What to Eat in Newfoundland (Reataurants, Food & Alcohol)

By Brittany Zerr

Food. Not the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Newfoundland. A few of the first things that come to mind for me are the scenic rocky cliffs, the majestic tablelands in Gros Morne, established lighthouses, and colourful Jelly Bean Row houses in St. John’s.

When you visit Newfoundland expect bountiful fresh seafood, restaurants with great views of the ocean, and humble home cooked meals. (With a pint beer, if that’s up your alley. Newfoundland has a lot of great breweries too!)

So, what should you eat while in Newfoundland? Keep reading.

Try Canada’s Best Restaurants

Did you know that Newfoundland is home to 3 of Canada’s 100 best restaurants? You might be thinking, “What? Only three?”. Comparatively, Saskatchewan and Manitoba only have one restaurant on the list each despite having over double the population, so they’re doing pretty good!

The three restaurants on Canada’s 100 Best list in Newfoundland are:

I didn’t go to Fogo Island so I never had a chance to try out Fogo Island Inn (womp womp). But I did get to experience the magic that was Raymonds! I had planned on checking out Mallard Cottage for brunch, but after spending a majority of our food budget at Raymonds, I decided to leave that gem for next time I’m back (because I’ll definitely be back).

I can only speak to how amazing Raymonds is, but if the other restaurants on the list are anything like it, you’re in for a treat! Raymond’s has a $$$$ rating on Google, so don’t be surprised when you walk in and look at the price on the menu — you can choose from 3, 5, or 7 courses. Their menu changes on a regular basis depending on what fresh and local ingredients are available and in season. When I went there I got the 5 course meal which consisted of raw scallops, handmade pasta, cod, steak, and a bright strawberry rhubarb dessert. I’ll let the images speak for themselves:

Note: This post was originally written in 2019. As of 2023, Portage (#42) is the only restaurant in Newfoundland on Canada’s Top 100 List.

Eat Seasonal Seafood

Every restaurant has seafood on the menu. Every. Restaurant. (Okay there is probably a vegan restaurant that doesn’t, but that’s besides the point.)

Fresh seafood is everywhere. However, if you go to Newfoundland in August expecting to eat lobster you’ll be disappointed. There are specific seasons for different types of seafood! Below is what the Department of Fisheries & Oceans has listed for fishing seasons in 2019. Other years will likely be similar.

Lobster: April 23rd - July 2nd
Snow Crab: April 8th - July 15th
Oysters: September 15th - November 30th
Scallops: year round

Most restaurants in Newfoundland pride themselves on serving freshly caught seafood, so you won’t see any out-of-season fish on their menus.

Not a fan of fish? I’m not either, but I still tried it while I was there. Fresh fish is on a whole other level — and if you stick with white fish (such as Cod) you’ll avoid the super fishy taste that plagues most other fish. Try it! (Also check out How to Make Fish for People Who Don’t Like Fish.)

Enjoy a Home Cooked Meal

If there was one thing that I saw a lot while in Newfoundland it was this plate:

{insert meat/fish here} + potatoes + steamed carrots & broccoli + bun

And sometimes you get coleslaw too. Maybe.

Depending on the restaurant the food was either seasoned or there was no seasoning at all — not even a lick of salt, it felt like. But the good news is that salt and pepper is on the table to enhance those plain jane meals.

Eat a Newfie Breakfast

What is a newfie breakfast? It varies a bit, but I’d say that most typical one consists of:

Eggs done your way (nothing weird here)
Fried bologna (definitely a Newfie thing)
Touton (a super Newfie thing — it’s fried dough)
Molasses (to go with your Touton — you can also ask for Maple Syrup instead)
Baked beans (normal, but I don’t usually eat them for breakfast)

Nan’s Breakfast from Bernard Stanley Gastro Pub.

It’s a lot of food, so if you’re not a breakfast person like me, make someone else order it just to try it. If you’re staying at a Bed & Breakfast, they will likely make a breakfast like this for you. There are also a lot of great brunch places in St. John’s — I went to Bernard Stanley Gastro Pub and really enjoyed it! If you’re planning to do brunch in St. John’s, make a reservation. The wait times are long — people love their brunch!

Bonus: also eat a traditional Jiggs dinner if you get the chance. It’s delish. Oh, and fries with dressing and gravy too!

Discover New Sweet Things

Newfoundland has an abundance of unique sweet things that are popular on the island, but hard to find anywhere else unless your grocery store has a “Newfoundland” section (many grocery stores in Alberta do due to the high Newfie population).

From things like molasses buns to partridge berry pie to really anything that’s Purity brand, Newfoundland has something for your sweet tooth. Enjoy the local berries and even take some home — I took home a nice jar of bakeapple (cloudberry) jam with me. (Just remember to not put it in your carry-on bag like the lady in front of me going through security at the airport…)

Oh yea, they also have this amazing thing called Pineapple Crush. So good.

Also if you just so happened to fly into Deer Lake, check out Poppa Joes Dairy. It’s an amazing ice cream shop with a HUGE selection of flavours and the price is right. They even have a few lactose free flavours if you’re lactose intolerant!

Drink All of the Alcohol

Newfoundland has an abundance of breweries. Dildo Brewing Company, Quidi Vidi Brewing Co., Split Rock Brewing Co. to name a few. For a full list I recommend checking out Suitcase and Heels’ post.

Oh, and if you like wine, don’t forget to check out Auk Island Winery in Twillingate! They make many of their wines from iceberg water and use local berries (not grapes). You can get a short tour of their winery and taste a flight of 5 wines for just $10. Like what you tasted? You can order a case of wine to meet you back at home! They recently released two dandelion wines — definitely give them a try.

Rent a Cabin and Cook

I recommend staying at an accommodation that has everything you need to cook a meal for yourself at least once! Go visit a local grocery store, walk down the aisles, and discover new and existing food that locals buy. From mustard pickles to all of the bologna options one can dream of, you can eat what the locals eat.

Are you visiting Newfoundland soon? What are you most excited to try?

If you’re a Newfie and I missed something very important from my list — let me know in the comments below!

What to Eat in Beautiful Newfoundland