Dining

Several exceptional oceanfront restaurants along with pubs and casual eateries make Pender Island an excellent culinary stop in the Gulf Islands.

Factor in a first-rate grocery store for homecooked and picnic supplies, and it's wise to pack an appetite here.

Event Dining

Hand's on best-of-view title goes to the Hope Bay Café, perched above the water dockside facing Navy Channel and Mayne Island. Try the risotto cakes to start, then the curried mussels and prawns or specials based on the local catch of the day. Hardwood floors and nothing but window seats indoors plus a waterfront patio when the weather's fine.

Aurora at Poets Cove Resort & Spa is Pender's one high-end dining option. This excellent white tablecloth restaurant offers Bedwell Harbour views, a smashing wine list, and a luxe menu featuring meat and seafood dishes. Breakfast and lunch here is casual and relatively inexpensive. Downstairs from Aurora is Syrens Bistro with its upscale pub atmosphere.

Driftwood Centre

The island's one commercial centre, Driftwood Centre, is best for breakfast and lunch. Early arrivals gather over coffee and egg platters at the Pender Island Bakery Café. The air is fragrant with whatever's in the ovens – quiche, sausage rolls (aka "bangers") and all kinds of UK specialties (Chorley cakes and sticky toffee pudding included).

Tru Value Foods has a good deli counter. It caters to 100-mile dieters with local produce, Pender-roasted Moonbeans Coffee, Salt Spring mussels, and jugs of Honey Mae and Lester's Pride of Port Washington apple juice (bottled by Pender musicians Mae Moore and Lester Quitzau).

Golf Club Dining

Watch golfers tee it up from Birdie's Bistro above the clubhouse at the Pender Island Golf & Country Club. Birdie's serves breakfast and lunch.

Casual

The waterfront pub at the Port Browning Resort is the place for a pint, steak sandwich and/or fish and chips. And if still hungry when leaving the island, park the car in the Otter Bay ferry line-up and order a burger from The Stand.

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