ottawa foodies

Hi Everyone:

Long time, no post. I'm planning a road trip out ("down?") East this summer on the TransCanada - Fredericton, Moncton and out to quite a bit of PEI including Charlottetown and west side of the island and back.

Any good recommends? I'm looking for the down to earth local stuff and things to eat - not particularly planning to make this a fancy or cool restaurant-focused trip. Fries with the works, best lobster rolls, chowder, fish and chips, good bars/patios, etc.

What are your favourite must-stops on the road? Sometimes the hardest decision to make is when you are hungry and tired!

Thanks in advance...

In Peth Andover NB is a great takeout place called Carl's. In Dartmouth there's a great tavern, the Micmac, if you get that far. THe Irving Big Stop near Fredricton is kind of a tradition for many.

Best meal in a restaurant on any road trip out east was at The Palate in Fredericton - glad to see they are still attracting good reviews at www.tripadvisor.ca I'd love to eat there again if ever we do another road trip...

the palate is delicious. 540 kitchen and bar in fredericton is awesome. if you are a big scotch fan a must go to is the lunar rogue in fredericton...HUGE scotch selection.

I would recommend going to St. Andrews N.B., very cool little quaint town on the water, salty towers is a BnB in town.

richard's for lobster rolls in pei, near brackley beach.

The best seafood is at the Bel Air Take Out in Cap-Pelé, NB. It's right off the water, so everything is fresh. Just remember to only order one platter. The rest can just be regular orders. They pile on so many fries that it is a bit comical. This place started as a literal hole in the wall of a house, and has grown to what it is today, a huge new building that keeps pumping out the fried seafood treats to everyone who knows about it. It is a bit out of the way, but worth the extra drive. it's not far from the bridge if you go from Moncton to Shediac and along the north coast.

goo.gl/maps/W8SrDopKcaS2

www.foodnetwork.ca

The Foodnetwork website had this in the "Gotta Eat Here" listings:

5. New Glasgow Lobster Suppers
604 Route 258
New Glasgow, Prince Edward Island
(902) 964-2870

But ... unfortunately they are now closed.

Too bad.

A classic down-home experience. Home made rolls. AYCE mussels. Perfectly cooked lobster. Family style seating ... and 'church lady' pies for desert.

A little out of the way (ok ALOT out of the way) but if you go to Cape Breton and find yourself in Sydney, you MUST go to Island Greek Donair; twice.

Ask for extra napkins

Timely topic - we are heading out East too. So along with the original requests, please add any Cape Breton Favorites, as we'll be there and PEI. Sad news about the New Glasgow Lobster Suppers, I have happy memories of that place.

Not so much for the food (though it was perfectly acceptable) the Red Shoe Pub is a great stop on Cape Breton for drinks and live music.

www.redshoepub.com/

Cabot trail - The Rusty Nail in pleasant bay has an incredible patio and great seafood. Had both fish and chips and lobster rolls there and they were both superb! Also seeing whales breach while eating isn't all that bad I guess.

captain caper. where are you getting your info that new glasgow lobster is closed?? wife is from there and she hasn't heard that. and yes it is delicious.....all you can eat everything(rolls, chowder, salad, potato salad, mussels and pie!) except lobster.

eastcoast.chef

Big oooops.

It's St. Ann's Lobster Suppers that is now closed.

From their Facebook page: "It is with regret that we inform the public that St Ann’s Lobster Suppers will no longer be operational." www.facebook.com

I found the St. Ann's version better than New Glasgow, possibly being run by a church parish made it seem more down-homey and I still stand by their 'Church Lady' made pies.

In the 70's they sat waiting diners in the church pews.

If you go all the way to Halifax area (I realize that isn't the plan now) Two If By Sea / Anchored Coffee in Dartmouth (with another but less cool storefront in Halifax). Awesome baked goods and croissants (baked by an Ottawa transplant for good measure). Great coffee.

The McDonald's in Oromocto should be avoided at all costs. :)

Don't miss out on the Halifax Donair.

From one of my previous posts:

"MMMMmmmmm ...... The Halifax Donair Experience

ottawafoodies.com

But some East Coasters are not proud of such a thing. They may even call it "Stinky ground beef and cheap garlic sauce."

ottawafoodies.com

And my response. I sometimes LOVE stinky ground beef and cheap garlic sauce.And like Hungry Pete ... best at 230am while tanked.

ottawafoodies.com

I also like the stink that comes out of my pores the following day.

I'm also headed out East this summer. Happy to hear any recommendations for Halifax, Cape Breton, and western Newfoundland.

5Fisherman in Hlx has half price oysters every day, 4-6pm. I spend a lot of time there. . . . .
In the Hydrostone, there's Willmans fish and chips, Phils Seafood on Quinpool Rd is good, Johns Lunch in Woodside. I like Henry House, which features beer from the Granite Brewery. There are good fine dining options as well, Brooklyn Warehouse is very good, as is the Agricola Brasserie, Chives, Bicycle Thief. Nice brewpub on the harbour, Gahan House, who also have a place in Charlottetown. The food scene is very active and fluid, there are always new places, and unfortunately some old places ago away.

John Gyles Motor Inn & Restaurant
Woodstock, NB

Amazing, thanks guys appreciate the info and keep it coming! Rizak: Bel Air is exactly the kind of place I am talking about...

If you like takeout places like Bel Air, try Captain Capers (no relation) Fish and Chips in Cape Breton. Along the Cabot Trail at Englishtown.

www.tripadvisor.ca

Haven't been there .... yet, but my down-east foodie friends give him a two thumbs up.

