The Normaway Inn: A true source of Cape Breton hospitality

The Cabot Trail in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia traverses 298 stunning kilometers of world-class hospitality and awe-inspiring views. In fact, if you dig into the lyrics of the musicians who call Cape Breton home, you’ll find that their love songs are more apt to tell the story of an affair with the highlands and the sea than of longing for another person.

Driving to the Normaway Inn, which is tucked tidily away in the heart of the Margaree Valley, you get a true appreciation for where the inspiration for songs like the Barra Macneil’s “The Island”, or the Rankin Family classic “North Country” came from.

Travelling down Egypt Road just off of the Cabot Trail, The Normaway’s gorgeous pine bordered driveway makes it hard to miss.

Since 1928, the Normaway Inn has been a Cape Breton haven for fine food, amazing views, classic accommodation and star-studded musical performances.  Noted around the province for providing country gourmet meals, the Inn has found its niche in preparation of the fish, meats, berries, and vegetables produced locally in the Margaree Valley.

And the scenery is unreal. Whether you are a photographer (unbelievable Valley sunrises and sunsets), an angler (The Margaree Valley is also known as Nova Scotia’s “Anglers Paradise”), a snowmobiler, or hiker, you’ll find what you’re looking for somewhere along the banks of the Margaree.

We arrived at the Normaway Inn on a warm summer evening. Having just spent the day pedaling 140 kilometers through the rolling glens between Baddeck and Mabou, our aching city bones were ready for some serious country relaxation. The Jacuzzi in our cabin was a big help in this department!

After cleaning up, we arrived at the dining room at the Normaway’s main house with empty stomachs and open hearts. We were met with some of the finest Cape Breton hospitality that exists on the isle – promptly seated and served fresh (i.e. just out of the oven warm) farmhouse porridge bread alongside our selection of wine for the evening – a perfectly chilled bottle of Jost Vineyards’ Seyval Blanc. A Nova Scotia grown wine offering up a bouquet of pear and citrus, this full-bodied and balanced white brought the exact refreshment we were looking for after a long day of cycling.

The porridge bread at the Normaway (which is also used in the morning to make Normaways’ world famous French toast) is the on-ramp to a freeway of flavor and a great start to a meal!

In keeping with the local theme, to start, I ordered a plate of traditional smoked salmon (the real thing, caught and smoked just down the road) accompanied by thin slices of Spanish onion, capers, and cream cheese.

I would describe the style of Normaway’s cuisine as elegant home cooking. The presentation of dishes is attractive and the meals are hearty – certainly hearty enough to conquer the type of appetite one works up after a day of cycling. My main – a grilled chicken breast drizzled with a Cabernet and Dijon sauce – arrived in style, elegantly accompanied by homemade puff pastry and Normaway-grown potatoes.

To finish, the logical choice was the Normaway Ice Cream Pie. Coffee flavoured ice cream, chocolate macaroon crust, walnut topping.  A decadent final stage to a satisfying local home cooked meal.

After dinner, we were joined by Normaway owner and operator Dave MacDonald for a personal tour and welcome to the Inn. Entranced by his enthralling stories of his 35+ year tenure at the Normaway, we spent almost two hours with Dave, sipping Propeller IPA and learning about the challenges and changes that have taken place in the Cape Breton tourism, food, and hospitality scene over the last quarter century.

Taking a walk from the main house down to “The Barn”,  we discovered the Normaway’s significance to the Cape Breton Celtic music scene. Having hosted some of the biggest names in the biz – Ashley MacIssac, Buddy McMaster, The Rankins and Rita McNeil to name a few – the pine boards of The Barn are steeped with musical history.

And the tradition lives on. Dave takes great pride in boasting the fact that pretty well every night in the summer, you’ll find live entertainment at the Normaway.

A relaxing setting, good local food and beautiful scenery await you at the Normaway Inn. Consider booking your stay here for any number of festivals coming up this fall, including Celtic Colours or the Right Some Good Food Festival.