Pender Island, one of the Southern Gulf Islands in BC, is a beautiful island.
There are so many things to do on Pender Island and one of the best things to do is explore the island through your taste buds!
There are loads of great restaurants on Pender Island BC alongside bistros, cafes, pubs, and local eateries including a vineyard and cider shop.
You’ll find something to suit every budget and can choose from a variety of cuisines and diets too.
As you explore this list of the best Pender Island restaurants, you’ll find plenty of places offering mouth-watering treats. Make sure you arrive in Pender Island hungry as you won’t be able to resist all these great restaurants in Pender Island!
Table of Contents
The Best Restaurants Pender Island BC
1. Coffee and Kitchen, Pender Island
Coffee + Kitchen is the on-site restaurant for the cute glamping resort on Pender Island: The WOODS on Pender.
The WOODS on Pender menu features farm-to-table cuisine with fresh ingredients sourced from local farmers and even their own on-site greenhouse.
Coffee and Kitchen do pizzas with unique toppings, delicious burgers and other big hearty meals including stews and curries. It’s definitely the best place for pizza on Pender Island. There are loads of vegetarian and vegan options available too.
Make sure to enjoy a bottle of local craft beer or a hand-crafted cocktail to go alongside your meal, and soak up the atmosphere at Coffee + Kitchen.
As it’s one of the best places to eat on Pender Island, it gets busy and they have limited opening hours. Be sure to book so you don’t get disappointed.
You can also go to Coffee + Kitchen for your Pender Island breakfast. They have great pastries and cinnamon buns and serve coffee from Fernwood Coffee based in Victoria. Grab one to go and go for a walk in the woods with it.
2. Jo’s Place – Closed September 2023
Jo’s Place on Pender Island is a big hit for Sunday brunch, though I’d recommend visiting on other days too.
The restaurant is decorated in a fun way with pop culture prints and memorabilia all over the walls.
At Jo’s Place, you can expect great value and decent portion sizes.
Breakfast includes bennies with some delicious flavors, French toast, pancakes, and slightly healthier options such as muesli.
You can also visit Jo’s Place for lunch and dinner (Fridays and Saturdays only). For lunch and dinner, you can expect hearty burgers, poutine, and healthy bowls packed full of flavor.
3. The HUB at Hope Bay
The HUB at Hope Bay is a Mediterranean restaurant, design shop, and shared workspace that often has live music evenings. It’s right on the oceanfront so you’ll have a beautiful view while you eat and enjoy the music.
Their menu features ingredients from local Pender producers and everything in-house, from the mayo to focaccia. It’s all vegetarian and there is pasta, sharing plates, and more. It’s all delicious.
If you can, time your visit to this Pender Island restaurant during one of their live music events.
There’s a cover charge of $25 which is added to your bill and goes directly to the musicians at the end of the evening. They have music throughout the year but you’ll need to book in advance.
4. Port Browning Marina Resort
Port Browning Marina Resort is not only one of the best places for camping on Pender Island but is a great pub with delicious food too.
The Port Browning Marina Resort has a pub and bistro which are open for lunch dinner and weekend brunches.
The restaurant often has live music while you enjoy your dinner and the beautiful views. The pub is popular with locals grabbing a beer after boating and exploring Pender Island.
Between the two options, you’ll find burgers, and other Canadian pub fare, pasta, and healthy veg-filled bowls.
5. Small bites at Sea Star Vineyards
Sea Star Vineyards is the Pender Island winery with amazing wines and even better views.
As you sit on the grassy patio overlooking the ocean and the vineyard, Sea Star Vineyards is the perfect place to enjoy a glass of wine and some small bites on a sunny afternoon.
In the summer, there’s often a food truck at Sea Star Vineyards where you can enjoy some light bites including charcuterie boxes while sipping from your favorite wine.
6. Slow Coast Coffee
Looking for a tasty breakfast and delicious coffee on Pender Island? Check out Slow Coast Coffee!
This cafe overlooks the beautiful Medicine Beach Sanctuary area and serves delicious, fresh coffee, pastries, and lunches.
You can find quiche, soups, pies, and more. It’s the perfect spot for a quiet solo lunch on Pender Island or a catch-up with a friend.
