Squamish Archives - Foodology

In Squamish

A Day in and around Squamish, BC: Sights, Drinks and Eats

April 2, 2018

Squamish is one of the top 52 places to go in the world according to The New York Times and I’m so lucky to have it located about an hour away from Vancouver. A lot of people like to spend the afternoon here before heading to Whistler. I love visiting because of the beautiful nature and hidden food and brewery scene.

The scenic drive along the Sea to Sky Highway is breathtaking with many stops along the way. The most popular places to go hike is the Stawamus Chief, which can take 3 -6 hours but not meant for everyone. The Sea to Sky Gondola is a fun experience going up to walk the suspension bridge as well as watching the scenery when its a nice sunny day.

I on the other hand love to take it easy and experience what the locals love to do.

Getting around: Drive

The best way to get to Squamish and the surrounding areas is to drive. There are no Ubers or Lyft in British Columbia. You can take a Greyhound bus from Vancouver to Squamish, but as restaurants and attractions are spread apart, the easier way to get around efficiently is driving.

Coffee Stop: Counterpart Coffee

Counterpart Coffee is a small-batch coffee roastery but they have a coffee bar tucked away in the complex that they are located inside. It is easily missed, but when you find it, you’ll love their coffee to get you started for the day. I enjoyed their lattes.

Brunch: Fergie’s Cafe

Fergie’s Cafe is a local and tourist favourite for their benny’s and caesars. There is a reason why they have been voted Best Breakfast for the past few years. So delicious.

Short Hike: Bandywine Falls

30 minutes north of Squamish is Brandwine Falls Provincial Park featuring a 70m gorgeous waterfall. It is a short and easy hike to get to the falls. There are also picnic areas if you want to sit around and enjoy your own snacks.

Sights: Tantalus Look Out

On the way back from Brandywine Falls, make sure to stop at Tantalus Lookout for views of the mountains and river. It also has a good view of Squamish from far away. Very easy to park and take in the sights.

Lunch: Kululu Cafe

Kululu Cafe has caught the attention of local and visitors even though they haven’t been open for very long. They serve delicious Japanese cuisine with fresh and simple flavours that taste awesome. Their rice bowls and noodle soups are delicious. I highly recommend the tuna trio bowl which has toro, tuna and spicy tuna on top of rice.

Tasting: Gillespie’s Fine Spirits

Gillespie’s Fine Spirits is a small batch distillery in Squamish. We came for a tour and tasting to see what they were all about. John and Kelly started Gillespie’s to create a greener, more sustainable business model for distilling alcohol. Check out their tasting room on Wednesday to Saturday to sample their variety of spirits. They also have their cocktail lounge open every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night for Craft Cocktails made with local ingredients.

Brewery: Backcountry Brewing

Backcountry Brewing in Squamish is a craft brewery that opened in 2017. They join the great craft brewery scene in Squamish as the 3rd craft brewery here. They serve up beer flights so you can try the array of beers they create. They have a stellar food menu as well and their pizzas are really popular.

Late Night Eats: Mag’s 99

Mag’s 99 is a Fried Chicken and Mexican Cantina in Squamish just on the highway. A popular spot for a quick bite of fried chicken and chimichangas. People love coming here after drinking or if they want something fast and cheap.

Sights: Porteau Cove

Porteau Cove Provincial park is beautiful right at dusk. As there is minimal light pollution, it makes it great for stargazing if you are passing by on a clear night. If you are a scuba diver, they are open for recreational diving. Under the water, you can see reefs and sunken treasures.

Looking for more recommendations?

If you want more recommendations to see what else to do in and around Squamish, check out Tourism Squamish as they have tons of recommendations for the Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall.

Website: http://www.exploresquamish.com/

In Bar and Grill

The Copper Coil Still & Grill in Squamish: Review

June 24, 2017

It was a long weekend and a group of my friends headed up to Squamish to enjoy the awesome craft brewery scene and also indulge in some food that we can’t get in Vancouver. Squamish is about an hour away from Downtown Vancouver and they have a thriving community. We asked a few locals where to eat and they suggested Copper Coil for some cajun cuisine. Since long weekends are busy, we waited a bit before getting a seat outside on their patio. It’s a great patio as it faces The Chief.

