HUB at Hope Bay - Pender Island, British Columbia

Ross M.

Went to Pender Island for a weekend trip and hadn’t tried the Hub yet so my fiancée and I made reservations for a Friday dinner. The highlight of the meal was definitely the Heirloom Caprese salad which we split for a starter and even though we each could’ve had one of these on our own it was an great little bite and an outstanding start to the meal. The homemade pasta did not disappoint with my choice being the delicious Mushroom Gnocchi while my Fiancée chose the Mushroom and Truffle angel hair pasta. All the food was fantastic and I think we probably could’ve even shared a single pasta dish as we both had leftovers, though if you are a big pasta eater the portion size is perfect. Having the salad to start also help fill us up! I had a San Pellegrino Arianciata soda to drink while my fiancée had their rosé. The restaurant is absolutely stunning as it is perched on a dock literally overtop the ocean! The views and service were great and it is a wonderful local restaurant using local ingredients. If you find yourself in Pender and like vegetarian and pasta dishes you have to stop at the Hub! Luckily my future father in law lives on Pender so we will 100% be back!

C L.

My friends and I were at Pender Island for long weekend getaway and stumbled upon this charming little restaurant at Hope Bay. The restaurant has a soothing atmosphere with beautiful views of the bay. The menu was simple and almost everything is made fresh, in-house. I was dismayed to discover that there was no meat options available. However, my disappointment was allayed once our meals arrived. The dishes had complex flavour profiles and were all delicious! Almost didn't the animal proteins! The portions are a bit small but the taste made up for it. I had the Mediterranean plate which had the most amazing smoked olives! This restaurant was a nice find and don't forget to explore the local shops around the area after the meal

Gracee S.

Older woman serving was something else — here are a couple of excerpts from her disgruntled self:

-we had a book on the table closest to the window, she brought a salad and instead of putting it down in the obvious and easiest spot she just stared at my friend and said “can you move your book?” Like we were the ones being rude

-when she brought our pasta I asked if I could have chili flakes or something spicy and she told me the chef would be really offended and “doesn’t like when people dump seasoning all over his dishes” … nice, wasn’t planning on it! Go to Italy some time! Or just leave Pender for a minute to learn how to act in social settings 😂

-my friend asked what the salad dressing was like and she looked at her again like she was being rude and said “like I said, the chef makes everything in house”… as if there aren’t 1M+ types of salad dressings in the world

-when I asked if they had natural wines she looked at me like I was stupid and tried to give me a lesson on the different meaning of “natural” … just to say no in the end

Crazy how people in customer service have absolutely no idea how to create a good experience. I still tipped 20% because the food was good and that’s just how I am…

we just laughed about her our whole drive home and thought she must have been in a fight with the chef or late to work or something

Joanne H.

It was my birthday and we are not vegetarian. The food was amazing. The pasta delicious. Gnocchi was so the best i have ever eaten and i am a foodie. The chef was fabulous and we had 3 pastas and an amazing salad with fried Tofu. Everything was so good and we tried a bottle Sage Hayward wine which was crisp and a great addition. For dessert we had a flourless chocolate cake. The view over Hope Bay was so beautiful and a bunch of River Otters went swimming before about 10 playing in the water

Marc D. V.

Nice place tucked away. We enjoyed the simple decor and funky music. The mushroom gnocchi was a highlight. The Puttanesca spaghetti was nice but pasta was way overcook sadly. Would not have ordered had I known. Surprising mistake given how good the gnocchi were.

They had this Italian spicy sauce I had never heard of before. Love hot sauces and this one I need to find as it has a unique flavor.

Rob F.

Amazing pasta, awesome vibes, waterfront view. What’s not to love? If you’re on Pender, don’t miss this gem of a restaurant. Food was great. Well-executed, hand-made pasta at reasonable prices. Selection of wines. Friendly service. Reservations are strongly advised to avoid disappointment, especially on long weekends.

J T.

Wow, this is a must go to place on Pender! Spectacular views, fantastic fresh food, simple but elegant decor, and very friendly hosts!

Josephine M.

I guess I should have looked at the latest review prior to coming here again... I had the worst customer service I have ever experienced on Pender and it really ruined our night. The server was very rude and tried to blame us for not asking to split the bill at the start. Usually if it is an issue the server will ask at the start, which she failed to do. Why are you blaming your customers for your mistake? With the prices they charge for vegetarian pasta, we expected at least bare minimum service, which splitting a bill is. Then, the whole time she was splitting the bill, she was complaining about it and ended up walking away in frustration. She implied that we were tourists and tried to claim that we didn't understand how things work on the island. I got the impression that she thought she could treat us poorly because she thought we were younger tourists and would never be back anyways. We aren't tourists. We have a vacation home walking distance from this restaurant and come to Pender often and frequently support the local businesses. I won't be coming back unless I receive an apology from the server who I believe is also an owner. If you are looking for an option on Pender with incredible customer service and great food, I highly recommend Woods on Pender or Truss Farm Food (both the store and food truck are great).