Restaurant at Cape Chignecto Provincial Park, NS

In the area around West Advocate Harbour and north just past Eatonville Harbour, Nova Scotia is Cape Chignecto Provincial Park. Towering over the Bay of Fundy, spanning 4,200-hectares and encompassing 29 km (18 mi) of untouched coastline, the setting here is pretty remarkable, to say the least (read my head-over-heels post about the Cape d’Or lighthouse hotel here).

While I was buzzing around the park, I came upon a very cute 1860s house that had opened a few weeks earlier as the Wild Caraway Café and Restaurant. The young proprietors, who have worked in the restaurant industry in Australia, Ireland, London and other parts of Canada, are definitely onto something good here.

I chatted with Sarah Griebel, one of the owners, who said that the seafood, like lobsters and scallops, are sourced from the harbour literally across the street; most of the vegetables and herbs are gathered from the backyard garden.

Prices are also pretty reasonable, considering the views they have and picturesque windows looking over the harbour. Things like Lobster Rolls go for $10 CAD, local Advocate Scallops are $19 CAD and (if you’ve read my blog, you know about my weakness for Crème Brulée), a $6 CAD classic version of Crème Brulée with Madagascar vanilla beans. The menu changes every two weeks.

As well as cooking up ultra fresh food, Wild Caraway also has two guestrooms upstairs for overnight stays. They’re both very simply furnished and don’t have things like phones or TVs (and share a bathroom). It’s more like staying over at a friend’s place in the rural countryside, except that the windows all overlook the impressive Bay of Funy tides. Not bad for $80 CAD a night.

Of course the best part about staying here would be walking downstairs for breakfast (included in nightly rate), then lunch, and then dinner Because the restaurant is located right on highway 209 in Advocate Harbour, it’s central to Cape Chignecto Park and all of the hiking, lookout spots and kayaking opportunities.

I sincerely wish Sarah Griebel and Andrew Aitken (other owner and Chef) good luck with Wild Caraway. They’ve got a good idea, great location and seem like fantastic people. I love supporting that.

What I Liked:

The location is prime, the views excellent and the house cute.

Wild Caraway Café and Restaurant is furnished cleanly and simply. Picturesque seating near the windows fills up first, of course, with views overlooking the harbour.

The rooms upstairs are a nice alternative to the nearby camping options. Although if you’re camping, the restaurant is a nice alternative to canned beans and camp food.

So far, the restaurant will close for March and April, but they’re playing the season by ear to see when the best times of the year to close are (if at all).

Tags: Andrew Aitken, Bay of Fundy, Cape Chignecto, Eatonville Harbour, Nova Scotia, ns, Provincial Park, restaurant, Sarah Griebel, West Advocate Harbour, Wild Caraway Café and Restauran