BTW: Fish for mackerel during tide changes near the ferry. Just need a line and a hook with a lure made of tinfoil or a piece of tin can.

herringchokerdeli.com/
My sis in law arrived from Halifax last night and frequently stops at the herring choker deli for a meal, coffee and baked goods (always the oatcakes!) on her business trips to Sydney and recommends them if you're on the TCH in Cape Breton.

I second the awesome info. I will try to hit as many of these as possible. With kids/camper in tow the takeout/casual spots are most likely to get tested. Will report back as much as I can remember.

sourdough - whereabouts are you going? I did not list a number of things because the OP seemed to suggest they were not going into Nova Scotia.

Going Ottawa -> Middleton NS (short stay)
-> Cape Breton (staying in Ingonish, with trips to Louisbourg and Baddeck and North)
-> PEI (staying in Cavendish with no plans)

I've been told there is a fish and chips place in Truro that is not to be missed.

Dsil wonders if it's Shillelagh's in Truro sourdough - she recommends it. I wish we were going that way this summer.

There is a fish and chips place in Stellarton not to be missed - it is owned and run by the family of my godparents. It is a little hole in the wall food hut in "Blue Acres" in front of the trailer park call the Ceilidh Drive In.

Google Street View :
www.google.ca/maps/@45.5628519,-62.6524379,3a,49.5y,8.95h,92.58t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sVcd7C93UBrSgO9bCV-oD6Q!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!6m1!1e1

Also while in the area please try Sam's Pizza with the infamous "green sauce" and give me your unbiased opinion of it. People from the area who have moved away are known to have pizza shipped via UPS. They are now selling the sauce in supermarkets and the local Costco even sells it now I saw. The general term is "Pictou County Pizza" and several of the other greek establishments make it - they are all relatives who make similar pies. I believe the Acropole (gawd help you if you pronounce it the Greek way - that rhymes with "hole") now has a location in Truro.

Anyway, I digress. Sam's now has several locations around Pecta Keowny, including I think still the original location across from the Stellarton Town Hall / Police Station.

Street View : www.google.ca/maps/@45.5590315,-62.6599205,3a,75y,89.75h,82.48t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sr9IWy7Ejd91i6frBxzaybA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!6m1!1e1

Honestly I'm getting tired of hearing old friends from PC rave about the pizza. I try it every time I am back home and find it to basically be pizza. But given the fuss I'd love to hear an outsider's unbiased opinion.

What route are you taking too/from Middleton? Land only or taking a ferry?

I'll ask my brother about the fish and chips place in Truro.

The place in Truro is called Murphys, if it's the place you're thinking of, it's downtown, in a strip mall. It is quite good.

Thanks! Going by land, while the ferry would be nice, the cost and the need to hit the ferry timing make the land route more practical.

Since you will be in Middleton you should consider going to Hall's Harbour to get some fresh lobster cooked for you right on the wharf shortly after it is taken out of the boats.

Google "nova scotia webcams" and you'll find the Hall's Harbour webcam. This is also a good place to see the highest tides in the world.

Oh I would also recommend going to Canning to visit the little butcher there and get some of his store-made jerky!

EDIT: you might consider going from Middleton to Canning (or vice versa) along the North Mountain instead of highway 101. Far more scenic. In fact what I'd recommend is do one direction on top of the mountain, and the other direction at the foot of the mountain. Both a lot nicer than then 101.

I have fond memories of Babe the Butcher in Canning. . . . . .

Oh hey looks like the Chickenburger place is still in Bedford and now have another location at the airport!

Looooonnngggg time since I've been there, but their chickenburgers were always pretty darned fantastic!

chickenburger.com/

If you are going by North Sydney (between Cabot Trail and Louisburg), I highly reccomend The Lobster Pound.

Run by the Moores ... he's a trained chef in the back of the house, while his wife handles the front. Super friendly.

HUGE ! portions.

All the food is good .... but please don't miss out on the best seafood chowder I ever had (outside my own). There must be 3/4lb. of seafood in that puppy. I need a nap on the couch after finishing (and licking) my bowl.

If in Canning, you will drive right past the Tin Pan Bakery in Port Williams- good diner type food. Next door (around the corner)is the Noodle Guy. Home made pasta with local ingredients. Delicious $10.00 lunch. Take home is also an option from their cooler.

The Evangeline Motel in Wolfville has a great diner - great chowder, lobster rolls and huge selection of homemade pies. Including butterscotch which I never see west of NB.

Wolfville has a wonderful market. Its on Wednesday evenings - from 4 PM - and Saturday Morning.

Also the home of Justus Coffee and lots of wine.

Last time we were at the Chickenburger is was a bit flat. But the building in Bedford is worth one visit, especially after dark with the lights.

Thanks everyone. If anyone has any other PEI recommendations for casual eating (chip trucks/chowder places/etc) I'd be interested.

If anyone wants, below is a map of most of the places mentioned. Since we won't be in the Halifax area I don't have any of those mentions. Cow's is not on my map because I don't need the reminder (I think we'll end up there at least once or twice a day).

drive.google.com

bump

If staying in Edmonston NB en route, consider Le Pirate. Local resto with two locations on the Trans Canada at Grey Rock Road or in town on Main Street. The Main Street location closes at 8 so we went to the highway on in the middle of a Shell Service Centre. Only tried the lobster rolls, but at $8.00 each an chock full of lobster chunks they were great. Served in a grilled hot og bun an not too much mayo. Home made chips. A great inner. They also have all kinds of other seafood, mostly fried, as well as burgers etc. Oh and lobster poutine. Great find, will return!