We get takeout all the time and have never been disappointed. Their seafood pasta is great, the service when I come in is quick and professional. Great location with wonderful ambiance. read more

Really enjoyed our meal but found very pricey. I ordered the Scallops dinner ($42) and received six small scallops, very few vegetables with the meal. Came with kind of a cheesy rice. Would prefer the rice to be like rice, not mixed into together in a sauce. Excellent service. My wife had the scallops (2) on pork belly. read more

Great food and generous portions. Very good service too. Food was slow to come out but we were there at peak time. Highly recommend.

I've heard great things about Auntie Pesto's, and I was definitely not disappointed! Not only were we able to enjoy amazing food, but we were able to do so whilst enjoying a view of the ocean! I was seated on the Patio, and we tried the Mixed Greens Salad, the Carbonara, and the Seafood Dill Alfredo. The food is definitely on the pricer side, so keep that in mind. The Mixed Greens salad was good; really refreshing, but definitely lighter on the dressing, so keep that in mind. The Carbonara was alright; although the noodle texture was good, I personally found the sauce a little too thick and sour (from the parmesan). I would recommend getting a lighter dish like the salad to have with the carbonara, otherwise it might end up feeling a bit heavy. However, the star of the show was definitely the Seafood Dill Alfredo! The sauce was flavourful and light, and it came with so much fresh seafood! The scallops were cooked perfectly, and it even had a slight hint of sweetness that I really enjoyed. The texture of the shrimps (big and small) was also super tender. If you are looking to come here, I would definitely try to get a reservation ahead of time. I didn't know this before visiting, but luckily we were able to snag a table after a 20 minute wait. The service was a little on the slower side, but it makes sense given that we came on a jam-packed night. Overall, if you are looking to enjoy some amazing pasta with fresh seafood, I would definitely recommend visiting! read more

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I am just in awe of how this place operates. I curse those who give bad reviews. I've been here several times now and the food is delicious. Easily some the best fine dining on the island. If you're not eating here, you're just losing money. I am always amazed at how great they handle even the mildest substitutions. My husband can be a little picky, and the last time we were there, he asked "Which is better, the steak or the Alfredo?" without hesitation, the waitress said "why not both?!" and she substituted the potatoes and veg for Alfredo penne. Who does that!? They do. Getting a reservation can be tricky, but call ahead and sound pleasant, they'll get you in. Even with a large party they will do their best to make it work. My grandfather insisted on ordering a bottle of wine, I could not keep up with his old liver, and we still had a half a bottle leftover. They let us re-cork it and take it home which was nice! Nothing is wasted here. The beef stroganoff and the salmon were unbeatable too! This is a must if you're on the island for dinner. read more

Auntie Pesto's Cafe - Sandwiches Near Me - Salt Spring Island, British Columbia

Excellent on all counts. We had the mussels and the spaghetti with putanesca sauce, plus caesar salad. Yummy! The cherry tomatoes, kalamata olives, and capers really made the putanesca sing! read more

Larger parties can be a challenge, we visited as a party of eight. Reservations at 7:30 we arrived on time. Seated immediately but not greeted or approached by a waitress for 40mins. The service from that point on was very poor. Food came quickly after ordering but no follow up visit from waitress. 7 out of 8 entrees were well received. The Eggplant Parmesan was over cooked, dried out and awful. Even as the restaurant started to slow and the staff was getting a breather the waitress struggled to get our checks prepared. Maybe an off night? Who knows! read more

Great food, friendly service and seaside ambience. The seafood Alfredo with papperdelle

Fell in love with the halibut cakes, and it was all pleasantly uphill from there. A truly wonderful dining experience. Everything was delicious. Everything was cooked to perfection. Attentive, friendly, and welcoming staff and very, very yummy. It was so incredibly tasty that I had to go back the next day to photograph some of their other dishes as well as have dinner one more time before we leave the island. The ambiance was hustling and bustling the entire time I was their photographing, and everyone seemed to be enjoying their meals. read more

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First time visit to salt spring. Place was recommended. Food was tasty but inattentive staff spoilt the experience. When paying Zoe the waitress asked if we needed change From our cash payment. She took the money, turned her back and walked away without a acknowledgement. Unacceptable read more

