Top 8 Manitoulin Eateries ~ Where To Eat On Manitoulin Island

Many people always ask me where to eat on Manitoulin Island.  There are quite a few Manitoulin eateries to choose from.

When asked where I enjoy dining, I’d have to say I have my top 8 Manitoulin eateries!

1. The Garden’s Gate Restaurant offers gourmet, prepared from scratch menu items.  Their ingredients include locally grown meats and produce, and they have over 50 craft beers from Ontario’s microbreweries, and Vinters Quality Alliance wines from Ontario’s smaller family run estate wineries.  Their dessert menu always impresses!  My husband is a fan of their cheesecakes, but I always get the key lime pie!  Their key lime pie is incredible!
2. The School House Restaurant offers a unique fine dining experience.  The restaurant is unique in that there is a century’s worth of history! The first room of the School House was built in 1898. My husband will tell you that he always orders their 8 oz. Black Angus striploin char-broiled served with an herbed butter sauce.  My mom always orders the rack of lamb. Their desserts will not disappoint! My favourite dessert on their menu is their B52 Crème Brûlée!
3. Main Street Cafe in Kagawong is a very special place.  Great food, great atmosphere, and great people.  Kagawong is about a 40 minute or so drive from our farm, but I will happily make the trip over just for a bite to eat with a friend.  If you’re like me, and do not enjoy eating greasy, fried food often, then you will love Main Street Cafe.  Their soups are always delicious and their salads and other menu items are very flavourful. Another bonus is that they always play great tunes! They’ve got the music, atmosphere, and food!
4. The Trough is a great place to go with friends and family, where you can enjoy some tasty menu items and some Manitoulin Brewing Co. beer al fresco!  Each day, The Trough features two menu items.  Their extensive menu includes specialty burgers, onion rings, specialty poutines, wings, wraps, and more!
5. The Garden Shed Cafe is a hidden gem.  It is located at JD’s Garden Centre.  The food is delicious and it is easy to see why this place has become an island favourite.  We enjoy going there for brunch with friends and family.  Sometimes if Hubby and I want to go out on a date, we head to the Garden Shed.  They are known for their breakfast menu items.  My favourite is their Breakfast in a Bowl.  Laurie also makes the fluffiest omelets I have ever had! The Mediterranean omelet is amazing. If you’re having lunch there, the soup and sandwiches are amazing.  There are so many layers of flavour in Laurie’s homemade soups!
6. Buoys in Gore Bay is known for their pizzas!  I’m not a fan of pizza in general, so my husband is surprised that I absolutely love Buoys’ pizzas!  Their Pulled Pork Pizza and their Greek Obsession Pizza are my favourites!  Buoys also offers handcrafted sandwiches, wraps, salads, pasta, and more!  Their desserts are made locally by the amazing Ultimately Chocolate.  Trust me, you will want to try the desserts!  Lisabeth is a genius when it comes to making chocolates, cakes, tarts, pies, and tortes!
7. The Live Edge is the perfect name for this Gore Bay restaurant.  Located on the edge of the water, the restaurant offers live produce, from farm to plate.  I love that The Live Edge supports other locals in that their meats are from Burt Farm Country Meats and Joyce Family Farms, desserts made in-house, and when they use chocolate, they use chocolate from Ultimately Chocolate.
8. Lake Huron Fish & Chips Co. is a popular eatery for locals and visitors alike.  If you’re spending the day at the beach in Providence Bay, make sure to stop by for some tasty fish and chips!  Our Little One will tell you that “their onion rings are delish” and that she always gets onion rings with her fish.  Sometimes she gets spicy tartar sauce, and sometimes regular.  My husband always orders a burger with the works, because he says Matt’s burgers are really good!

Those are my personal favourite Manitoulin eateries, but there are many other great places to dine!

Here is a list of Manitoulin eateries sorted by location:

Please note that some of the places listed below are restaurants, while others are seasonally operated chip stands or pop ups. I haven’t dined at all of these places, but since we’re all about supporting local businesses, I wanted to share a list of local Manitoulin eateries.

Little Current

• The Anchor Inn (Bar & Grill)
• Elliott’s Restaurant
• Loco Beanz
• The Trough
• 3 Cows and a Cone
• The Island Jar
• North 46 Restaurant

Aundek Omni Kaning (AOK)

• Crusty’s Pizza

Sheguiandah

• Green Acres

Manitowaning

• Red Lodge Resort
• Loco Beanz
• Rainbow Ridge Golf Course

Tehkummah

• Garden’s Gate Restaurant
• The Garden Shed Cafe
• The Kickass Cookhouse

South Baymouth

• Wig Wam Pizzeria
• Pierside
• Carol & Earl’s
• Authentic Belgian Waffle Company
• Island Fish & Chips
• Huron Motor Lodge Coffee Shop

Mindemoya

• Maja’s
• Mum’s Restaurant & Bakery
• Miller Tyme
• Manitoulin Espresso Bar
• Mindemoya Grill & Chill

Spring Bay

• Quintina’s

Providence Bay

• Lake Huron Fish & Chips Co.
• The School House
• Peace of Providence (in the Mutchmor)
• Huron Island Time

M’Chigeeng

• Season’s Restaurant

Kagawong

• Main Street Cafe
• Eat More Ice Cream

Gore Bay

• Manitoulin Pizza Co.
• The Live Edge
• Rocky Raccoon Cafe
• B & J’s Restaurant
• Bayfield Restaurant
• Buoy’s Eatery
• Island Pantry
• Loco Beanz Coffee House
• Twin Bluff’s Bar & Grill

Meldrum Bay

• Meldrum Bay Inn

Wikwemikong

• Cherie’s Chip Stand
• Ed’s Family Restaurant
• The Other Half Cafe
• Karen’s Coffeemat
• Way To Go Pizza

Island friends, if you know of any Manitoulin eateries I have missed, please let me know and I will include them.

Curious to know what your favourite Manitoulin eateries are!  Let us know in the comments section below!