The staff at the Chemainus 49th parallel grocery are awesome. They have steeped up their awesome…read moregame to stupendous through this pandemic. I really can not say enough about their front line work. Going above and beyond for our community. The shelves are stocked and ready every day. The staff tirelessly putting together delivery orders and getting them out to our community members.

We love this place. It is our go-to grocery store with really high-end products and produce at a…read morereasonable price. It is super clean, and everyone who works there is over the top friendly and helpful. Plus, they give a LOT back to the community in charity support and employment. The 49th Parallel is an absolute gem in Chemainus, and an important player in making Chemainus a great place to live.

Wonderful fresh food, delicious, fabulous flavours, and spicing, large portions, you can't…read more go wrong with the taste of Thai, and all the tables always full, great family service, and business. We went with 8 and within 40 minutes we all had our dinners.. Was fabulous, and great atmosphere... Highly recommended...

Pho! This Vietnamese noodle-based soup is right up there with the more trendy and expensive ramen…read morefor me. Finding a decent restaurant serving this personal favourite is always a find, and it's good to know we now have a go-to for pho in Chemainus. As usual, I started with salad rolls ($5 for two) to really get my rice noodle fix, and these were delicious, perhaps the best I've had. The pho with rare beef ($9.50 or $2 more for large) was good, but I've had better. The stock had good flavour and there was plenty of thinly sliced beef. However, the accompanying jalapeño peppers didn't give it the kick I usually look for with red Thai chilies, and the cilantro leaves, which I'd never seen offered before, were left on the plate since I prefer the soup with basil leaves. For my taste, the peppers and basil are key to my enjoyment of this fantastic soup. Friendly service. This is a lunch destination for tour buses, so expect a possible wait and a loud crowd during tourist season.

The Coconut Prawns were bodacious and beautiful. The service…read morewas excellent. Sadly, I was the only one there at 11 am opening, and sat on the balcony in the breezy shade. This place is under-rated. The sweet chilli dipping sauce was also good.

Fish & Chips special is a waste of money. The two pieces of fish together didn't make a serving…read more The batter was thick and spongy plus the chips were over cooked. Very disappointing.

What a cute little candy store. Decorated in a Halloween…read moretheme full of all kinds of sweet treats, some very unique flavors. All kinds of haunting Halloween decor for sale as well. The young man behind the counter was very helpful and owner was very pleasant as well. It's worth a look and a sweet purchase while in the area.

Absolutely a MUST SEE when you're in Chemainus. People come from all over the Island to experience…read morethis fairy tale Candy Shoppe. Our kids never miss a chance to fill up a small custom box with a great selection of sweets.

Russell Farms Market has been around for years. I remember as a teenager being able to stop and…read morepick berries at the surrounding fields in the summer. I'm not sure if you can do this anymore, but it is still worth checking out. Now a days I just stop in to buys fresh produce on the way to the cottage. They have a nice little deli and ice cream parlor in the back. There is also a gardening section outside with a good selection of pots. This market is it is open year round for your shopping pleasure.

Although a little cramped for larger vehicles, and also for shopping if you need a cart, this place…read moreis worth going to! It's located about halfway between Chemainus and Duncan, and easy to access as it's right off the highway and in plain sight. Freshly grown fruits, vegetables and plants are available, as well as dairy and some canned/packaged products - there are also hot/baked products and ice cream available if you're looking for lunch. Staff are friendly and the place is as clean as you can get a place that's always open to the elements - it's covered but the front is completely open, so if you have a 'thing' about liking your produce all wrapped up and packaged against germs/bugs/whatever, you really, really shouldn't go here. But if you love good, fresh food at reasonable prices, definitely stop by.

Cool little place tucked in off the street. Fun gardens and nice selection of flavors. They make…read morecones fresh as they go, which beats the others in the area. You buy your size first, get a token, and take it to the fellow scooping the ice cream. Yogurt and slushies too!

