Fun and Food in PEI
Rolling green hillsides meeting the sea, huge tracts of potato farms, and quaint fishing villages - one would think we were in Ireland. But we weren’t.
Prince Edward Island (PEI) is an eastern Canadian province known for their mussels and lobster, red sand beaches, and beautiful scenery. We entered PEI from New Brunswick by crossing the eight-mile long Confederation bridge, an engineering marvel and the longest, water-spanning bridge in the world.
The island is delightful, and it’s easy to create an itinerary if you base it on the coastal drives - Points East, Charlottetown, Red Sands, North Cape, and Green Gables. There is much to do on the island and each of the drives offers different activities and scenic vistas.
We particularly enjoyed the Green Gables area, which is found in the upper center of the island. It is where we were based for three days in a lovely standalone, two bedroom cottage with magnificent views of the ocean. The Cavendish Beach Cottages is a great place to stay, clean, comfortable, and fairly inexpensive. It was nice to have a full kitchen, living room, and a lovely front porch to enjoy a morning cup of coffee.
A unique stop found in Cape Egmont, near Wellington was the Bottle Houses. Edouard Arsenault upcycled tens of thousands of bottles to create three different structures. Standing inside the buildings is truly remarkable when the sunlight illuminates the colors of the bottles. This destination was featured in Ripley’s Believe it or Not and 1000 Places to See Before You Die. Check.
Charlottetown and Points East offered opportunities to visit quaint fishing villages, explore famous lighthouses, and walk beautiful beaches. Basin Beach boasts white sands that “sing” as you walk, which you can do for miles. You will find a Fisheries Museum there as well.
We climbed the East Point Lighthouse located in Elmira for a sweeping view of the ocean, where we could see three different bodies of water meet, called the colliding tides - the Atlantic, Northumberland Strait and the Gulf of St. Lawrence. One of the staff volunteers showed us dramatic pictures on her phone where you could actually see three different colors of water.
When we weren’t walking beaches or climbing the stairs of lighthouses, we were eating. I enjoyed the proliferation of fresh, local seafood, and we found so many wonderful places that featured their famous mussels and lobster. If you are not a fan of seafood, not to worry. There were plenty of other options on all of the menus.
Here are a few of our favorites.
The Lobster Barn in Victoria by the Sea
Lobster Roll and Blueberry Salad
A woman we met in New Brunswick told us where we could find the best lobster rolls in PEI - The Lobster Barn. She did not steer us wrong. There were three choices of lobster rolls, each on a toasted bun - lobster with butter, lobster with housemade mayonnaise, and lobster with roasted garlic and tarragon. I chose the one with housemade mayo and a side blueberry salad. Not only was the lobster sweet and cooked to perfection, but there was a lot in that roll. And the blueberry salad? Amazing! It came with a raspberry vinaigrette on the side, but the salad didn’t need it. It was great as it was.
The Wheelhouse in Georgetown
Perhaps it was the view from the outside deck or maybe it was the great service and hospitality, but the Wheelhouse was another favorite. The island mussels were prepared in one of three different ways; classic, coconut curry, or in a beer and maple broth. We chose the classic style, and they were the best we’ve ever eaten anywhere. There is a reason PEI is known for their mussels - sweet and full of flavor. And who can resist a wedge salad with lobster and snow crab? My husband got the maritime seafood linguine. It was chock full of lobster, snow crab, mussels, and scallops. He professed it to be his favorite meal on the trip.
Merchantman in Charlottetown
Located just minutes from the waterfront, the Merchantman has both indoor and outdoor seating. The service was amazing, and our waitress was fun and friendly. Sharing the Lobster Boil turned out to be a trendsetter. As soon as others saw it on our table, they ordered it as well. It was something to see! Piled high in the center were a ton of mussels, a lobster, snow crab legs, steamers, lots of perfectly seasoned and cooked scallops, potatoes, and corn on the cob. It was filling, and so good.
Prince Edward Island Preserve Company in New Glasgow
A restaurant and a gift store - sweet!
After a bit of sightseeing and a walk along the beach, we decided to head to the Prince Edward Island Preserve Company for a late breakfast and found that there was a 30-minute wait. That was not a problem for me since they had an upscale gift shop full of locally-crafted items.
From preserves and jams to teas, soaps, pottery, and prints, they had it all. I just finished shopping when we were called to our table. It was a great breakfast, but what made it extra special was the side of Potato Pie. Yes, you read right. Their menu describes it best. “Our signature PEI Potato Pie features layers of fresh Prince Edward Island potatoes, ADL Island cheddar cheese, and chives baked in a savory bacon crust. Topped with a luscious maple bacon cream, it's a rustic delight to savor.” By the way, ADL is an acronym for Amalgamated Dairies Unlimited where they hand-turn cheese in small batches for maximum flavor. We loved the potato pie so much, we asked for the recipe - and they gave it to us! Download it here and try it yourself. It’s a perfect side during the holidays.
New Glasgow Lobster Suppers in New Glasgow
Lobster Boil
We learned of the New Glasgow Lobster Suppers by speaking with a fellow traveler who visits PEI from Nova Scotia every year and never fails to stop by the restaurant at least once while visiting. What started as a church fundraiser has become a very popular dining choice. When you enter, you choose the entree and pay before being seated.
There are many different entrees - seafood, lobster, beef, chicken, ham and even a vegetarian option. A four-course meal is served with seconds being offered for all courses with the exception of the entree. The first course was a choice between seafood chowder or tomato bisque. Next came a huge bucket of mussels. The entree was next. We chose the lobster (surprised?), and it was served in the shell with the hard work already done. The claws and knuckles were already cracked, and the body was split open. In addition, we each received a small plate with a garden salad, cole slaw, and potato salad. It was a proper lobster boil dinner. To top off the meal, we were offered a choice of several different pies which were all handmade by a woman living down the street. She has been making pies for them since 1976 - that’s 47 years!
Prince Edward Island is a beautiful place. There are a number of things to do, warm and friendly people to talk to, and beauty everywhere you look. The next time you visit, you might want to consider one of these restaurants. You won’t be disappointed! If you’ve been to PEI, do you have a favorite activity, restaurant, or memory you’d like to share? Let us know in the comments.
