New Eats on North Pender

Checking out the New Bar at Port Browning Marina

With overcast skies and rain showers, it was a good day to be inside checking on some new restaurants for the Waggoner Cruising Guide.  The new modern-style bar at Port Browning Marina is nearly complete and should be ready for patrons in a couple of weeks.  

Glass-enclosed patio off the New Bar

A glass-enclosed patio overlooking the marina is included in this refurbish project.  The wood-burning stove is the only item kept from the small café that once occupied this space.  

The Pub/Restaurant and New Bar at Port Browning Marina

The family dining room at the front of the building is still operating as usual with added improvements to the outdoor deck offering great views of the harbour.  Now under the auspices of the Mill Bay Marine Group, Port Browning has plans to expand the marina and install new docks; work is slated to begin in September of 2017.  

Vanilla Leaf Bakery at Driftwood Centre

Boaters, ourselves included, enjoy visiting Vanilla Leaf Bakery and the well-stocked Tru Value Foods store located at the Driftwood Centre a short half-mile walk from the marina, or you can call the Pender Island Cab (250-629-2222).  A fairly good selection of marine supplies are available at the Driftwood Auto & Marine store (250-629-3002).  Before departing the docks, we said goodbye to our Customs & Border Patrol friends who had arrived at Port Browning shortly after we did; were they following us?  No, not really.  They came over to our boat for a friendly chat and shared with us that the customs dock at Poet’s Cove in Bedwell Harbour had been damaged by recent storms and would be under repair starting this September.  

 

Hope Bay Pubic Wharf

Departing Port Browning, we headed north along Plumper Sound to our next destination, Hope Bay Public Wharf, located on the shore along North Pender Island.  This historic landing has attractive buildings above the wharf which house several small businesses including the Red Tree Gallery, Dockside Realty, and the Pender Is. Veterinary Clinic along with a new café.  



The attractive New Philly's Diner at Hope Bay

The popular Hope Bay Café that closed in 2016 has re-opened as Philly’s Diner and carries on the tradition of tasty, well-prepared dishes.  

Delicious Meals at Philly's Diner are sure to please

We chose the weekly seafood dish served with saffron rice and seasonal vegetables, presented in a delicious sauce with a sautéed salmon filet topped with pieces of smoked cured meat, definitely worth the stop.  The décor is also similar, showcasing local art; and you can’t beat the window-side views overlooking Navy Channel.  Philly’s Diner is open Monday through Saturday from 11am to 9pm.