We tried ordering their signature Cajun items on the menu, but they were all sold out and it was only 4:30pm. We all started with beers except for me since I needed to drive. The drinks came out promptly, but the food that we ordered would take a very very long time to come out. It turns out the kitchen was severely backed up with orders and couldn’t get them out in a timely manner. Majority of the items left to order were deep-fried so maybe they didn’t have enough room or man power to fry them all. It was close to the one hour mark when some of the items started coming out.

Smoked Brisket

We got Smoked sliced brisket, kale slaw, and chipotle mayo on two buttermilk biscuits. It also comes with a side of curly fries. This was the first item that arrived and we were a bit underwhelmed. $17 and it wasn’t that impressive when you get it on 2 buttermilk biscuits. The slices of brisket was a bit dry.

Platter O Plenty

This platter has a little bit of everything – Smoked Wings, Cajun Pickles, Popcorn Shrimp, and supposedly poutine. Our order came out at different times and they ran out of poutine too. So, no poutine for us. They substituted it with another bucket of popcorn shrimp.

All the items were pretty standard and deep-fried. Nothing very special about it. We originally wanted to order it to munch on as we ordered beer, but since it took so long this had to save some of us from our hangry selves.

Final Thoughts

Overall, we heard such great things about Copper Coil but our experience was far from that.I really wish I had more positive things to say. The servers were very apologetic and were able to cover all our drinks and give us 50% off the food we ordered. It’s too bad we weren’t able to have a great experience, but so many things went wrong in the kitchen.

We Rate Copper Coil:

Address:
37996 Cleveland Ave, Squamish, BC

Website:
http://thecoppercoil.com/

In Brewery

Backcountry Brewing in Squamish

June 1, 2017

Backcountry Brewing in Squamish is another craft brewery that just opened up in April of 2017. They join the great craft brewery scene in Squamish as the 3rd craft brewery here.

Tasting Room

The tasting room has a very good size and very homey inside. It was pretty busy here on the weekend around 3pm. All the tables and the bar seats were occupied.

The beer was flowing and lots of pizza was being consumed here.

Flights

I got a flight and I had the Squamish Lagger, Ridgerunner Pilsner, and the Trailbreaker Pale ale. I got them to choose the lighter less hoppy beers. All 3 were delicious.

Oyama Sausage

The juicy Oyama Sausage is wrapped in pizza dough and there are some pickles on the side. The pizza dough was deliciously crisp and the sausage inside was super delicious.

Soppresetta Pizza

The pizza has soppressetta salami, kalamata olives, confit garlic, onion, chili, and cream sauce.

I love the thin crust and it’s so crunchy. A good amount of toppings and I love the subtle spicy kick from the salami.

Final Thoughts

Overall, we really loved our experience here. The beer is great and also the food is really spot on. I’ll definitely be back.

We Rate Backcountry Brewing:

Address:
405-1201 Commercial Way, Squamish, BC

Website: https://www.backcountrybrewing.com/

In Brewery

A Frame Brewing Company in Squamish

May 31, 2017

A Frame Brewing Company is one of the newer breweries in Squamish. The space has a cozy, family friendly, casual tasting room & craft brewery.

We drove up to Squamish just for a day to check out the craft brewery scene. Their outdoor patio was just a few weeks away from being completed.

Flight

As usual, I got a flight of beer so I could try a few varieties like the Christina Lake Vienna Lager, Okanagan Lake Cream Ale, Elfin Lakes Belgian Ale, and the Trout Lake Single Hop ESB. All of them were pretty good and perfect for the Summer weather. Super refreshing on a hot day like when we visited.

It’s an awesome place to stop by for a local or a tourist. You get to taste their amazing beer brewed right here and if you love it, you can even grab a growler.

We Rate A Frame Brewing Co:

Address:
38927 Queens Way #1, Squamish

Website: http://www.aframebrewing.com/

In Brunch

Fergie’s Cafe: Eggs Benny and Caesars in Squamish

May 29, 2017

Fergie’s Cafe in Squamish is a popular destination for brunch on the weekend. It was bumping on the long weekend and we were in for a little bit of a wait. The kitchen was backed up by 40 minutes, but that didn’t stop us or anyone else from continuing to wait.

Order

We lined up to order first before getting a seat.

Seating

There is indoor and outdoor seating, but it was a very nice and hot day outside, everyone opted for and patio seat. As we waiting, we relax on their sun-drenched deck and enjoyed the fabulous views as our food was being prepared.

All the food is fresh, locally-sourced and lovingly prepared.

