Island Taste Trail  — A Vancouver Island Culinary Adventure

EMBARK ON A GASTRONOMIC JOURNEY FROM COWICHAN, NANAIMO, PARKSVILLE QUALICUM BEACH, COMOX VALLEY, CAMPBELL RIVER

Join us in exploring the rich culinary landscape of Central Vancouver Island as we tantalize your taste buds and quench your thirst for discovery. Our annual small plate event takes place every Fall Season, plus we’ve got many great ways to experience local flavours and locally crafted beverages year around!

Small Plate Pairings Event Returns FALL 2024

 

 

Brunch Makes Winter Delightful

Sharing delicious local menus with family and friends will make your days bright! Relax, sip and savour at your favourite local restaurant…

Food has the remarkable ability to bring people together. Whether you’re dining with friends, family, or new acquaintances, the Island Taste Trail offers a warm and inviting atmosphere for all. Share tasty moments as you explore our vibrant culinary scene from Cowichan all the way to Campbell River, with stops in Nanaimo, Parksville Qualicum Beach and the Comox Valley.

 

 

 

Discover Participating REGIONS of VanCOUVER ISLAND

The gateway to great taste! You will find a great selection of dining opportunities in each of these communities.

It’s the People & Places That Make Dining Out Great

The people are what make dining experiences great! When you make the choice to support a local restaurant, coffee shop, café, winery, distillery or craft brewery, you are celebrating the skill and craft that these people proudly bring to the table. You are engaging with a beautiful web of people who live and work in your community and are proudly #foodies.

The food web includes not just chefs, cooks, hosts, servers, bussers and dishwashers but the all the local farmers, vineyards and winemakers, craft brewers, distillers, fishers, harvesters and producers that they partner with on their menus and drinks lists. That’s why it’s so important to #EatDrinkLocal and #BuyBC!

Artisan Crafted Beverages

Our lush Vancouver Island inspires not just chefs, but also artisan producers, distillers, vintners baristas, bartenders, mixologists and more! Wash down your delectable food choices with a wide selection of locally made beverages. From handcrafted wines to artisanal brews to local ciders and spirits, we’ve got your thirst covered.

Alcohol free or sober curious? Many eateries are adding zero proof cocktails to their offerings. You can also try locally roasted coffees and teas from Denman and Hornby Islands! Discover the passion and dedication that goes into every sip.

Special Dining Experiences

Every dining experience brings something special. Chefs work with local farms, fishermen and producers to create menus that reflect the abundance Vancouver Island has to offer. With our mild coastal climate, many restaurants and cafés are able to offer patio dining year around – just be sure to dress for the weather. And we have more than our fair share of spectacular views, from ocean to mountains, that can make a great meal out of this world!

Building Community

When you support locally owned businesses, you make a difference for the passionate people that work in that business and the other local businesses that supply them. For every $100 spent with a BC local restaurant, $68 is re-circulated back into our BC economy. Get inspired by the unique foodie spirit of BC and Vancouver Island.

Each and every local buying decision helps support local foodpreneurs, farmers, fishers, makers, producers and harvesters. It has an incremental to our local agri-food economy – and it tastes great!

2023 Sponsors