Oh my gosh what a wonderful surprise! I have no idea why anyone wouldn't love it. The location is charming with a beautiful view. To me, the name connotes heavy, diner like. No! This is a NICE restaurant! Fabulous service! Such a varied menu and excellent wine list! Highly recommend! read more

A gem! Go! Unfortunately, they were closed the two nights we were last there. Right on the water, dinghy dock for boaters, service and food some of the best. read more

The food is good, but it reminds me of wedding food. It was like going to a banquet dinner but being surprised that the food had flavor. I'd definitely come back though. We had salmon and it was cooked perfectly. We also had the beef tenderloin and that was cooked well also. read more

Auntie Pesto's Cafe - Beef tenderloin - Sandwiches Near Me - Salt Spring Island, British Columbia

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Well this place was hyped up as all the rage so my husband and I (both frontline workers ) decided we Needed a weekend away and a great dinner from the stress and exhausting hours dealing with Covid . The food was TERRIBLE. Mediocre at best , definitely not house made or fresh pasta , tasted like it was out of a box , not al dente , actually hard and undercooked , penne stuck together in clumps , sauces watery and lacking flavour . Appetizers where overpriced and no better 19.00 for a Caprese salad that was drenched in Balsamic vinegar and not a reduction or glaze was overpowering and in appetizing . A wine menu that lacks some truly great BC wines and is astronomically overpriced . All in all I had high expectations for this place and it was lacking in every way . The service was great, our waiter was jovial and chatty , the water was filled constantly and staff was extremely pleasant. The only good thing I can say about this place . read more

Went to Auntie Pestos without a reso and unfortunately by 5pm that evening they had reserved all their tables so we booked for the following evening at 4:30pm (most reasonable time we could get vs. 8pm onward) so we decided to go for it! If it was that busy, must be pretty good. We returned the following night and were seated at a cute corner nook of the restaurant which was great! We ordered a glass of red and Shirley Temple - wine was okay, ST was great! For our appetizer we got a special - baked mozzarella on bread with roasted zucchini and anchovies. This appy came as four pieces and we shared among two which was a good size for us. Cheese was nicely melted, could have been cut a touch thinner but was satisfying. For our mains we had - Penne Roma, Seafood Dill Parpadelle and Halibut & Mash potato's with veg. I really enjoyed my seafood dill cream sauce, they packed the pasta with four big prawns, shrimps and scallops. I was thrilled with my dish, however the other two were very disappointing. Whomever cooked this lovely halibut filet over cooked every ounce of moisture out of the darn thing that it wasn't a pleasant texture. Being right on the water and on the coast of BC, you'd think the chef would have nailed this cook but alas they didn't which was disappointing. (This meal cost $42 which was shocking - not worth this price at all) The Penne Roma sounded good but it arrived very dry. There was lack of sauce of any kind including olive oil. There was a bunch of sundried tomatoes cut up, pine nuts, olives and huge whole garlic cloves which were unappetizing. It's an overpriced dish for something you could easily toss together in a home kitchen. Overall the consistency just wasn't there at this restaurant which is unfortunate as it could be really great. I think reviewing how to elevate some of the pastas on the menu could be a good place to start. And really honing in on the cook of fish because it's a shame a beautiful halibut could come out dry. As for the vibe, the patio is nice but it gets quite cool. The service was friendly especially from the ladies who filled the water glasses, super attentive and really lovely. read more

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Food and service outstanding. Pasta amazing. Rack of lamb out of this world. Would highly recommend this place.

Got the marinara pasta (large $19). You do get a decent portion and it did end up being 2 meals, but $10 per meal isn't the greatest of deals. I don't mean to give this place such a low rating, and I'm not saying it was a bad place to eat, it's just that the marinara sauce wasn't that great for what you're paying. It was just okay. If I were to go to SSI again, and go here again, I think I'd try their pesto. read more

Auntie Pesto's Cafe - Large marinara $19 - Sandwiches Near Me - Salt Spring Island, British Columbia

Really rude and downgraded service with inappropriate words. Take us to a table with tight seating beside greasy kitchen equipment. After we asked for a table change, one awful 'Karen' waitress pretended to be nice to switch a table for us and immediately let us know the table was taken with a quick rejection after 10 seconds. We have to leave because of her inattentiveness and unhumbleness.she just waved us away with the rolling eyes. No apology at all. Please avoid this restaurant at most. does not deserve a check and try. I wish their business is going "well" with the rudeness and disrespect. Definitely 0 out of 5. read more

Amazing food and service. One of the best places to eat on an island full of deliciousness!