They gave us a spoon with a number, so when our orders are ready, they’ll bring it over.

Drinks

Coffee is a must to go with brunch. Always helps me keep awake. We also got a cinnamon bun to share too. Delicious.

Matcha latte is on the menu too.

One of the best drinks is the Caesar, you can get it as a single or a double. It’s made fresh and you can tell they don’t skip any corners with this caesar.

Eggs Benny

Dubliner Benny has a homemade butter biscuit, sauteed onions, apple, bacon, poached eggs, hollandaise, Dubliner cheddar and a side of hash.

Smoked Salmon Benny has a homemade buttermilk biscuit, smoked salmon lox, poached eggs, avocado, capers, hollandaise, and a side of hash.

I loved it! So good and simple but full of taste. I would highly recommend this.

Ratatouille benny sits on a bed of hash, steamed kale, eggplant, zucchini, bell peppers, and poached free-range eggs with hollandaise. Dee really enjoyed this benny.

Final Thoughts

Overall, we loved the brunch here! Such a nice hidden gem in Squamish. We will definitely be back for more bennies and caesars in the future. If you’re passing by Squamish, definitely add this to your list of places to visit.

We Rate Fergie’s Cafe:

Address:
70002 Squamish Valley Rd, Squamish, BC

Website:
http://www.sunwolf.net/fergies/

In Cafe

Galileo Coffee Company: Coffee Break in Britannia Beach

May 28, 2017

Galileo Coffee Company is on the way up to Squamish and Whistler. It is located by Britannia Beach, which is where there Britannia Mine is. A lot of people were here early in the morning either getting coffee or lining up for the washroom. It was recommended to me by a friend that I come take a visit.

There is lots of parking out front, so it wasn’t too crowded. People usually don’t stay too long. They either have a quick bite or get take out.

Interior

Inside, there are a few tables to relax at. They have more tables outside too. There was a decent sized line up, but they are pretty quick and efficient to getting your order in and making it. The line up for the washroom was a bit longer.

Coffee

An americano and a cappuccino were our coffees of choice for keeping us awake as we continue to Squamish. I got the cappuccino and it hit the spot.

We put on our lids and rolled out.

Final Thoughts

Overall, it was nice stopping here for the views and just to refresh ourselves before driving further along our journey.

We Rate Galileo Coffee Company:

Address:
173 BC-99, Britannia Beach, BC

Website:
http://galileocoffee.com/

In Seafood

The WaterShed Grill in Brackendale, BC

May 26, 2017

The Water Shed Grill is in Brackendale, BC, which is minutes away from Squamish. It has a casual bar and restaurant with West Coast eats with a riverfront patio.

This places sits right right above the Squamish River and is absolutely beautiful.

Interior

The interior has a very casual feel and as a local or a tourist, you’ll fit right in. The view from the heated patio is awesome. If you are into sports, they have a few screen to watch the game.

Blue Lip Steamed Mussels

The mussels are in a creamy white wine and garlic broth. It is served with focaccia bread. The mussels weren’t as plump, but it still tasted good and naturally sweet.

Local Fish and Chips

You get 2 3oz filets of local cod dipped in a beer batter and then its deep-fried. It is served with fried, tartar sauce, coleslaw, and wedge of lemon. It was pretty good and you can taste the quality of the cod. Moist and delicious.

Final Thoughts

Overall, it’s a very great place to have food and drinks with friends. The food is very Westcoast and they source their seafood from sustainable places, so thats great. They also have good burgers too.

We Rate the Watershed Grill:

Address:
41101 Government Rd, Brackendale, BC

Website: http://thewatershedgrill.com/

In Mexican

Mag’s 99: Fried Chicken and Chimichanga in Squamish

September 15, 2016

Mag’s 99 is a Fried Chicken and Mexican Cantina in Squamish just on the highway. If you’ve driven past Squamish, it is most likely you would have noticed their signs with phrases that change often. I’ve passed by a few times, but I didn’t make a visit till now. Since we were going North, I missed the turn to go into the parking lot, so I ended up making a large detour to get back to Mag’s 99. You definitely want to pay attention so you don’t have to end up making illegal U-turns.

Once I found my way back to their parking lot, I was so excited to go inside their red and yellow building. There was a good amount of parking here and since I went around noon, it wasn’t too busy.

Interior

The interior is structured like a fast food restaurant where you order up at the counter. In fact, it was used to be a KFC/Tacobell.

