Awesome grocery store with a wonderful London Fog tea latte mix that I bought just to test because…read moreI was missing my favorite hot beverage. It was phenomenal and I wish I had bought more. Everything else was great--service, atmosphere, friendly vibe. I'll be back when I'm in town.

If you don't like the crowds, don't go here on Super Tuesday! Super Tuesday is 10% off everything!…read moreEVERYTHING! It's great, but busy! We arrived on a Tuesday and forgot about this so we got caught up in the hustle. Best grocery store on the island. It's shopable and their cafe is great! Compared to some of the competitors this is the best. I just miss the bowling alley across the street. Don't sleep on their bakery. If you're not getting the Nanaimo bars you're just losing money! The check out clerks and very friendly...sometimes too friendly...Just the other day I was chatting with my husband and the clerk made an odd comment and in our A and B conversation, he did NOT C his way out it. It was all in good fun though, we do truly love this place, and don't forget to hit the dispensary next door! That place is magical!

I am astounded at how great this place is! I contacted all the main bakeries on Salt Spring for a…read morenon-gluten/sugar/nuts birthday cake, and H&B was the only one to come through and at a very reasonable price. I ended up with an 11" tart with coconut flour, custard, raspberries and dark chocolate, and all organic. Just amazing and incredible. Can't wait to order from them again. Thanks Mathew!

A place you might not actually find without a Garmin, a nice farm/orchard that makes different…read morekinds of Cider from the wild grown Apple trees on the island. But the menu items were a great selection for a nice afternoon lunch waiting to check into the Hastings Manor. Operated by younger folks both for getting Cider and the meals, we went with a charcuterie board that was the nicest spread of delectable items and a flight of five ciders to try.

the food is really good here i was surprised since they specialize in cider. we had dinner here and…read morethe service was great. we got the tasting flight and it was nice to try so many different types.

This roadside fish shack is the Real Deal!…read more THE ROSES: Outstanding English style (battered) fish and chips. The batter-to-fish ratio is perfect, and they're not too greasy. They also do a very good job with the fried prawns and oysters as well. The venue is run-down, but clean, and has a very rustic waterfront air to it. THE THORNS: Not a lot of dining space. This isn't a problem if you visit on an 'off-peak' time, but on a hot summer day dining in a cramped space might be unappealing. THE VERDICT: Don't judge a book by its cover. This dumpy little roadside seafood shack punches well above its weight with its fish and chips. Recommend!

The Gluten Free Cod fish and chips is delicious! GF batter is light and crispy and really enhances…read morethe fish. Best cole slaw I've had in forever, bits of kale in it! And the view can't be beat. Love this place!!!

The ice cream here is OK: not terrible, not great. Selection did seem a bit limited. The biggest…read moreissue I had was with slow, inefficient service. Given the number of good reviews here, I think today's experience was atypical, and you may well have a nice visit. Neither recommend nor discourage.

Stopped by here for the first time. Prices seemed average to us Vancouver folk. Service was a bit…read moreslow but extremely friendly. We had four ice cream flavours and each seemed a bit bland. The portions on the medium ice cream cones were quite generous. A good selection of chocolates, and candies and licorice by weight. Overall a solid choice for a sugar fix.

We not only had dinners there but stayed there as well. We felt pampered with delicious meals…read more(breakfast and dinner). The first night my wife and I had scallops for appetizers and herb crusted Wild pacific salmon for the entrees. Their fish were cooked to perfection and the accompaniments were an enhancement as opposed to a dominating force. The second night I had escargot and my wife had the beet and goat cheese salad. We both loved our appetizers. The shepherds pie was good although I found the cheese on top of the mashed potatoes was neither necessary nor authentic, but it was still quite good. My wife had the duck confit which she liked very much. The ambiance is one of a country English cottage which felt cozy and warm and the servers were personable and solicitous without hovering. I'm guessing as good as most of the restaurants in town (Hastings House lies just outside the main strip).

