My wife and I do not own hiking boots, nor do we own bikes. We’re not rock-climbers, and the vast amount of adventuring we do is more in the line of culinary and thirst-quenching pursuits. 

So, what did we do when offered the opportunity to house-sit up in Squamish? Well, we got our eat and drink on—and here’s where we landed. 

1. Fox and Oak

1396 Main Street

This lively, cute-as-a-button café features a rotating roster of seasonal, well-sourced coffee roasters, but it’s their delish brioche, cake and vegan doughnuts that are the talk of the town. The core lineup features rings of chocolate glaze and a bright and zippy mango passionfruit number, while the limited edition specialty doughnuts venture toward gems like a churro crueller or the key lime pie.  foxandoak.ca

2. A-Frame Brewing Co. and Luz Tacos

38927 Queens Way

Step into this bright and cheery craft brewery for fresh and lively pours like Shuswap Lake IPA and Sproat Lake Pale Ale, then toddle outside and treat yourself to Mexican fare from the Luz Tacos food trailer, which is frequently parked on the property. We gobbled up gusto plates of tacos al pastor, chorizo and potato tacos and the excellent Luz nachos with reckless abandon. aframebrewing.com, luztacos.com

3. Backcountry Brewing

405–1201 Commercial Way

Chock-full of families and boisterous buddies returning from outdoor adventures, the buzzy tasting room has locals and visitors alike feasting on wood-fired pizzas—like the prosciutto and fig with melted leeks, arugula and mozzarella. While their core beers, like the Widowmaker IPA or Trailbreaker Pale Ale, are consistent hits, do opt for a flight so you can get weird with pours like the “Might as Well Go for a Soda” Cherry Cola Sour—a definite hit at our table. backcountrybrewing.com

4. Flipside Burgers and Cliffside Cider

103–37760 2 Avenue 

Cliffside is just the most adorable little craft cidery, featuring a small bar, a couple of high-top tables and—you guessed it—tasty, tasty ciders. Start with the OG, which is a 5.6-percent classic apple version that also doubles as the base for their other ciders—such as the Tina Louise, which has a punchy kick of fresh ginger juice, or the grapefruit cider, which manages to walk a steady tightrope between tart and sweet. Looking for something more complex? House cocktails include everything from a Squamish mule (simple syrup, lime juice, Luksusowa vodka, ginger cider and a ginger sugar rim) to the Cliffside margarita, with lime juice, simple syrup, El Jimador tequila, Cointreau and a top-off of your choice of cider. Right around back is the Flipside Burgers food truck, serving up beef, chicken and veggie burgers piled high. flipsideburgers.ca, cliffsidecider.com

5. Peckinpah

38005 Cleveland Avenue 

The longtime Vancouver hub for Carolina-style barbecue has packed their bags and headed up the Sea-to-Sky Highway, landing on Squamish’s main drag. Meats are smoked in-house anywhere from five to 14 hours and can be accented with a tomato-based barbecue sauce or, if you want to go full-Carolina, a zippy chili vinegar to perk things up. Beef brisket, pulled pork, smoked chicken wings and the like are handily washed down with hits from an ample booze list or a tidy selection of craft beer and wine. A little outpost of home. peckinpahbbq.com

MORE STAYCATIONS: 21 Hidden Places to Hike, Bike, Paddle and Chill in Your Own Backyard

Originally published May 2022