At the front, you’ll find condiments, napkins and water.

Fried Chicken

4 piece snack pack comes with a drink and fries. We also asked them to upgrade our fries to a poutine. The chicken gravy and cheese curds on the crisp fries were so addictive. It’s a nice change to see a poutine made with chicken gravy.

The seasoning on the crisp chicken skin was nice and flavourful. Certain pieces like the breast were a bit dry. Best to stick with dark meat if possible.

Chimichanga

Chimichanga Loco is a deep fried burrito and it looks like a beast. It is wrapped with a flour tortilla and inside it has pork, Spanish corn rice, pico de gallo, jack cheese, and baja sauce smothered in chipotle cream sauce.

It was really large and will definitely fill you up. We ended up sharing this among our group.

Overall, the service was meh, but the food was a nice surprise. Dark meat is best for their chicken as it is a bit more moist. The chimichanga is huge and satisfying for those who want a huge meal.

Also, their wall is filled with super cool art.

We Rate Mags 99:

Address:
1584 Hwy 99, Squamish, BC

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/Mags99-Fried-Chicken-And-Mexican-Cantina-558828787472414/

In Distillery

Gillespie’s Fine Spirits: Small Batch Distillery in Squamish

September 7, 2016

Gillespie’s Fine Spirits is a small batch distillery in Squamish. We came for a tour and tasting to see what they were all about. John and Kelly started Gillespie’s to create a greener, more sustainable business model for distilling alcohol.

Since they are a small batch operation, their space isn’t that large but it was pretty interesting to see how it all comes together. We got a little sneak peek of their distilling process. They offer tours to the public every Saturday and Sunday at 2pm. If you’re visiting them but still want a tour, you can contact them ahead of time to arrange it. I highly recommend it.

Their tasting room is open Thursday-Sunday from 1pm- 6pm.

A few items we tasted were:

Sin Gin, a light, crisp, fruity style gin containing a perfect blend of botanicals and ideal for both martinis and cocktails.
Lemoncello, the first limoncello out of BC. Made with organic lemons and sweetened ever so slightly. Beautiful after dinner to aid digestion, great before mixed with Prosecco or mixed into your favourite cocktail.
Gastown Shine, wheat based vodka. Beautiful in cocktails or highballs, but smooth and elegant to have chilled all on its own.
V Twin Rye Vodka, the vodka for whiskey drinkers. Perfect sipping vodka or ideal stirred into a martini.
Aphro, a specialty premium vodka product infused with the well known aphrodisiacs cacao, chilli and vanilla.
Cafe Crema, BC’s first coffee cream liqueur. Produced with Avalon Cream and coffee from Counterpart Coffee.

All of these spirits were pretty unique and goes great in cocktails.

They have their Cocktail Lounge open Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 6pm – 11pm.

They also have a few non-alcoholic syrups for sale. I bought their Elderflower Elixir.

Overall, it was great to see locally made spirits made in Squamish.

Address:
38918 Progress, Unit 8,
Squamish, BC

Website:
http://www.gillespiesfinespirits.com

In Brewery

Howe Sound Brewing: Beer Tasting in Squamish

September 6, 2016

A trip to Squamish isn’t complete without a visit to Howe Sound Brewing. Since 1996, they have been brewing award-winning ales and lagers. I’ve had their beers before, so I was really curious about coming here.

They also offer tours once a day at 1pm. It’s free, but space is limited. We didn’t make it to the tour since we were at another place, so we missed it.

Taster Rack gives you your choice of 4 beers. They had a good list of beers to choose from, but they ran out of a few of them on tap, so I went with:

Whitecap Wheat Ale, a traditional Belgian-style wheat beer brewed with coriander and orange peel. Very light and refreshing.
You’re My Boy Blue, a crisp, refreshing blueberry wheat ale, brewed with malted barley, white what and all-natural blueberry puree.
Lager, a pale, golden lager, brewed in the Dortmunder style.
Bay Ale, smooth amber ale brewed in the traditional English style.

All 4 were really good and light. I even left with a big bottle of Whitecap Wheat Ale. Dee got the Kalamansi Citrus Blonde Ale since they didn’t have it on tap.

Overall, it was a nice visit to try a few of their year round beers and some summer seasonals. They make some great beers.

We Rate Howe Sound Brewery:

Address:
37801 Cleveland Ave, Squamish, BC

Website:
http://www.howesound.com/