Food Adventures: Prince Edward Island

August 2020

This year we enjoyed a staycation right here in Atlantic Canada! PEI was our destination and, as always, our trip was planned around food. That’s how we like to do it – identify the places we really want to eat, and let the rest of the trip fall into place around our meals! My husband and I, along with our 14-year-old beagle, Dallas, hit the road and found some delicious places to fill our bellies with fresh and local food. In this blog post I feature three of my favourite spots that we visited on “the island” – all of which provided us with a delightful culinary experience with those all-important gluten-free and dairy-free options.

BLUE MUSSEL CAFE

This place was a favourite for sure! In fact, it was so good we had to go back a second time to sample another spectacular seafood dish that had caught our eye. If you are a lover of fresh seafood and local ingredients, this place is for you. Located in North Rustico, this restaurant sits right on the water, providing scenic views of the ocean while you enjoy food freshly caught from those same waters. What I love about their menu is that they specify top allergens that may or may not be in their dishes, making it easy for you to pick out a delicious dish to meet your dietary needs. This spot is super busy (I can see why – the food is AMAZING), the staff are super-efficient and very friendly. A beautiful spot, great views, and delicious food – you don’t want to miss this place on your PEI travels!

THE INN AT BAY FORTUNE PICNIC DAYS

What an amazing experience at the Inn at Bay Fortune! Owner, Chef Michael Smith, was there in person handing out our picnic goodies and I even got my very own copy of his cookbook, Real Food, Real Good, personally signed by the man himself right in front of me. Our visit began with a lovely wander around the beautiful grounds, taking us through the farm and gardens where fresh ingredients are grown. What a beautiful way to start our dinner – by seeing exactly where our food came from! After exploring the grounds, we found a picnic table with a view of the shimmering bay. We enjoyed the spread pulled from our big picnic bags, which included a good variety of foods – sourdough bread, salad (greens, herbs, wild watercress and flowers), brisket, homemade sausage, ribs, salmon potato salad, coleslaw, root vegetables, and a variety of sweet treats for dessert. Everything was ordered ahead of time from a healthy menu with clearly marked information on allergens including wheat and dairy, so it was easy to pick out something suitable for those with allergens or intolerances. I was happy to find I could eat just about everything aside from the bread and sweets, and I sure took advantage of that fact!

TRUCKIN’ ROLL ICE CREAM

BEST ICE CREAM EVER! I like to enjoy a dairy-free ice cream from time to time. It’s not my standard go-to treat, but after tasting Truckin’ Roll’s rolled dairy-free ice cream I think I may have become a huge ice-cream fan! They make their ice-cream without white processed sugar and include fresh and real ingredients, including fresh mint, berries, nuts, honey, maple syrup and banana, to name a few. They serve their ice-creams out of a vintage truck offering both fresh-rolled ice-cream and ready-to-go offerings in cute little mason jars. I had to go back the next day to try another flavour as they were just that good! Truckin’ Roll has locations in Victoria and Charlottetown and their ice-cream options are available with both a dairy and non-dairy (coconut) base.