With a fantastic view into the harbor we knew the evening would be great. And the staff and food…read moreprep did not disappoint! Started out with lobster bisque (with a good amount of lobster) and a dozen snails (chef slipped a couple extra!) in a marvelous garlic butter and Parmesan sprinkled over all. Then for entree we enjoyed a wonderfully prepared Herb Crusted Wild Pacific Red Snapper With Creamy Parmesan Polenta, Basil Pesto. I enjoyed the Pan-Seared Nova Scotia Deep Sea Scallops on a fresh bed of lettuce mix and greens. So definitely a restaurant to try but you'll want to plan staying a night or two given they are on an island off the Vancouver island! Rooms are great also with some placed in cabins with views making you feel like you're in a tree house amongst the pines.

Such a great bakery with tantalizing choices. We came in the late morning and were craving savoury,…read moreso we got a Jalapeno Smoked Cheddar Twist and a focaccia sandwich. Both were delicious! Service was prompt and friendly. There are some tables within the bakery, a few benches out front and then tables all around the building, supporting the different food vendors in this complex. We also came back a few days later for a Japanese pop up out of Francis Bakery. So cool to offer up this space for different purposes.

We tried a few delicious treats- our fan fave was the Ham & Gruyère croissant. Noteworthy was the…read morepistachio croissant and almond croissant. The location has lovely decor and is incredibly classy and tasteful. We were tempted to relive our Paris travel adventure and order the baguette sandwich with corniche pickles, but... maybe next time. I am, however, not a fan of the lay out. The counter is poorly situated and customers are forced to line up outside and cannot see the offerings until they are up to order and get no time to peruse because of the pressure to order quickly. The push to hurry up and impatience from the staff and customers behind us meant we left with fewer items.

We couldn't get enough of this place during our brief time on Saltspring Island. We stayed at the…read morehotel directly across from Thrifty Foods, and though most things were closed for the holidays- Thrifty was an open shining healthy beacon. I stocked up on organic trail mixes, kombucha, blueberries, stevia, matcha, and much more during my excited visits here. This place has everything that you could dream of - when it comes to health related goods and products. Their staff are laid back and they let you peruse everything without bothering you - so definitely feel free to take your time in here. I'm a firm believer that a quality grocery store can truly help shape the culture of a small town. Saltspring is blessed to have such a phenomenal resource like Thrifty Foods. Though there are plenty of lovely local farms on this magical island - it's nice to have a haven where you stock up on produce, essential oils, and other bulk items. Trust.

When I imagine the lady or gentleman who dictates the prices of groceries at this SSI stop, I…read morepicture an evil genius in a dark and shadowed room cackling "THE POWER!". ... there are only a few spots to snag groceries on the island and mmmaaannn can you tell. If you're spending a few nights or over from the mainland - expect sticker shock to hit you like a freight train. And our American friends? Bring someone with you to speak soothingly while you shop... It's expensive. Ridiculously expensive. But beyond that, it's your pretty standard grocery store. The pros: 1. To balance the exorbitant grocery costs, they have some seriously stunning deals on produce. $1 for a quart of strawberries?! 0.98/lb for oranges?! Hot damn. The money you save will buy your $2.99 SINGLE AVOCADO. 2. They have really good, fresh baked gluten free bread. 3. They carry Krema Honeylicious. Bonus points every time. And goat's milk yogurt which can be tricky to track. 4. Everyone who works there is SUPER cheerful. Actually most people on SSI are super cheerful. Must be something in the air... It's one of two. So you're just going to have to deal with it. But hey, look at the positives and stuff your gullet with strawberries.

Very good service great taste for the food ambiance was amazing and the server let me get 2…read moreflavours for a single scoop don't see that anywhere else

Nice shop on a warm, quiet afternoon just before summer…read more Lots of choices and friendly service. Plus, the gelato was delicious. We'll be back!

The Salt Spring Island Saturday Market is a classic that everyone should visit at least once. There…read morewere many stands, selling everything from pottery and jewelry, to fresh vegetables and artisanal goods. There were also many snack stands selling street food and baked goodies! It does get quite busy, so I would recommend showing up before noon. Do note that the items are on the pricier side, but you can tell that each item is made with lots of love. If you are interested in handmade goods and unique finds, this is a must visit!

This is on the top ten list of every travel site. It was very nice but crowded and a bit expensive…read more I appreciate that you get to see all the artisanal food together, but for me part of the charm of these things is seeking them out. A lot of arts and crafts such as carving, leather, and clothing. A really lovely felt flower maker. I've been to many many markets and this was good but didn't blow me away. Beautiful setting obviously and the vendors were chatty and informative.