Prince Edward Island punches far above its weight at the table — cold-water lobster, Malpeque oysters, black mussels, and the red-soil potatoes sold across Canada.
Prince Edward Island punches far above its weight at the table. Its cold, clean waters produce some of the world's best seafood, and its red soil grows potatoes sold across Canada. A food trip here is a highlight of any visit. Here's where to eat and what to try.
The big three: lobster, mussels, oysters PEI lobster is the star — sweet, firm, and cheaper here than anywhere else. The traditional PEI lobster supper is an institution: whole lobster, potato salad, mussels, rolls, and pie, served in church halls and community restaurants across the island. Try it at the New Glasgow Lobster Supper or a local community supper. Malpeque Bay oysters are famous — buy a dozen at a dock and shuck them yourself. And PEI mussels (the black-shelled kind) are grown in suspended cultures and sold worldwide; eat them at the source with garlic and white wine.
The potatoes PEI's red soil grows the potatoes in most Canadian kitchens. You'll taste the difference here — dig into a plate of hand-cut fries, a chowder thick with PEI potatoes, or a baked potato with a lobster supper. The island even has a Potato Museum.
Ice cream and island dairy Cows Ice Cream, made in Charlottetown, is the local cult favorite — try the Wowie Cowie. The island's dairy is excellent across the board. And the Anne of Green Gables store sells raspberry cordial, the drink from the novels.
Culinary trail and seafood markets Follow the PEI Flavours culinary trail for mapped stops at farms, fisheries, and producers. Buy live lobster straight off the boats at the Souris or Summerside wharves — bring a cooler and ice.
When to eat Lobster season opens May and runs into summer — book a lobster supper early in July. The PEI International Shellfish Festival in September is the island's biggest food event. And never leave without a lobster roll from a roadside shack — it's the purest PEI bite.
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