Cape Breton Island Staycation
From seafood dinners to local beverages; the Cabot Trail or the Bras d’Or Lakes – there’s so much to do in Cape Breton! To help make sure you don’t miss out on anything, we’ve mapped out the perfect culinary staycation.
This staycation guide features a combination of Cape Breton Island destinations we think you’ll love just as much as we do. As you visit the amazing sites Cape Breton has to offer, make sure to check in on the Taste of Nova Scotia app and collect your stamps on the Nova Scotia Culinary Trails.
Day 1: Port Hawkesbury to Inverness
Miller’s Seafood & Chophouse
Start off your trip to Cape Breton with a meal at Miller’s Seafood & Chophouse. Located in Port Hawkesbury, Miller’s offers meals for every taste. With their casual, relaxed atmosphere, it’s no wonder they’re considered a neighborhood restaurant!
Clove Hitch Bar & Bistro
For dinner, stop into Clove Hitch Bar & Bistro. Their menu contains a variety of chef-inspired Atlantic Canadian favourites to be enjoyed in their dining room or on their deck. This family-friendly, full-service restaurant is just the place to try on a family staycation.
Glenora Inn & Distillery
End your day at Glenora Inn & Distillery where there’s a gorgeous view, perfect for savouring gourmet cuisine. Celtic music accompanies you as you enjoy a guided tour of the distillery or a private tasting. Once you’ve finished your culinary experience, spend the night in one of their beautiful rooms or highland chalets.
Nova Scotia Culinary Trails: While at Miller’s Seafood & Chophouse, make sure to collect your stamps for the Nova Scotia Lobster Trail and the Nova Scotia Chowder Trail and at Glenora Inn & Distillery, make sure you collect your stamp for the Nova Scotia Good Cheer Trail and Nova Scotia Chowder Trail.
Day 2: Baddeck & Margaree
The Dancing Goat Cafe & Bakery
Enjoy sweet treats, fresh breads, artisanal sandwiches, soups and lattes at The Dancing Goat Café and Bakery. Make sure to pick up a package of Goat Cakes (oatcakes) for the road. It’s no wonder why this culinary gem is a favourite stop along the Cabot Trail for locals and visitors alike!
Restaurant 100KM, Chanterelle Country Inn & Cottages
The Restaurant 100KM at the Chanterelle Inn features an award-winning menu featuring with for everyone. They have vegetarian and non-vegetarian options, seafood, soup, salads and desserts, all using ingredients that are mainly sourced within 100 kms. Enjoy your meal on the veranda with local wine, beer, spirits and entertainment provided by flocks of hummingbirds!
Inverary Resort
Stop into the Inverary Resort with their newly renovated Lakeside Restaurant! Their lakeside patio overlooks the sparkling waters of the Bra’s d’Or Lakes, so you can enjoy your meal with a local craft beer, wine or spirit and a gorgeous view. You can also spend some time out on the water with paddle boards, kayaks and pontoon boats before ending your day with a roaring bonfire and oatcake s’mores!
Nova Scotia Culinary Trails: While at the Inverary Resort, make sure you collect your stamps for the Nova Scotia Lobster Trail and for the Nova Scotia Chowder Trail.
Day 3: Sydney/Membertou
Governor’s Pub & Eatery
You don’t want to miss out on a meal at Governor’s Pub & Eatery. Recipient of the 2018 Restaurant Association of Nova Scotia Cape Breton Restaurant of the Year award, this is a hot spot for locals and a showcase for musicians. With more than two generations of experience, stop by this local family-owned eatery for fresh seafood, hand-cut steaks from the best butchers and dishes that are distinctively Nova Scotian.
Kiju’s Restaurant, Membertou Trade & Convention Centre
Featuring modern cuisine infused with indigenous flair, Kiju’s Restaurant has been part of the culinary landscape for almost 20 years! Their commitment to fostering long-term relationships with local artisans has helped make Kiju’s a celebrated culinary destination. With a bar featuring Nova Scotia’s finest wines, spirits and craft beers, you’ll want to make sure you stop in for fresh, local product and friendly hospitality.
Nova Scotia Culinary Trails: While at Kiju’s Restaurant, don’t forget to collect your stamp for the Nova Scotia Chowder Trail.
Day 4: Neil’s Harbour & Ingonish
Restaurant Avalon at Castle Rock Country Inn
With a dining room view that’s a fusion of Middle Head Peninsula, the Atlantic Ocean and the Cape Breton Highlands, Restaurant Avalon will not disappoint. Located at Castle Rock Country Inn, their menu uses locally-sourced produce, lobster, mussels, seafood and free-range poultry, beef and lamb and is continuously being developed.
The Chowder House
From freshly caught local lobster, crab and mussels, to steamy bowls of creamy chowder, The Chowder House offers a treat for all! A hidden gem in Neil’s Harbour overlooking the ocean alongside a beautiful lighthouse, this is a place where visitors and locals alike can dine on the freshest of seafood.
Nova Scotia Culinary Trails: While at The Chowder House, make sure to collect your stamps for the Nova Scotia Lobster Trail and the Nova Scotia Chowder Trail.
Take Cape Breton Island Home With You!
Don’t forget to take a little bit of Cape Breton home with you! Stop at Galloping Cows Fine Foods in Port Hood to pick up all-natural artisan preserves. There are so many flavours of jalapeño pepper jellies, jams, chutneys, beverages and gift sets! Get some fresh local seafood from Victoria Co-operative Fisheries Ltd so you can make some of that delicious seafood you had on your trip, at home.