
Why You Need To Go: John's Place has been in Victoria, B.C. since 1984 and continues to be a beloved breakfast spot in town.
The restaurant serves Canadian comfort food like eggs benedict, waffles, pancakes and house made pie.
A review on Yelp calls is a "great breakfast spot in Victoria" and others rave about the food and the vibe inside.
"I do not know which is cooler, the ginormous menu, the friendly wait staff or the plethora of posters, pictures and albums covering the walls. So much to look at and enjoy," another review reads.
With so much variety on the menu, it's the perfect spot to stop at and load up on a yummy breakfast before any road trip.
Website
True Grain Organic Craft Bakery
Address: 1735 Cowichan Bay Rd, Cowichan Bay, BC
Price: 💸💸
Why You Need To Go: Even though it's a little bit of a detour since you need to get off the highway, True Grain Bakery is worth a stop on the drive to Tofino.
You can get a wide assortment of breads or pastries like cinnamon buns, croissants or pretzels and a coffee before getting back on the road.
The bakery is also along the water so this pit stop comes with beautiful views which is a bonus.
"Such a great little bakery! They have some of the best pretzels I have ever tasted," one reviewer says on Yelp.
"You can smell the bread baking as you drive into the town. A must stop if you are traveling through or visiting the island."
Old Town Bakery
Address: 510 1st Ave, Ladysmith, BC
Price: 💸💸
Why You Need To Go: If you prefer to keep on driving and not stop at True Grain Bakery (or don't mind stopping at another one) then Old Town Bakery in Ladysmith is highly recommended.
If you ask any local where the best cinnamon buns are on the island, there is a high chance they'll say this spot.
It's so popular that chances are you'll be met with a line out the door, but don't let that deter you.
"The cinnamon buns are out of this world delicious," one review on Yelp says. "The only problem is that there are too many varieties to choose from so I just get one of each."
"Best. Cinnamon. Buns. On. The. Planet," another person wrote.
Ladysmith is also where actress Pamela Anderson lives so you may even run into the Hollywood star during your stop!
Nori Japanese Restaurant
Address: 6750 N Island Hwy, Nanaimo, BC
Price: 💸💸
Why You Need To Go: Next up is lunch and Nanaimo is a city on the mid-island filled with food options if you want a sit down meal.
B.C. has many sushi restaurants and some locals on Reddit recommend Nori Japanese Restaurant, with one person saying it's the best on Vancouver Island.
"The food here is excellent. Fresh fish beautifully presented," one person on Yelp wrote and added that it's "not your average sushi joint."
"This was our #1 place to visit on a trip to Nanaimo," another person shared.
Bar Luna
Address: 7 Victoria Rd, Nanaimo, BC
Price: 💸💸
Why You Need To Go: If sushi isn't your thing, then perhaps Mexican food is.
Bar Luna in Nanaimo offers so many delicious dishes like nachos, tacos, quesadillas and burritos.
"Some of the best Mexican food I've ever had. Really cool location as well," one person shared in a Google review.
"The ceviche is unique and flavorful. The salsa trio with guacamole is fantastic…plus the chips are warm," another reviewer shared.
Old Country Market
Address: 2326 Alberni Hwy, Coombs, BC
Why You Need To Go: The star attraction at the Old Country Market in Coombs is what you'll find above the shop: goats chilling on the roof. This alone makes it worth a quick stop when you're driving to Tofino.
Aside from the adorable animals, the market is also loaded with souvenirs, snacks and other groceries.
You can also indulge in a sweet treat next door at the Coombs Ice Cream Parlour to round out the stop.
Wildflower Bakeshop & Cafe
Address: 5047 Argyle St, Port Alberni, BC
Price: 💸💸
Why You Need To Go: The Wildflower Bakeshop & Cafe has more than just pastries and baked goodies.
The restaurant also has several breakfast and lunch options like a spicy tuna bowl or fried chicken sandwich. They also have a selection of Neopolitan pizzas.
"Wildflower Cafe is a great cafe," one person wrote on Reddit, to which another person agreed and added, "Wildflower is a MUST."
Tacofino
Address: 1184 Pacific Rim Hwy, Tofino, BC
Price: 💸💸
Why You Need To Go: Once you get to Tofino you'll want to stop at the original Tacofino truck.
Even though it looks like, the food truck has a robust menu with an incredible assortment of tacos, burritos, gringas, sides and dessert.
"The food was fresh and incredible! Everything is made in house and prepared with local ingredients. You could taste the passion that was put into creating this creative menu," one person stated on Yelp.
Wolf in The Fog
Address: 150 Fourth St, Tofino, BC
Price: 💸💸💸
Why You Need To Go: Wolf in the Fog is another dinner option in Tofino that offers sea views and serves locally sourced dishes.
"This place destroys city restaurants," one person commented in a Yelp review and added that it's "top-end" and "beautiful."
Another visitor said it's "THE place to go in Tofino."
Not only is it a hit with locals, but even celebrities have dined there and raved about it.
How I Met Your Mother actor Neil Patrick Harris gave the restaurant a shout-out on his social media when he visited the area in 2016.
"Had an unbelievable meal last night at Wolf In The Fog in the small town of Tofino, British Columbia. Local ingredients, amazing flavors, great energy, good people. Can't wait to go back! Well worth the trip!" he wrote in an Instagram post.
This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.
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