8 must-try foods in B.C.'s growing tourist destination Campbell River
As self-proclaimed foodies, when we were told we’d be visiting Campbell River for a little under a week, we weren’t expecting much from the culinary scene. For a travel destination we had never really considered before, we were expecting an assortment of standard pub fare and occasional mom-and-pop diners. However, what we were presented with was a food scene that could hold its own against big cities like Vancouver.
No, we’re not joking.
During our stay, we had the opportunity to stay at the newly built Naturally Pacific Resort, a stunning golfers’ paradise that is one of the few female-owned and operated hotels in Canada. Here is where we would make our first foray into the Campbell River dining scene and have one of our favourite meals on the trip.
Drinks on the drive
Before our first dinner, we decided to settle into resort life by stopping by the Velocity Lounge and the on-site driving range.
Unfortunately, since we’re not avid golfers (this being the first time we had picked up a proper club, aside from the occasional mini golf game), we were definitely at Velocity more for the drinks than the love of golf. Did the cocktails help with our golf game? Not even a little bit.
But that’s okay, because Velocity Lounge is not just for those looking to perfect their swing.
Cocktails at Velocity Lounge (Marco Ovies/Dished)
Not only can you find a selection of standout cocktails, but the driving range is powered by Toptracers’ state-of-the-art technology to help hone your swing. Fortunately, this also meant we could play Angry Birds on the driving range by hitting golf balls into virtual towers and pigs on the screen. However, don’t be confused: the balls and driving range are not digital at all.
Unlike the cocktails, a golf lesson we would take later on my trip would dramatically improve our game, which was thankfully also available on site.
Address: 700 Petersen Rd., Campbell River
Carve Kitchen
While golf is definitely one of the main focuses of the resort, as someone who had never picked up a club in his life, we still found plenty to do. Specifically, Immersion Spa & Wellness was a delight, featuring an oversized mineral pool and water therapy showers.
One of the attractions available at Naturally Pacific was a tour of the grounds, which included Naturally Pacific’s 15,000 sq. ft. garden.
Carve Kitchen + Meatery, the hotel’s onsite restaurants, grows herbs and vegetables here alongside a small apiary to produce honey for cocktails and dressings. After checking out the produce we were about to enjoy, we headed over to the restaurant to indulge in the fruit of Naturally Pacific’s labour.
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Carve is led by executive chef Ryan Watson, who has experience at restaurants across Canada, including roles at Fairmont resorts and Marriott hotels. He made sure to pull out all the stops during our visit and seemed proud of every single item on his menu.
If you’re going to splurge on a meat-forward meal during your visit, this is definitely the place to do it. Each dish is simply named after its main source of protein, and Watson definitely doesn’t skimp on his portions.
Standouts include the Beef Short Rib, a tender cut of meat placed on top of gnocchi, cauliflower cream, local mushrooms, gremolata, and bone marrow granola. You’ll be given a knife to enjoy this meal, but you likely won’t need it.
Beef Short Rib (Marco Ovies/Dished)
Other impressive favourites were the Pork, which was perhaps the thickest slab of meat we’ve ever seen served to me. But don’t get too distracted by the mains, because there are also plenty of impressive appies and desserts to be had as well. Specifically, Carve serves one killer Steak Tartare with fried potato skins and something Watson calls OMG Rings, which are duck confit stuffed onion rings served with a tomato jam.
For dessert, a must-order regardless of how full you feel is the cheesecake. Marketed as for two people, this dessert is so darn good that one could have easily finished off a whole piece themselves. However, we restrained ourselves as we were beginning to think there would be a lot of good eating to be had over the next couple of days.
Cheesecake for Two (Marco Ovies/Dished)
Address: 700 Petersen Rd., Campbell River
Freyja Croissant Bakery
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Day two of our trip started with a trip to a bakery that all the locals couldn’t stop raving about — Freyja Croissant Bakery.
This Scandinavian-style bakery specializes in 27-layer croissants in all sorts of flavours, each more flaky and flavourful than the last.
We’d definitely recommend trying at least one of Freyja’s standard butter croissants to truly appreciate the amount of love and work that goes into the dough before exploring some of the other flavours.
With a rotation lineup of flavours, you’ll always find something new to try here. Our favourites included the raspberry cone and almond cherry dome, both of which had a fantastic acidity and weren’t overly sweet.
Pair that with your favourite coffee beverage, and this is the perfect way to start your morning.
Address: 1080 Shoppers Row, Campbell River
Smoked salmon at the mouth of the Bute Inlet
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While there is plenty of excellent eating to do, you’ll regret not spending some time exploring the beautiful nature and scenery around Campbell River.