Local cheese and wine. Perfect. Only thing missing is the love of my life. I love going in a place and ordering off the menu. In this case it was local cheese and wine. The bartender prepared a cheese plate and a glass of wine. Read that the Gulf Islands are popular with the cheese and wine crowd. Temperate climate allows for some inspired wines. The small town of Ganges on Salt Springs Island is a good choice. The some Sinatra sounding music was playing when I entered. It took me a while to realize it was a cover of a Thompson Twins song. Pretty cool. "I know this much is true." read more

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Gorgeous food and nice location! Ordered the halibut special which was fresh and well Seasoned. Try their key lime pie- it was truly a homemade taste packed with flavour. Do book, small space and fills up read more

Auntie Pesto's Cafe - Sandwiches Near Me - Salt Spring Island, British Columbia

The place on Salt Spring for Italian. And a great spot to celebrate an anniversary or birthday! Food is so good!

Looked like an interesting place as we walked by, so we went in. Wish I never did. Honestly, wrecked my entire trip. Not so friendly female lady....mid 50s. Lady mid 50s, didnt even show us to the table in the back. Then we sat for 15 mins.....small place......no water .....barely made eye contact......looked like she was disgusted with us to be honest ( my family is half Chinese and half indian)......maybe it's the fear of the virus....covid 19....maybe I was misreading this.......then and older white couple walk in. She walks to them immediately and serves them. I decided it would be best to leave. read more

Food was delicious, but service was very poor for my wife and me, probably because we are not caucasian speaking well english. My dear asian friends avoid this place if you can. read more

We are visiting my daughter and her family on Salt Spring, and decided to go to Aunty Pesto's to celebrate my husband's birthday. We've heard great things about this restaurant - excellent food and warm hospitality, and went expecting just that. We had a reservation, and arrived on time. The restaurant was busy, and when we walked in, the one server in the front was chatting with people at the counter. It took her a really long time to acknowledge us. Anyway, we were seated and we placed our orders. My husband asked for some bread for the table, which never came. We asked again, and our server said she had forgotten to ring it in. We received a few slices of some dried out white bread, with some butter, and considering we were being charged for it, we sent it back. We observed the two servers talking about us sending it back, and then our server brought It back to us, offering to grill it, or bring out some olive oil. My husband said he'd pass, but it felt awkward after that. We ordered olive poppers, which were delicious. The little sides, which came in ramekins were awesome with the large order of poppers, but not nearly enough. We asked for more of each ramekin, and the server kind of implied that we would just be getting a few more of the pickles. Again, awkward. Our food arrived. My daughters were sharing a Pasta Puttanesca, and asked for two plates to split the pasta. The plates were so tiny that you could barely fit a pea on them. It just came across that they didn't care much to provide decent service to our table after the bread issue. Our pastas were awful!. Both the Puttanesca and Alfredo sauces were oily and greasy, not creamy at all, but after the bread issue, we felt uncomfortable to say anything. The sauces were clearly overcooked, and had separated. The seafood in my Alfredo was very fishy. At least the birthday boy had a good chicken parmesan! We definitely felt like outsiders, and there was no effort to make us feel welcome. The more mature server made an effort to chat at each table, but apparently, we were invisible. For a $200 dinner, my husband had a disappointing birthday celebration. So much for excellent food and warm hospitality. Should have just cooked a nice dinner at home. read more

Went here on a romantic dinner date with my boyfriend. It was so lovely! We sat outside and had a beautiful view of the water and boats. We ordered the scallops for appetizer. It was so good! Juicy and buttery. Then for my main I ordered the risotto - this was amazing too. Just enough butter, cheese and lemon...and the sauce was subtle and just creamy enough. Then for dessert we had the lemon pie slide - oh man! The crust was so fresh w hints of coconut And the lemon tart part was amazing too. Everything was fresh and I felt like I was in a 5 star restaurant but in a very casual setting. Service was great! Attentive and friendly. We ordered the salt spring local apple side which complimented the food perfectly. I will definitely visit again when I go back to salt spring island! read more

