Restaurant Review: Sou’Wester Restaurant at Peggy’s Cove, Nova Scotia

This is a rare sight indeed. Two in fact! One, nobody crawling all over the smooth giant rocky face of Peggy’s Cove and two, The Sou’Wester Restaurant almost empty! I have been here in the brutal cold of New Year’s Day and there are always people at Peggy’s and in the restaurant but yesterday we lucked out and had the whole place practically to ourselves.

Yesterday I took a break from eating my fridge to go out to this famous Nova Scotia spot for lunch with the lovely Shelagh from Alice in Paris Loves Art and Tea and her daughter. I had been to Peggy’s numerous times but I had never eaten at The Sou’Wester Restaurant. So many people I know have personally raved about the food to me. It was time for this foodie to check it out.

According to thefreedictionary.com sou’wester is a waterproof hat that has a very broad rim behind, worn especially by seamen. You can see pictures of it here, it is the quintessential rain hat we envision on fisherman during cold and rainy days. It makes me think that one of the reasons the restaurant uses this term is to welcome all those weather-worn travellers a safe, warm and cozy place to rest their weary feet and get a good hot meal.

One of my favourite things to eat in the world is seafood chowder and so I ordered the large serving, I was cold and hungry! When it came, it smelled like lobster bisque and there were indeed little chunks of lobster in the soup as well as a pink hue, similar to a bisque but this was all chowder. Small pieces of potatoes, creamy but not too thick. I agree with Shelagh, this seafood chowder makes me think this is what the real local fishermen eat and have been eating on a regular basis a long, long time.

On the drive out to Peggy’s along the bay Shelagh and her daughter spoke of the dessert they were going to order: warm gingerbread. A warm dessert on this frigid day sounded wonderful to me! They mentioned you could get it served with a warm lemon sauce which intrigued me. Would I like that? They also said that they thought this was the traditional British way to eat it and they were right, according to celtnet.org. uk. Of course I did not know that at the time but I followed my instincts and ordered the sauce but on the side. That did not last! Comforting, zippy and delicious. The gingerbread with lemon sauce was a real treat.

What a perfect lunch at Peggy’s. Most of the time I avoid potential tourist-trap restaurants. Their prices are inflated for what you get and it is usually too crowded to enjoy where you are. Well this grey and moody day at Peggy’s was too cold for most people, the food was delicious and even the decaf coffee was fantastic. Our server was lovely and helpful but left us to gab the afternoon away listening as a lady from the gift shop untangle a wind chime made of delicate shells while taking a coffee break. The Sou’Wester Restaurant is definitely a local treasure I will indulge in the next time I visit Peggy’s.