One standout excursion was a tour hosted by Homalco Wildlife & Cultural Tours, where members of the Homalco First Nations took us out by boat to the uninhabited First Nation village site Aupe, stopping for whale watching and other wildlife sightings along the way.
While the whales were unfortunately not out and about during our tour, we did end up running into plenty of other wildlife, including eagles, dolphins, seals, and a lone black bear along the beach.
We made land at Aupe and received an informative tour from our guide about the First Nations people who had lived there many years ago. We also participated in a cedar weaving workshop, where we were taught how to make bracelets out of cedar, which had been soaked beforehand to make it easier for weaving. While my final product did not look as nice as our instructors, it was an enjoyable experience and made for a great keepsake.
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After we boarded the boat to make our way home, we were presented with some smoked salmon to enjoy. Something about being out on the water made it taste that much better.
Address: 1003 B Island Hwy., Campbell River
Burgers and brews at Beachfire Brewing
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After spending the day out in the sun on the water, sitting in the cool (both in temperature and vibe) Beachfire Brewing was a welcome break.
We happened to stop by during a ’70s musical bingo night, which had all the locals out having a great time. Perhaps it was the Pina Colada Sour or the energy in the room, but the burger here easily lands itself on our top five burger list.
Your standard burger toppings were paired with ooey-gooey cheese, mushrooms, and a garlic aioli alongside a side of roasted potatoes with chili and garlic aioli (and more of that garlic aioli for dipping) made for one hell of a burger. Our only regret? Not snapping a picture of this beauty.
Good beer, good burger, and good vibes make for a must-visit brewery.
Address: 594 11th Ave., Campbell River
A damn good fish sando at More Eatery (with loaded tots)
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Being in a town right on the water, we knew we wanted to try some seafood during our visit. Surprisingly, during our stay, Campbell River seemed to be lacking in seafood restaurants. However, we were told that one of the restaurants in town we planned on visiting was taking over the local fish-and-chip spot, so we knew we would be in luck.
Called the Sea Dog, this sando featured crispy fried ling cod, a buttered Vienna bun, creamy slaw, shallot mayo, parsley, red onions, and spicy pickles. This is everything we wanted a fish sandwich to be and more.
If that wasn’t enough deep-fried goodness for you, we were persuaded to enjoy a side of More’s loaded tots, which were piled with chili con queso, pickled red onions, scallions, cilantro crema, and feta. We still dream of this sandwich and tots combo.
Other highlights ordered at the table included an order of calamari and the Ry Guy: a bowl featuring ancho espresso-dusted Medium-rare grilled tuna, roasted sweet potato, greens, clinatro crema, crispy veggies, spicy sweet soy glaze, avocado, pickled red onions, and plantain crisps. And before we forget to mention, the bowl was entirely gluten-free.
Address: 1901 Island Hwy., Campbell River
Whisky tasting at Shelter Point Distillery
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Walking into Shelter Point Distillery, we were worried that we were not enough of a whisky aficionado to truly enjoy what we were about to experience.
Before diving too deeply into the tastings, we received a tour of the grounds, from the stills to the barley used to make its whisky, which is grown on-site at the farm. We even learned about the importance of the type of wood and barrel from which the whisky comes, and how that changes the flavour — absolutely fascinating stuff.
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As for the whisky tasting, after all the learning we had done, we were happy to say that we could actually taste the difference between each variety. Highlights of the tasting included the Smoke Point, a whisky aged in barrels smoked with driftwood from the shore and native woods found around the distillery, and its Barrel of Sunshine Liquer.
While whisky heads will be disappointed to hear that one of our favourite sips was not technically a whisky, this liqueur made with pure maple syrup alongside a neutral spirit base, chai spice, vanilla, and orange was on a whole other level, only enhanced by the thought of it drizzled on top of some ice cream. Do yourself a favour and take a bottle of this stuff home with you.
Address: 4650 Regent Rd., Campbell River
Pasta, pizza, and perfect waterfront views
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One of the last meals we enjoyed on our trip was at a charming, casual Italian restaurant located right along the water called Mattone Italian Kitchen.
If you think celebrity chefs are just a mainland thing, think again. Ryan Gark, who owns the restaurant alongside his wife Katrina Gark, is a Chopped Canada champion.
On the menu, you’ll find all your favourite Italian classics, including a range of pizzas and pastas. We were particularly fond of the Arancini, which are truffled goat cheese risotto balls breaded and fried, served with San Marzano tomato sauce, pesto, and garlic parmesan.
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After a trip full of eating, we’d definitely recommend taking the time to sit down and relax at this spot with a selection of appetizers and a couple of well-crafted cocktails to enjoy.
Address: 2176 Salmon Point Rd., Campbell River
The author of this post was hosted by Naturally Pacific Resort.