HIKE EAT REPEAT
This is how we tasted our way around the Cabot Trail!
It is well known that Cape Breton Island boasts a reputation for delicious food, breathtaking landscapes, and of course the most epic road trip spot ever: The Cabot Trail. From mid June until mid October it is an absolute buzz with locals and tourists as everyone gets their share of this east coast paradise. But even after the typical “Tourism Season” draws to a close there are still lots of fun things to do.
In rolls the first ever Cabot Trail Food Truck Rally!!
This late October event starting on the Friday evening and running until Sunday afternoon, was jam packed with some of the finest food trucks on Cape Breton, live entertainment, a contest opportunity, and hosted mostly within the Cape Breton Highlands National Park. Haven’t been here? Filled with endless beautiful hiking trails and look offs, please add this to your dream destinations list ASAP!
We were not able to join in on this event until Sunday. We do recommend in order to get the full experience and enjoy yourself the most, that you set aside a weekend and take your time exploring.
Here is what we got up to in our one day of - HIKE - EAT - REPEAT !
Photo by Cabottrailpathfinders. Friends of ours that joined us for the day. https://www.instagram.com/cabottrailpathfinders/?hl=en
What to bring:
• Cash. Some vendors are cash only so be sure to have a good supply of money on hand. There are no ATMs accessible in much of the highlands.
• Warm clothing. Late October can sometimes be warm one second and cold the next so to be prepared dress in layers, pack a hat, mittens, and it wouldn’t hurt to have a warm jacket just incase.
• An appetite. Lots of vendors to eat at and each are unique! Bring an appetite but vegetarians & vegans beware, there are currently not many Veg/ V options at the moment but I am sure that will be something taken into preparation for next year.
• Lots of room on your phone or camera for photos! This weekend held endless photo ops and the perfect way to get all those “instagramable” fall shots.
Hike 1 – Benjie’s Lake
We started our morning off with a sunrise on French Mountain where we spotted two moose! After they decided to be camera shy and ran off into the woods we took a hike on the lovely 3km (return) Benjie’s Lake trail. We have witnessed a moose relaxing in this lake before so we were keeping our fingers crossed for another sighting but with no luck. It was still the perfect spot all to ourselves before heading to our first food truck of the day.
Vendor 1 – Cruisin’ Cap Rougien’s Cuisine
Arriving at 9:30am the kind folks of Cruisin’ Cap Rougien’s must have heard our bellies rumbling from the car because they opened a half hour early for us. Woo! No HANGRY daveyandsky today! What does one have for breakfast to prepare for a day of food trucks? Fish n’ Chips & a Burger w/ fries of course! Hot, fresh, greasy perfection - it was a messily delicious and perfect way to start the day! Wondering what other kinds of food they create? Make a visit and ask the owner. He briefly showed us all the pictures on his phone of different dishes he makes and it was a camera roll straight to our food loving hearts. We already can’t wait to try out more stuff from these guys!
Hike 2 – MacIntosh Brook
As we made our way across the park, our next destination was MacIntosh Brook. Located near Pleasant Bay, it is a great spot to stretch your legs, use the pubic washroom, or cozy inside the comfort area. The 1.7 km (return) trail is tree covered and even so late in the season was still sporting LOTS of colourful leaves, only made more magical by the babbling brook alongside the trail and scenic waterfall at the end. All the autumn photos were taken! Here are a few.
Vendor 2 – Bungalow Beans
Next up was Bungalow Beans and ahhh did they ever warm our souls!
Literally with the delicious warm Cape Breton Maple Chinos they made us and figuratively with thier energetic kindness and family business charm. This vintage camper is the picture perfect coffee stop that serves beverages made from home roasted coffee beans.. YUM! We were still too stuffed to try their homemade baked goods this round but we know where to find them for next time! They are at the Cape Breton Farmers Market in Sydney every Saturday or can be found in Coxheath where there are lots of hiking trails too!
Vendor 3 – Stand and Stuff Your Face
After our caffeine fix, we grooved on over to Ingonish where a busy crowd surrounded a bold black food truck - Stand and Stuff Your Face! Becoming a local name in homes around Cape Breton, this chef and wife duo know how to cook. By noon there were already a few items sold out on their menu (we will eat you next time delicious burger!!) but truly you can’t go wrong with anything listed. I chose the poutine made with real cheese curds and David went with the Haddock Wrap and side salad. We stood and stuffed our faces (but also sat for a bit) to the sound of waves crashing along Black Brook Beach. Perfection! Check these guys out on IG & Facebook as they update regularly where and when they will be serving up deliciousness around the Island next.
Hike 3 – Black Brook Beach Waterfall
Before hitting the road to our next eatery, we nosied around the beach a bit more with the dogs and hiked to discover the Black Brook Waterfall. Who doesn’t love a good waterfall on a crisp autumn day. What a treat!
Vendor 4 – Salty Rose’s and the Periwinkle Cafe
Next up was a spot that is loved by many east coast foodies, a spot we were delighted to hear was part of the rally, Salty Rose’s and the Periwinkle Cafe! Owned and operated by boss babes (woo!) this is a hub for adventure and decorated with inspiration from the sea so it is dreamy to say the least. We wished we could have stayed to dine in and shop but it was only a quick visit to grab something sweet - lemon blueberry cake & hikers yoghurt with homemade granola – all of which we would enjoy at our next location.
Hike 4 – Cape Smokey Provincial Park
If you’ve seen any photos of Cape Breton then you have probably viewed the windy roads of Cape Smokey at some point. We enjoyed a little hike around the provincial park and took in the gorgeous mountain meets ocean views while snacking away on our treats.
Vendor 5 – Beaver Tales / Cape Breton Mobile
Feeling all hiked out for the day we drove the twisty roads of the Islands eastern shore all the way to our final food stop.. the classic and always loved Beaver Tails! Nom nom nom. Could this have possibly been the best for last? Our sweet teeth seemed to think so! A Blueberry Cheesecake, BroWOWnie, and Coco Vanil’ were ordered. Hot, fresh, and simply amazing it didn’t take us long to devour our desserts of the day. Thank you again guys & we loved seeing local ingredients incorporated into these great eats.
Vendor 6 – Big Spruce Brewery
At this point it was evident that we were rolling ourselves home we were that stuffed. But alas, we had one last thing on our list to cheers to a day well spent - Big Spruce Brewery!
Arriving after 4, the closing event filled with live music and their very own food truck had ended but we still enjoyed a spot in their cozy covered patio with a flight of beer and great company. We are no strangers to this spot though as it is a dog friendly favourite of ours that is open all year long and we highly recommend stopping in to try their delicious organic beer for yourselves.
Honourable Mentions:
That’s a wrap! Here are some honourable Mentions of spots that we didn’t get to visit but friends of ours did and said were wonderful!
The Joint Mobile Grill / Danena’s Bakery & Bistra / The Dancing Moose / Little Asia
Overall attending the first ever Cabot Trail Food Truck rally was a beaming success. We had such a great time exploring the Trail and hiking up an appetite for endlessly delicious locally made food. The customer service of this event from the organizers, volunteers, and vendors themselves were the kindest folks ever. If you’re looking for something to add to your fall to-do list next year please jot this down and prepare your bellies for yummy foods and your eyes for magnificent views. Happy Fall Y’all!