This is another "must see" when you visit Chemainus. You'll never see another ice cream shop like…read morethis again. You enter the garden area behind the Hansel and Gretel candy store and see an old fashioned ice cream bar with excellent ice cream. What is really unusual about this place is you can enjoy your ice cream sitting in a carefully crafted and designed garden with whimsical topiaries and a gazebo. The soft serve ice cream is some of the best I've ever had.

What a beautiful place to visit! The tasting room is all gorgeous design with art by the owners of…read morethis vineyard. I will admit to being a total wine noob, and not very interested in wines to be honest. But I left with two bottles and didn't come across a wine from them that I didn't enjoy! Lucky enough to have a tasting from the lovely couple who own this winery, they talk passionately about their wines and processes. I loved the Siegerrebe Gewurztraminer and the Marechal Foch. It's very cool how they only use their own grapes they have grown on the property! If you're in the area, stop by for sure :)

This was a wonderful surprise - Mike and Robin are making delicious wines that honour the terroir…read moreof the area. You can feel the passion come through as Mike explains his perspective and goal for each of the varietals they're nurturing. Great Gewurztraminer and Pinot, delicious Rosé as well. Go!

This is apparently the only tea farm in Canada, so as a tea lover I was very excited to visit! This…read moreplace sells over 100 types of imported teas and has a variety of their own grown teas. Since they just recently started harvesting their own teas, it's still pretty expensive for those Canadian tea options. Like way out of my price range, but maybe cool for some people! The imported teas, however, were very reasonably priced I thought, considering a lot of them are organic or rare, or simply just yummy. We sat outside in the back overlooking the meadow area. We got two bowls of matcha $5/ea, the bite size vegan/GF brownie ($3), and yummy Earl Grey Chocolate Cake ($6). It was all very tasty!!!! We both ended up buying the Izu Matcha tea from Japan-- 30g for $13, and 100g for $36 (great deal, actually!). I would recommend this place for a nice afternoon and good place to buy tea... The only downside is that they don't have a "tasting" option (wineries or breweries usually have a "flight" option to drink small quantities of a few types, but they don't do anything like that here. So to taste multiple you'd have to buy a few full small pots, 2 cups in each pot, each for $5).

My family and I have been to The Tea Farm in the lovely Cowichan Valley a few times since our move…read moreto the island a year ago and enjoy it thoroughly each and every time. Victor and Margit with their amazing staff are phenomenal hosts. Always helpful, attentive and appreciative when we visit. The tea selection is truly amazing with such a wide choice available it could be overwhelming but with their guidance we are always happy with our choices. Their dessert menu offers delightful treats with gluten free options as well. I am partial to the Earl Grey Chocolate Cake...it is so yummy. It is a Zen like experience especially on a lovely day as we sit overlooking a meadow, valley, the tea leaves growing on the hill and the figs and raspberries too. I highly recommend the experience....slow down and enjoy the moment with loved ones at this hidden gem in the valley.

We had only a few hours to tour the city and grab a bite during our port stop in fair Victoria. The…read moreline was dauntingly long, but it moved relatively quickly (really, there are menus posted while you wait, so you should be ready to go when you reach the order window, but my American is showing). Put simply, this is among the best fish and chips I've ever had. I got the one piece halibut and the bisque. The bisque has a chipotle coconut base, and it's unique and delicious. The fish was fried to perfection, and the halibut inside was a steamy triumph. I added some chipotle lime mayo for the chips. The tartar was lemony and crisp. Chips had that perfect crunchy outer shell with the pillowy potato innards. Cooked to perfection fish and chips while you watch the takeoff and landing of seaplanes. O Canada!

We heard from fellow travelers that this was the place to get fish and chips, and they weren't…read morewrong! It's a really cool spot right on the pier where you grab your food, find your own seat outside, and enjoy the beautiful water views while you eat. We decided to just order a piece of fish, and wow -- the $15 piece was HUGE! It was fresh, flavorful, and really well prepared. Such a fun, casual place to stop for a delicious meal while enjoying the scenery.