Our 11 Favourite Food Spots From Our Tofino Trip
Tofino has a reputation. Surf capital of Canada. Land of storms, whales, salt, and mist. People come here to hike through rain forest, to paddle out into icy waves, to watch grey whales roll past the headlands. It’s rugged, wild, and impossibly beautiful. But after the hikes, after the surf, after the spray and cold…you’re hungry. And Tofino, somehow, has turned into one of the best food towns on the coast. We came for the waves, but we came to eat as well.
Here are our 11 favourite food spots from our recent trip to Tofino.
Tofino Licks
You think soft serve is kid stuff until you see what they do here. One machine, one swirl, with every topping that comes from other local shops: Tacofino’s Diablo cookie smashed over ice cream, Sobo’s pie, smoked sea salt honey from the island. It’s Tofino on top of a cone. Licks is dessert as a collaboration, the whole food scene reduced to a sugar rush.
The Pointe
The Pointe is the restaurant inside the iconic Wickaninnish Inn, perched on rocks, staring out at the Pacific. You sit in a room with windows so the vastness of the ocean is the entertainment. Storms slam against the glass while you cut into halibut. It’s quiet, warm, lodge-like. Staff move like ghosts (friendly ones, like Casper). You order sablefish, or crab, or the bread is baked in-house. Pastry work is serious. The wine list is a novel. It’s fine dining, but it doesn’t feel uptight. It feels like the coast—raw, dramatic, and beautiful.
Jeju
Korean food in Tofino? Yes. And it’s the place we miss most when we leave. Jeju is small, walk-in only, no reservations. We love that. The room feels like you’re inside someone’s kitchen, because you are. Family runs it, mother still makes the kimchi. The menu is classics with a twist: bibimbap, mandu dumplings, spicy soft tofu stew, ribs glazed with garlic and chili. They plate wagyu tartare with gochujang like it’s fine art. Service is easy, genuine, fun. Dinner here feels alive.
Tacofino
This is the most famous food truck in Canada. Right? It started in a parking lot behind a surf shop and never lost that feel. Bright orange truck, picnic tables, constant line. Expect to wait. Fish tacos are the thing: tempura ling cod, cabbage, chipotle mayo. Tuna tacos with wasabi and wakame iare equally as good but slightly less famous. Burritos the size of your arm. The best time to come is after a day in the water, sunburnt and starving, salt still on your skin. First bite feels like rescue.
Shed
You can’t miss Shed. Right there when you drive into town. Patio spilling onto the street, inside wide open. One big TV, and somehow it feels like the whole room is watching together. And the burgers are good. Thick, messy, with enough crunch in the fries to keep you happy. But here’s the thing: the salads and bowls are just as strong. Kale and salmon with almonds, poke bowls with tuna, squash with farro. You can eat like a surfer or like a yogi.
Big Daddy’s Fish Fry
Lunch doesn’t need to be complicated. Fish, batter, oil, fries. That’s Big Daddy’s. An old-school seaside fry shack. Portions are big, fries cut thick, tartar sauce sharp, chowder full of clams and salmon. Sit outside and watch gulls hover, hoping you drop something. It’s casual, quick, affordable, and right. The kind of place where you lick salt off your fingers and go back to the counter for another order. Halibut, lingcod, prawns, whatever’s fresh. This is comfort food by the sea, and they’ve been doing it long enough to get it perfect.
Adriana’s
A sandwich shop that also does pizza by the slice. That’s the win here. Focaccia baked daily, chewy and salty, holding everything together. Sandwiches run classic (prosciutto, arugula, lemon pesto) but we say load it up yourself. Add more, build your own, don’t be shy. Behind the counter, trays of cookies and baked goods sit like bait. But the sleeper hit is the pizza. New York style, huge slices, crisp bottom, floppy tip.
Shelter
Shelter feels like Tofino’s living room. Big space, right on the water, boats pulling in and out while you drink a Caesar. Breakfast sandwiches in the morning, wings and surf bowls at lunch, steak and salmon at dinner. Menu covers the bases: comfort, seafood, meat, vegetarian. It’s family-friendly but also works for dates or drinks. Nights get loud, but in a good way—energy, not chaos. The location sells it: right by the dock, part of the marina. You eat salmon while salmon boats unload outside.
Savary Island Pie Company
This is indulgence. Pies that look like they belong in a cartoon…giant wedges, buttery crusts, fruit spilling out. Pricey, yes. Worth it, yes. Best move: buy a slice, eat it hot with coffee, watch the harbour. If you’re around longer, grab a whole pie, chicken pot pie or lemon custard, and pretend it’s for the week. It probably won’t last the day.
The Beach Shack
Our favourite coffee spot in Tofino, and there are a lot of great ones. A small café built right on Cox Bay at Pacific Sands Resort. Outdoor seating, covered, with heaters, so you can sit in the rain and still watch surfers paddle out. Breakfast wraps, bagels, smoothies, baked goods. Nothing fancy, but exactly what you want before or after the waves. This is also our favourite breakfast in town. Grab a latte, sit with a sandwich, watch tidepools full of urchins and starfish.
The Break Café & Bistro (Ucluelet)
Not Tofino, but close enough that we have to shout it out. In Ucluelet, 20 minutes down the road, The Break does all-day brunch and pastries that are worth the drive. Croissants, muffins, cruffins, spanakopita. Shakshuka with sourdough. Bagel and lox with house-smoked steelhead. It’s multilevel, with rooms to wander, friendly staff, and an open kitchen. Right beside the brewery too, which means breakfast can roll straight into pints. Stop here on your way in, your way out, or when you just need a change of scene. It’s a must.
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