Seven Cozy Places to Evade the Winter Chill in Sidney, BC

Sea Glass Waterfront Grill: We are a little biased when it comes to our beloved onsite restaurant so don’t take it from us! Here is what Charlene B. from TripAdvisor.ca (where Sea Glass is rated as the number one restaurant in Sidney!) had to say:

From soup, salad, flat breads, burgers, steak, seafood and the always awesome chicken and waffles (!) there is something for everyone and the price points are reasonable considering taste delight of each and every bite. And dreaming that one of the yachts moored within sight will whisk you away after dining is worth the price of admission.

Tanner’s Books: A bookstore and more! After 35 years, Tanner’s has grown into a full-service bookstore with new releases, bestsellers, and new books in over 50 fiction and non-fiction categories. Come in and browse the largest newsstand on Vancouver Island – over 2000 magazines and 40 newspapers from Canada, The United States, and Great Britain. And don’t miss the games, puzzles, calendars, souvenirs, greeting cards, and more!

Quince Café & Ice Cream: Quince is a delightfully quaint cafe and ice cream shop specializing in handmade, made-from-scratch baking and lunch items, with a focus on local and seasonal ingredients. Stop by for a bite, you certainly won’t be disappointed.

Bistro Suisse: A cozy and intimate bistro serving Swiss & other European fare along with beer & wine. The friendly atmosphere is amazing, the decor beautiful, the service is immaculate, and most importantly – the food is superb.  The best schnitzel you will ever eat!

Shaw Centre for the Salish Sea: Explore the mysteries of the Salish Sea – one of the most diverse ecosystems in the world! As the only aquarium on Southern Vancouver Island, the Centre displays the natural beauty and ecological diversity of the local Salish Sea through 28 aquarium habitats holding over 160 live marine species and over 3,500 animals including a giant pacific octopus, wolf eels, and pacific salmon. The Centre is also home to a rare, fully-intact killer whale skeleton, a unique collection of Coast Salish Indigenous art, a fun ‘hands-on’ Touch Pool experience, and a Salish Sea Store with one-of-a-kind, locally sourced and environmentally friendly arts, jewelry and crafts.

Star Cinema: The Star is a comfortable, cozy and friendly family run cinema. The movie selections are always current with all ages considered. Their popcorn is second to none – they only use real butter!

Victoria Distillers: Nationally acclaimed maker of fine spirits, known for delectable, small-batch gins, vodkas, whiskies and flavourful bitters. Their tour & tasting experience guides you through the entire distillation process and around two gleaming copper pot stills. From selecting the botanicals, to the blending and bottling, to the hand-numbering of each small batch. Following a tour, visitors are invited to taste all their premium spirits neat (including their award winning Victoria Gin.)

Sidney has many more fantastic restaurants, coffee shops, book stores and boutiques to escape the winter chill. Where are your favourite places to go?