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P.E.I. Restaurants: 13 Yummy Spots That Beg For A Trip To The Island

There's so many great spots!

According to recent reports, P.E.I. is being left off of some maps. That’s a crime in and of itself but it’s even more insulting when you realize just how many great restaurants are packed onto the tiny island.

Prince Edward Island is known for its potatoes and lobster but that’s just the beginning of the great local offerings you can sample at restaurants running the gamut from quaint beachside fish shacks to hip gastro experiences.

What else will you find? Think oysters, scallops, mussels, and clams freshly plucked from the sea, along with other great seafood like halibut, salmon and crab. Sample locally raised beef and pork, and eat vegetables grown on the island’s prime farmland. And finish your meal with dessert topped with local wild berries.

Best of all, the island’s small size — it’ll take you just two and a half hours to drive clear across, from Murray River to Tignish — means you could conceivably try every single one of these 13 great restaurants in a single trip. (Keep in mind that many restaurants and other businesses on the island operate seasonally. Prices listed are often based on 2016 season menus, and the cost of items like fresh seafood can change frequently.)

Location: New Glasgow

Type of food: Old-fashioned lobster supper with all the fixings.

On the menu: Local lobster, of course, along with fresh rolls and lemon meringue pie.

Price Point: 1-lb. lobster with all appetizers, salads, and dessert for $35.95.

The vibe: Quite casual — you get a plastic bib at the door — but a classic P.E.I. experience.

Stop in for Taco Tuesday, today we have Breaded Haddock Tacos, $13 with your choice of side.

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Location: Charlottetown

Type of food: Upscale casual, with burgers and tacos sharing the menu with miso salmon.

On the menu: Brunch, lunch, and dinner, with a selection of modern cocktails.

Price Point: Chef’s choice mussels for $13, roasted chicken with sides for $22.

The vibe: P.E.I. isn’t all quaint eateries and lobster suppers, and this stylish downtown restaurant proves it even while keeping a focus on the island’s great local produce.

Dalwhinnie, Little Willy's & Lucky Limes. Great times in Charlottetown #PEI

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Location: Charlottetown

Type of food: Seafood-heavy pub classics done with fresh veg and a bit of flair.

On the menu: Oysters, of course, but also local beef and seafood, and an extensive wine list.

Price Point: 25-piece oyster taster for $70, 10-oz. striploin of Atlantic aged beef with sides for $35.

The vibe: This is a classic gastropub, thanks to a heritage brick building, an interior full of dark woods and a central bar.

Location: Summerside

Type of food: Classic and casual offerings from a traditional fish-n-chips shack.

On the menu: Fish. Chips. Clams and scallops if you think you’re fancy.

Price Point: Two-piece fish and chips for $17.45, poutine for $6.95.

The vibe: Super-duper low-key with a small number of seats, but just steps from the waterfront and boardwalk.

Our version of chili cheese fries. Served on our famous Red Island Home Fries #redislandbakedpotato #potatoes #PEI #yummy😋

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Location: Cornwall

Type of food: P.E.I. is known for its potatoes, and this restaurant embraces this legacy with a simple menu of a variety of baked-potato offerings.

On the menu: Potatoes! You can have them with cheese, with butter chicken sauce, with donair sauce, with steak, with pulled pork...

Price Point: The Atlantic baked potato with donair sauce for $11, potato-bacon soup for $5.

The vibe: Inexpensive, family run, and casual.

Location: Charlottetown

Type of food: Local steak and oysters are the specialities but you’ll also find fresh veggies, tons of potato options, and a variety of seafood.

On the menu: Along with the P.E.I. steak and oysters, you’ll find halibut, seafood pappardelle, and seared scallops.

Price Point: Sims pepper steak with cranberry balsamic gastrique for $41, bone marrow and tartar for $21.

The vibe: Upscale, with an oyster bar and private dining.

Location: Bay Fortune

Type of food: Much of it comes from the organic farm and herb gardens on site, and the rest is sourced from local producers. The Food Network’s Chef Michael Smith filmed his first cooking show here.

On the menu: The evening begins with the interactive Oyster Hour at 6 p.m. and moves into a feast of local treats served family style.

Price Point: $125 per guest for the dining experience.

The vibe: Part of the five-star Inn at Bay Fortune, the vibe is upscale but quaint. Your experience extends far beyond the dining room thanks to the tour of the gardens and grounds and the visit to the fire pit.

Location: North Rustico Harbour

Type of food: Fresh, local, seasonal seafood with no frying.

On the menu: The eponymous mussels as well as oysters, house-smoked charcuterie, and lobster options.

Price Point: Seafood bubbly baked with lobster, halibut, and scallops for $17, steamed blue mussels jardiniere for $11.

The vibe: A bright and casual atmosphere, with a great outdoor patio, but a clear focus on quality eats.

Location: Belfast

Type of food: New Englanders aren’t the only ones who can do chowder! Port Prim does it several ways along with other local seafood and affordable entrees.

On the menu: Lots of shellfish including clams, mussels, scallops, and oysters, as well as crab, lobster, and pork.

Price Point: Ultimate clam chowder for $19, curry crab and corn for $8, grilled local sausage for $14.

The vibe: Low-key and relaxed, with a beautiful oceanfront setting and a great beach bar.

OG MCLOBSTER #PEI

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Location: Stanhope

Type of food: Sometimes the simplest food is the best, and Richard has that down: you’ll find seafood classics, done right.

On the menu: Fish and chips, lobster rolls, scallop burgers, steamed mussels and clams. There’s also a fish mart if you want food to go.

Price Point: Prices change with the season and market.

The vibe: Casual, classic P.E.I. complete with a beach and a lighthouse.

Location: Malpeque Bay

Type of food: Fresh seafood — especially oysters — and other local P.E.I. offerings.

On the menu: P.E.I.’s famous Malpeque oysters, harvested practically at the restaurant’s doorstep.

Price Point: Prices change with the season and market.

The vibe: Small, rustic, and family-run.

reposting bc bad quality but preserves are still my jam 🍓🍒🍞

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Location: New Glasgow

Type of food: Before you pick up local preserves to go, stop by the restaurant for country breakfast.

On the menu: Granola with local preserves, traditional cold plate lunch, P.E.I. potato pie.

Price Point: Maritime fish cakes with green tomato chow for $14.99, seafood chowder for $11.99.

The vibe: Quaint, casual, and old-timey — both the surroundings and the food itself. Check out the gardens and butterfly house before you leave.

Duck Confit Fried Rice Done By: @chefjane_pe

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Location: Charlottetown

Type of food: It’s really more about the beer here, with the best collection of craft brews on the island. But you’ll also find a frequently changing menu with international inspiration and an in-house turntable and record collection.

On the menu: It changes every two weeks but right now the menu features a Turkish delight burrito, shishtaouk ribs, and Persian fried rice.

Price Point: Small plates for $8 each, or all-meat or all-veg platters for $53.

The vibe: Hip, which the craft beer and vinyl should make obvious. But like the rest of P.E.I., still cozy and unpretentious.

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