You have probably never turned in off the highway at Britannia Beach when headed up to Squamish or…read moreWhistler. Now, there is a GOOD reason to pop in on your way up or down (or both!)
There is a whole new development with ice cream, bakery, and 3 or 4 eating establishments, all perched overlooking the ocean and the mine museum.
We wandered in, and were seated right away, lots of room (it is sort of at the back of the new village area, so you'll pass by 2 or 3 competing options for food first! And it just opened on Thursday - we knew we were lucky!
First, the view. The restaurant is perched looking over the highway (or Autostrada in Italian) for an amazing view of the sparkling ocean AND the towering mine museum, freshly renovated and looking good! Plus there are a few mountains scattered around, it IS BC, after all!
Second, the fish burger. They have an oyster bar right as you come to the front door, they do seafood towers, it is THAT kind of a place! (On the side of the highway, in deserted little Britannia Beach, I know!). The rockfish was done perfectly, in a burger, and Im no chef, but the sauce gave this the best taste of ANY fish burger EVER. I asked for the side Caesar alongside it - and IT was the best Caesar salad EVER - and I used to make them! Something about the really finely grated cheese and slabs of anchovy filets - and the fries looked good too - but the combination was LIFE CHANGING! (thats why I HAD to write a quick review)
Third, the bar. Crazy to serve drinks as you are headed down the highway, isn't it? Almost entrapment! OK, so if you could only have one or two drinks, you'd want them to be GOOD drinks! They have great beer and wine selection, but the bartender mixing the drinks is MADE for Pisco Sours and fine cocktails, crafted right in front of you. He mentioned that he had his OWN version of Pisco Sour - and Im going to highly recommend having a cocktail and looking out at the world with a renewed satisfaction.
Third, the patio. No lineup - YET! The word will get out! (Right here) High top tables and chairs AND lowered firetables and couches facing out over the ocean, with umbrellas - classic! And beautiful, well done, interesting - check out the rosewood looking art deco couches, lift the cover on the firetable - here comes fall, it WILL come in handy!
You COULD lineup in Squamish for a fast food joint. You COULD be 50 deep at a restaurant in Whistler. OR you could turn off the road in Britannia Beach, explore the new village, find the ice cream shop inside the old church - they hail from Ontario, so they KNOW what they are doing! Autostrada hails from Vancouver, you can find an outlet there too. Add in a great bakery, a stroll to the art gallery on the waterfront, a tour of the mine museum - and you'd better leave early because this is going to be a "secret" favorite stop for years to come!