7. Vanilla Leaf Bakery Cafe
Another great cafe on Pender Island is Vanilla Lead Bakery Cafe. This Pender Island bakery sells fresh bread, coffee, breakfast, and lunches.
You’ll find muffins, pies, cookies, treats, and other baked goods as well as soup and sandwiches and they’re all delicious. You won’t be able to resist one of their sweet treats!
8. Picnic goods from the Farmer’s Market
When it comes to Pender Island restaurants you’re spoilt for choice, but sometimes it’s nice to eat in the outdoors. The solution to that is to visit the farmer’s markets and make your own picnic!
One of the best ways to enjoy the goods from Pender Island food producers is to make up your own picnic from the Pender Island Farmer’s Market.
Only open at the weekend by the Pender Island community hall, the farmer’s market has all sorts of local produce on offer.
You’ll find great food for a charcuterie board, fresh bread and chutneys and preserves to go alongside it. Plus, you can pick up some berries and fruit or Pender chocolates for a sweet treat.
Be sure to check out Amy’s Bread Shed for your bread, Southridge Farms Country Store for cheese and charcuterie and Gulf Islands Gourmet Preserves for some chutneys and preserves. You can make your own meal from the places that serve some of the best restaurants on Pender Island!
9. Gwalio Restaurant Pender Island
The Gwalio restaurant on Pender Island is the new kid on the block and it’s already getting some great reviews. You’ll find it at Otter Bay near the Golf Club.
This Pender Island golf course restaurant serves fresh Asian food.
The gwailo Pender Island menu items includie lemon grass chicken baguette sandwiches, poached pears, and tasty Vietnamese meatballs, this restaurant on Pender Island is a must visit if you enjoy Asian cuisines.
As with a lot of restaurants on the Gulf Islands, opening hours can be a bit sporadic with some people missing out even when trying to visit at weekends so it’s best not to have your heart set on it and make some backup dinner or lunch plans too!
Where to stay on Pender Island
Below is a mix of Pender Island accommodations including Pender Island hotels, resorts and VRBOs.
- Architect cabin on Pender Island: One of the cutest Pender Island cabins
- Ocean view retreat with private hot tub
- WOODS on Pender
- Connected Hearts Home on Pender Island
- Ocean Panorama View Cottage
- Pender Island Poets Cove Resort: Great resort on Pender Island with a spa and the Aurora restaurant.
- Pender Island tides: super cute cottages with great views.
FAQs about the best restaurants on Pender Island Canada
What are the most popular restaurants in Pender Island?
The most popular restaurants on Pender Island is Coffee + Kitchen on the WOODS in Pender resort. It’s stylish, does great food, and is well known by locals and visitors to Pender Island alike.
What are the most popular restaurants in Pender Island that provide takeout?
Most popular restaurants on Pender Island will offer takeout. Some of the best places for takeout on Pender Island include Jo’s Place and Port Browning Marina Resort.
Final thoughts on the best restaurant Pender Island offers
If you’ve been looking for Pender restaurants during your trip to the Gulf Islands in BC, then hopefully you’ve narrowed down your search with this guide on where to eat on Pender Island.
When I’m on Pender Island I gravitate towards Coffee + Kitchen at WOODs on Pender for breakfast Pender Island and then I love Pender Island pizza after a hike from there too. Otherwise, another of my favorite places for food on Pender is picking up goods from the farmer’s market and taking a picnic on a hike or to the beach.
If you want more Gulf Island travel ideas, be sure to check out this guide on where to eat on Galiano Island, this guide to the best Salt Spring Island restaurants, the best things to do on Salt Spring Island, and the best Salt Spring accommodation, as well as what to do on Hornby Island, the best things to do on Galiano Island and all my Vancouver and British Columbia travel guides.
Last Updated on March 10, 2024 by Hannah
Hannah started That Adventurer after graduating back in 2013 and has documented all of her adventures since then. From backpacking South America to city breaks in Europe, a 3 month road trip across the USA in a self-converted van and 6 years living in Canada, you’ll find posts on all of this.
Hannah specialises in active travel and on That Adventurer you’ll find hiking, walking, biking, skiing and all sorts of active travel guides to allow you to see a destination in an adventurous way.
Now back in Europe, you’ll find new guides as Hannah and her husband spend the next year ‘digital nomading’ from Norway to Portugal, Switzerland to Scotland and places in between.