Nanoose Bay Cafe

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

A Family-Run Spot on the Water

Tucked into Schooner Cove with panoramic views of Fairwinds Marina, Nanoose Bay Cafe opened in June 2023 as the latest chapter for an Island-owned hospitality group that began at the Water St. Cafe in Vancouver in 2017, then expanded to Qualicum Beach before finding its home here on the quieter stretch of Vancouver Island's eastern shore. The team describes itself plainly: family-run, locally sourced, and passionate about hospitality — and the operation lives up to that in every direction it faces.

West Coast-Meets-Asian Canadian Cuisine

The menu draws a confident line between Pacific Canadian cooking and Asian influence. At lunch, beer-battered line-caught lingcod arrives with coleslaw and tartar sauce, a grilled sockeye salmon burger sits alongside a Tonkatsu pork burger dressed with cabbage slaw and kewpie mayo, and a poke bowl layers marinated albacore tuna and baby shrimp over seasoned rice with furikake and ginger-soy dressing. A seafood gnocchi brings together tiger prawns, baby scallops, wild smoked salmon, and local fish in a white wine dill cream sauce — the kind of dish that makes clear this kitchen takes Canadian coastal ingredients seriously. Weekend brunch runs until 3pm, happy hour follows daily from 3 to 5, and dinner carries the room through to 9pm.

The Wine List and Beyond

The wine program earned a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence in 2024, recognition that reflects the cafe's deliberate focus on BC producers. The list leans into the province's best bottles while leaving room for broader selections, and the dessert menu pairs well with BC ports, ice wines from Mission Hill and Paradise Ranch, and a strong run of after-dinner cocktails including an Espresso Martini and the house NBC Coffee.

More Than a Restaurant

The cafe operates as a full destination. Mornings begin at the Coffee Shop — open daily from 8am to 1pm — where locally roasted coffee and house-made snacks are served marina-side. The Best of BC Marketplace, open during all service hours, stocks local artisan goods. Private events can be hosted marina-side, accommodations are available through Fairwinds Residences next door, and a Waterfront Music Series brings live performances to the property. For anyone driving up from Parksville or across from Nanaimo, Nanoose Bay Cafe is a reason to make the detour.