A Further Afield list is the kind of list you get when a chef, bartender, somm, or server hands you a folded piece of paper with the places they swear by. These aren’t touristy, sponsored, or obvious picks. They are the spots that consistently deliver, according to the people who spend their lives fixated on food and drink. This edition of Further Afield comes from James Langford Smith.

A ROADTRIP STOP IN EVERY DIRECTION 

Langford Smith currently runs the room at June, has managed the floor at Kissa Tanto, and lends a hand at Bao Bei, Dachi, Niwa and The Acorn. He also co-produces Pamplemousse Jus Natural Wine with partners Jordan Kubek and Tyler Knight (below) in the Okanagan. That’s a lot of tables read, a lot of conversations with growers, winemakers, chefs and diners and a lot of kilometres logged on B.C. highways selling wine and hosting tastings. In our books, that qualifies him to tell us what’s worth the detour. Here is his list…

“From a young age, I developed a real appreciation for food. The first ripe tomato of the season, a special dinner at the fanciest restaurant in town. Food and the way it brings people together has always fascinated me. I’ve never really seen food, wine, and hospitality as careers so much as ways people connect and figure out a little more about where they are and who they’re with.

When I was younger, it was a bowl of pea and ham soup from Alfred’s Kitchen, the longest-running roadside burger spot in Perth, where I’m from. As much as I loved it, I figured out pretty quickly there was a whole world beyond Western Australia, so as soon as I could, I jumped on a plane. My first job in Canada landed me at SoBo in Tofino, where the Ahier family, who owned the restaurant, took me in. They were always talking about memorable meals, producers, and tiny restaurants you’d never hear about unless somebody told you. Their excitement about those out-of-the-way places was always magic.

Over the last few years I’ve travelled more than ever around B.C., eating in special but not especially famous places. Most will never get Michelin attention, even if they deserve it. But they’re places I return to and am never disappointed by”.

Gigi’s Oyster House
Comox, BC

This little Comox joint might be the most underrated restaurant in BC. Two years in, run by pros, and still somehow flying under the radar. The food quality, warmth, and playfulness makes you never want to leave. I crave seafood and love what the coast has to offer, but on Mondays Gigi’s shifts into classic southern BBQ. I was supposed to be mid-Island for one night and ended up staying three days, luckily over a Monday. Go for the seafood and hospitality, stay until Monday for the brisket. DETAILS

Wheelies
Victoria, BC

A motorcycle shop, clothing store, and sandwich spot? The room has its own logic, far from the “newlywed or nearly dead” shorthand people throw at Victoria. But beyond the down to earth vibe, this place has food that holds up. Tater tots with sexy sauce don’t hurt. DETAILS

Cassette Café & Dive Bar
Salt Spring Island, BC

Right in “downtown” Ganges inside an old gas station, Cassette feels like exactly the kind of place Salt Spring needed. Part watering hole, part neighbourhood hang, with affordable craft beer, cider, natural wine, and a team that understands how to make people feel looked after without making a big performance out of it. The island energy is there, but so is real attention to detail. As much as I crave the burgers, the thing that keeps pulling me back is Chef Avery Hunter’s specials. The food has seriously stepped up over the last while and it feels like the place is still gaining momentum. Don’t sleep on one of Avery’s mains or whatever feature is running that week. That’s usually where things get interesting. DETAILS

How Shang Shway Tea House
Nelson, BC

No website, easy to miss, worth the drive. This humble, family-run space with maybe a dozen seats has me dreaming of their hot-and-sour noodle soup. They also have an amazing tea selection, warm, honest hospitality, and some of the best vegetarian food I’ve ever had. I’m not exaggerating when I tell you that I think of making a four-hour drive from the Pamplemousse farm just to have lunch here.

The Break Café
Ucluelet, BC

Australians are pretty fixated on their coffee and brekkie. I guess I’m a bad Australian. I don’t really crave coffee or care much for breakfast/brunch. The Break Café changed that. Tofino will always be my first Canadian home, an whenever I’m back I find myself driving to Ukee a little too often for a coffee and the shakshuka at The Break. Consistent, delicious, and worth factoring into your day.
DETAILS

Soë Café
Penticton, BC

A listening café that quickly became the go-to for coffee and a snack in Penticton. The listening space and coffee are obviously good, but for me, the real draw is the evening pop-ups. This is where I had one of the best tartares I can remember, from winemaker and chef Zoë Jacoe (now cooking at Chulo). Then came the team from the newly opened Jamil’s in Toronto. The dahl and chicken sandwich were good enough that I went back the next day and ordered the same thing again. I think it comes down to the fact that owners Ryan Grifone and Thuy Bui care about food and drink and attract and seek out others with the same mindset, which works out nicely for the diner! DETAILS

Peacock’s Perch Pub
Summerland, BC

This is exactly what you think a small-town pub is going to be. TVs, Kino machines, regulars at the bar. But if you’re passing through on a Saturday, order the Baron of Beef. The chef carves the roast to order, you build your own sandwich, and for under twenty bucks it’s one of the best-value lunches in the Okanagan. It’s not the reason to drive to Summerland, but if you’re already there, it’s absolutely worth knowing about. DETAILS