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My favourite is the seafood pasta in dill Alfredo sauce. I always have it over pappardelle and it is marvellous. Pasta is fresh, seafood is perfectly cooked and it arrives quickly and piping hot. read more

Very busy restaurant, need to make a reservation early. Nice patio with views of the harbour, however uncomfortable patio seats. We were definitely underdressed. Great service, food was good - portions are HUGE. Have found most of the restaurants on SSI on the pricier side, this was no exception. read more

Two years ago we had a terrible experience with three out of four of us telling the waiter that the food was awful. the fourth person was too kind to exclaim her disgust. After talking to the owner over the phone we had mutually agreed that once the Covid BS was over we'd come back for a makeup dinner. The owner acknowledged that she had not been made aware of our concerns in the moment ( no apologies) BUT was aware that they had a bad night with an incompetent cook. We decided to try out their "take out" service on Sunday Night. March 13, 2022. I attempted to speak with the owner BUT the "co owner, Tor", said that he'd handle the order after I explained the situation. I guess the owner was too busy yet again?!?!? I paid FULL price for everything. No attempt by ether owner to talk to me about the previous fiasco. When I got home I realized they had forgot part of our order!!! FFS. In the end they opted to give me a full refund for the takeout meal and opted not to apologize for wasting my time. The only flippant comment they had was, "Good luck out there". Words of wisdom to Restaurant owners, take the time to heed a customers complaint. The first revolting meal cost me 350$. The second cost a 100$. There will not be a third. Never again. read more

customer service was atrocious. There was a loud table that the management said wasn't a problem because they're just laughing and if you want to not laugh, go to a funeral, almost a direct quote from the owner of the place. Food order was incorrect on three occasions of a party of 10. Save your money and go to a place that will appreciate your business and not cater to just the locals. Will never set foot in that place ever again. read more

How we ended up here is a reference point for a restaurant that was located across from this one, and due to that one not being open, we ended up here, not really hungry, but knowing that a meal was in order to keep us going through the day, we decided to pop in for a look, and see if we could get something simple before our trip back to Crofton. A very welcoming little place that has a very simplistic look to it once you walk in, from the small kitchen which you can kind of see in the back, to the small bar, to the simple tables and chairs, it's not fancy, but in some ways it gives off a 'homey' feel, and matches that which is Salt Spring Island. Before we even entered I was listening to one of the patrons joke with one of the servers while he was departing, and even through the course of our meal I heard people come in and leave and it seems like the people who work here, and the people who come here have developed quite a bond. As it was around 3 PM, the place was not that busy with only one table having a meal, and most people out on the streets enjoying the sun, or what was outside as it was a crazy weathered day, and probably the time of day. We parked ourselves and our umbrella at a table near a window, and soon enough our hostess who greeted us at the door brought over menus. Going through the menu, which is not too long, we decided on a pasta dish (they do have other things like sandwiches, appys, salads and soups). The order was the rice pasta (you get a choice of what pasta you want) roma which was a warmed pasta tossed with pine nuts, pumpkin seeds, sun-dried tomato, olives, capers, and roasted garlic. With our order they brought along garlic bread topped off with cheese. We only ordered the one dish, and they brought this out split into two plates, now that is being aware without even asking, kudos to this attentive service. It was nicely plated and your able to pick out all the ingredients from each bite you take. I have never had rice pasta before and it was shaped like fusilli, it was cooked al dente, with a great chew to each bite (I guess this would be your substitute to being gluten free) as I was impressed at the clean cooking of this place. If you need a place to sit around, one that supports the local area in the stuff they use in their foods, then this is a great place for a bite. It's got a nice view from anywhere in the restaurant, even a wrap around patio for those sunny blue sky days, and good food and service. If your in Salt Spring Island, check it out... oh and they have a kid menu too! read more

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Upscale Italian bistro for Salt Spring. A bit spendy by local standards, but the food is very good, and the wine is local and reasonable. Like other places on Salt Spring, they don't have anyone they can call in to deal with an unexpected rush, so if you happen to be there on a night they're full, be patient. The outdoor deck is a pleasant place to while away the time. Some tips: the entree items are actually significantly better than the pasta. Also, the chef's strong suit is apparently homemade flavored oils, so look for dishes which have some of them, like the salads. read more

