Breakfast and Brunch on the Coast

I am not a morning person but I am a breakfast person. As such, I have a special place in my heart for the establishments in Ucluelet and Tofino who offer breakfast choices into the late morning or even all day. These options allow me the chance to wake slowly as i tend to do and then do very little other than sip my coffee as I wait on my chosen order to arrive and bring me contentedly back to life.

Whether you are an early morning riser or a late rising, night reveler, here are my picks for breakfast or a weekend brunch in Ucluelet and Tofino.

Ucluelet

If you are the “Oh, what a beautiful morning, lets get busy” type or you just have to be on the go real early, the Gray Whale Deli on Peninsula Road in Ucluelet is the spot. The Gray Whale opens at 6:00am and will greet you with a friendly “good morning” before offering you a very comfortable seat by a window to watch the foraging deer walk past. A freshly brewed coffee and a muffin baked that morning will help bring you gently back to life and get you ready to attack the day. You can also order sandwiches to help sustain you throughout the day as you participate in a local adventure.

A little later, at 7:00am, and depending on whether you are getting up or going home after a big night, you can either walk or stagger to the Blue Room Bistro, also on Peninsula Road. The Blue Room is the perfect friendly and casual answer to your hungry morning stomach. They offer a full breakfast menu, that is available all day, bacon, sausage, eggs, hash browns, wraps, omelets, pancakes, eggs benny, granola or fruit plates, and of course your favorite tea or coffee drink.

Across the street from the Blue Room you will find the Barkley Cafe. This morning coffee spot will set you up nicely with a well made morning latte, or cappuccino, breakfast bagels, sandwiches, pastries and, if you arrive a little later in the day, early afternoon soups.

The cedar Grill is a bustling casual diner across from the Barkely and from 11am to 2.00pm, perfect timing in my world, you can munch down on a hearty selection of Breakfast Scramblers and wraps that will leave you full and ready to attack the remainder of your day.

The Fetch restaurant at the Black Rock Hotel also offers a full breakfast menu that can be enjoyed as you overlook the the beautiful and ever changing seascape of the Pacific Ocean. Open at 8.00am, if you are an early riser, you can have your coffee and a hearty breakfast and then be hiking the magical Wild pacific Trail nearby, before most of the town has stirred.

In the summer months you can also find delicious made to order  breakfast crepes at Ukee Scoops.You can choose from variety of egg, veggie or fruit based ingredients to add to your crepe, add a latte or cappuccino, then sit outside on their small deck and enjoy the sun.

Zoe’s bakery is a very popular spot with locals and tourists and offers all natural, freshly made quiche, granola, yogurt, cinnamon rolls, and other baked goods to compliment your coffee or cappuccino. Zoe’s is an ideal morning spot to watch the world come to life whether you sit comfortably inside the restaurant or on their cute outside deck.

For those who would like to a vegetarian option, then just around the corner from Zoe’s is the Yayu Cafe a completely vegetarian Restaurant that offers both breakfast and lunch options to tempt your palate.

Brunch is that lovely time of late morning/early afternoon on weekends, where i am likely to be found eating  delicious food and  trying to wake up. In Ucluelet i would recommend that you stop by Chef Ian Riddicks, Heartwood Restaurant for a weekend brunch selection of high quality, served within a friendly and comfortable eating area. In the summer months a reservation is highly recommended.

Tofino

Tuff Beans had been a favorite breakfast location for many locals and tourist visitors prior to its closure in 2017.  Happily, they have re-opened in a cozy new location attached to the Schooner Restaurant and  serve a variety of breakfast pastries  from the popular summit Bakery that are fresh and delicious. Ask Kyle the “Funk Master” barista to create an artfully designed cappuccino from their specially roasted beans and you are set for the day.

The 1909 restaurant at the Tofino Resort + Marina will offer you a selection of delicious breakfast items. The restaurant is ideally located on its own dock and has a stunning view of the busy harbour. Your mind can drift and slowly come back to life as you sip your morning beverage, eat your favorite breakfast item, and watch the eagles, herons, and resident sea lion as they go about securing their own version of breakfast. 1909 Kitchen serves breakfast from 7:00am to 11:00am in the summer and 8:00am to 11:00am in the winter and spring.

If you want or need your food on the go, Rhino Coffee House, Tofino’s answer to Tim Horton’s, offers fast service and a very reliable menu of breakfast wraps, bagels, home made granola, and their signature Bro Nut: a delicious, house made donut filled with eggs, cheese, lettuce, and your choice of sausage, ham, or bacon. Freshly roasted coffee beans create a variety of your favorite coffee drinks.  Add a freshly made sweet or savoury donut and Rhino has you set to go.

Across the street and down the block from Rhino is The Shed. Opened in 2018, The Shed also offers a take out or eat in option on their breakfast menu, which includes a breakfast sandwich, waffles, scrambles, and their Acai Yeti bowl, a tasty and nutritious kick start to your day.

Another great addition to the local food scene is Bravocados. Bravocados is a full service vegetarian and vegan restaurant that will offer you a choice of delicious breakfast items, including their fully vegan 3 way avocado benny.  Not your standard benny, this one comes with crispy tofu eggs on an English muffin, or you can request the vegetarian option where local free range eggs can be substituted for the tofu. Waffles (vegan and gluten-free!), burritos, and quesadillas provide additional breakfast options.  Add a spicy Caesar and your day is off to a perfect start.

Brunch

The weekend sees a number of restaurants offer a morning/early afternoon fusion of both breakfast and lunch items, otherwise known as brunch. Brunch is an ideal opportunity to spend quality time with family and friends before exploring the beaches and forests or taking part in an adventure on the ocean. In Tofino, established places of note for brunch include the Schooner Restaurant, the Wolf in the Fog, and The Pointe Restaurant at the Wickaninish Inn.

A newly opened and delicious weekend brunch hang out is Lil’ Ronnie’s Backyard BBQ at MacKenzie Beach Resort. Lil’ Ronnie’s brunch menu offers a spectacularly tasty take on the traditional eggs benny, with tender brisket or smoked sausage replacing the ham and forever changing your viewpoint on this favorite brunch staple.  Add a local beer or a cocktail and your day is off to the kind of start from which memories are made.

Back in Ucluelet, Chef Ian Riddick has a weekend brunch at his new Heartwood Kitchen beginning at 9:00 am. Chef Riddick provides a small but deliciously tempting selection to welcome you into your coastal weekend. Reservations are highly recommended.