Setting out on a mission to find food can be a great adventure or a list of errands taking you to your favourite shops. The bakery, butcher, fish monger, green grocer, cheese shop, and the wine store are great places to try something new or satisfy cravings for old favourites. Summer starts this month, and if you’re like me, you’re already planning road trips and adventures. Here’s a few ideas I hope you’ll enjoy.
In Port Renfrew, the Renfrew Pub is refreshing for summer with new food and craft drink options, and there is a food truck at the marina that makes great sushi, and has a pizza night.
Cowichan Valley has new brick oven pizza restaurant, Torta Luna in Valleyview Centre (14-1400 Cowichan Bay Rd.), by Drumroaster Coffee (the best coffee in the area). Blue Grouse Wines, 2182 Lakeside Rd., Duncan, has a stunning new tasting room which just opened this week.
The new Victoria Wine Trail, a group of wine and cider producers on the Saanich Peninsula are promoting the destination as a whole. Their website (victoriawinetrail.com) has all the details, visit each producer to see their events, tastings, and celebrations all summer. Make a stop at Silver Rill Farms for awesome produce.
In Victoria, HOPoxia brings 30-plus Craft Beer producers to Phillips Brewery June 13, 3 to 7pm, $20. Victoria Food Tours (victoriafoodtours.com), Off The Eaten Track (offtheeatentracktours.ca/victoria) and The Pedaler (thepedaler.ca) offer behind the scenes tours of restaurants, brewpubs, and bakeries, by foot or by bicycle from $45+.
Moss Street Market (mossstreetmarket.com) runs all summer on Saturdays 10am to 2pm, with food trucks, produce, meats, crafts, and chef demonstrations. Get there early if you want Fry’s Bread (you do).
The Saturday Market 8:30am to 3:30pm in Ganges on Salt Spring Island is worth getting up for the early ferry. This market is one of the best I’ve seen. With strawberry juice running down your arm, move to the cheese sampling before stopping at the Foxglove Farm table for whatever grabs your eye.
Wherever your first taste of summer takes you, enjoy our amazing local bounty, try a new ingredient, or check out a local producer. Most swing their doors open in the spring to welcome questions and curiosity of those willing to spend their time exploring our local food system.
Try it, you’ll like it:
New daily Food Truck festival in the back courtyard at Royal BC Museum, beer, wine, and cider also available. 11am to 6pm daily. royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/foodtrucks
Chorizo & Co., 807 Fort St, Friday and Saturday night events with food and music.
Cold Brew is back at Discovery Coffee for summer, check out the new 1011 Blanshard location
Monday Magazine welcomes our new food columnist Chantal Ireland. Chantal lives by the words Make food. Drink craft.