- good service, nice typically decor - had Sunday breakfast at noon - no breakfast menu... But they do tell you the breakfast specials. For breakfast, limited selection but the Benny and omelette was excellent - surprised at the price. Very high 18$ for the eggs Benny special read more

Auntie Pesto's Cafe - Breakfast omelette sun noon - Sandwiches Near Me - Salt Spring Island, British Columbia

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Went again today and the waiter seems much much more experienced. He told us about the specials for today and asked before cleaning the table. As usual, very nice service and great food. aunt still ordered the duck because it's THAT AMAZING. So I definitely try that out. Lamb was amazing too. Seafood is great and their risotto is pretty nice as well. Coffee is decent and their Key Lime Pie is a bit too sweet for my aunt and my liking but my mom and cousin really enjoyed it. The Creme Brulee was a bit too burnt today but it's alright. This is a restaurant worth trying!! I would definitely come again the next time I get the chance to. read more

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We ate here 2 nights while on Salt Spring. We really enjoyed eating on the patio and we found the food and service to be very good both times. We shared pasta bolognese and the chicken parm. I would highly recommend eating here. read more

OUR 20TH ANNIVERSARY & SEATED OUTSIDE IN THE MIDDLE OF SEPTEMBER!! My husband and I were on Salt Spring Island for a week, celebrating our 20th wedding anniversary. We made a reservation at Auntie Pestos two weeks prior. We were both really looking forward to this experience especially after reading the reviews. Unfortunately on Sept. 17, 2020, we arrived at the restaurant for our 7pm reservation and were promptly seated out on their patio. There was a canopy over the patio seating, as well as propane heaters. Unfortunately, we were directed to the ONLY table that was NOT COVERED in the very corner of the patio. All the tables on the patio were under cover except ours. We were essentially seated beside the water on a cool September evening with a tiny bit of heat on my right side. My poor husband did not have any heat beside him at all. We were not advised that this is how they seat their customers and to bring a sweater/jacket. When we asked our server if we could change to another table she told us that it was the only table available. We then asked if we could order our meals "to go" and she said sure it would take about 20 minutes. Fine, we decided to do that seeing as we could not seat out in the open evening air. As we waited for our server to return to our table, another table that was under the cover, was cleared and set for more customers. Why did we not get this table??? Unfortunately again, our server took an extraordinary long time to come back to our table with glasses filled with ice water. Just what we needed! We were already freezing but the ice water should help??? At this point we decided to leave without ordering anything and all the server said was, "OK". She didn't even attempt to try and accommodate us at all. I was dumb struck! A very, very disappointing evening for our 20th wedding anniversary. read more

It was a beautiful dinner with amazing atmosphere in the restaurant. Our server was busy, but it didn't take away from her having enough time to provide excellent service. We are very happy we chose this restaurant during our visit to the island. read more

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This restaurant came highly recommended by a local, who, perhaps tellingly, mentioned the great view first and the food second. The view was lovely, but that's literally the only positive thing I can say. I've had better pasta at the Olive Garden. I had penne with a seafood dill Alfredo sauce. My husband had spaghetti Bolognese. Both the penne and the spaghetti seemed to have been cooked in completely overstarched water. The pasta was starchy and sticky and clumped together. The alfredo sauce tasted fine, but congealed to the pasta and was not at all creamy. The Bolognese tasted chalky and under-seasoned. We wouldn't be even a little bit tempted to give this place another try. read more

Am very surprised with my fellow Yelpers' reviews. We arrived at around 3:00 on a weekday. They must have been changing shifts or somethings. Things were not right from the beginning. Lots of people running around, but no one even noticed that we were seated. Finally a menu and a drink order, but it took 20 minutes to get our drinks, 15 more minutes to get our salads and another 15 minutes to get our main dish. Good thing we had no place to go. The soups and salads were good, but not worth the $$$. The Puttanesca was good, but the pasta was overcooked. Not worth the $$$. If you want a good seafood meal with no pompous attitude, head up North to Vesuvius Bay and go to Seaside. read more

Perfection!! Sorry sometimes you just need to tell it Like it is! Please don't miss the place For lunch or dinner! You will be glad for the experience! read more