AUTHENTIC PEI DINING
ON THE COAST & IN THE CITY
By Crystal Smith Photos Bobby-Jo Goudreau
For their first foray into the restaurant business, Christine McQuaid and her husband Steve Murphy took a chance on a little seaside spot at the end of a long
Their quaint, coastal café was a hit right from the start. As it grew in popularity, McQuaid and Murphy added a bar that overlooks Rustico Bay, offering the perfect spot for diners to enjoy a beverage while they wait for a table. The Blue Lookout Oyster Bar followed later, with a smaller menu of quick bites– think lobster rolls, tacos, charcuterie and oysters–and spectacular sunset views. From its harbourside location, the Blue Mussel Café offers the freshest seafood, purchased from a nearby dock every morning.
That ocean catch joins other local products on the menu, an important focus for McQuaid and Murphy, “We use products that are harvested, caught or raised hours from your table, not days,” says McQuaid. That local focus extends to the restaurant’s cocktails and mocktails, many of which are infused with locally grown fruit and fresh herbs. Consider the Cafe’s signature mocktail, inspired by “the charismatic heart of our harbour,” says McQuaid, “a man affectionately known as ‘The Bearded Skipper.’ She continues: “Despite
road next to a lighthouse. They had just left busy corporate jobs in Toronto and ventured to PEI for some downtime before beginning their next chapter. When they spotted a “for sale” sign on the Blue Mussel Café in North Rustico, they knew they were destined to stay. They opened for business a few months later and have not looked back.
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www.pei-living.ca SUMMER 2024
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