Cumberland BC Restaurants: A Village Food Guide

Cumberland BC restaurants are a small village's worth of surprises, a short drive from Courtenay. The former coal-mining town has a main street of low heritage buildings, mountain bike trails at its edge, a bakery on Dunsmuir Avenue and an old-fashioned pub. Walk the village on foot, and visit in spring or autumn.

Start with the Courtenay market or a late breakfast, drive to Cumberland for a walk and lunch and return for dinner. Bring a reusable bag for the bakery, a layer for the evening and a bike lock if you ride.

What are Cumberland BC restaurants like?

Small, casual and local. The village centres on Dunsmuir Avenue, with a few blocks of bakeries, cafes, pubs, a brewery and shops. The mood is relaxed, a mix of long-time residents, young families and cyclists. Menus are short, and food is often made from scratch. Evenings are quiet, and weekends can be busy.

Is there a Cumberland village food crawl?

Yes, on foot. Walk the main street from one end to the other and stop where you smell baking. A bakery for a pastry, a cafe for a coffee, a pub for lunch and a brewery for a taste make a satisfying route. The walk takes an hour without stopping and a morning with. Wear comfortable shoes, and carry a bag for anything warm from the bakery, and bring a layer.

Where is the Cumberland bakery?

On Dunsmuir Avenue, in the middle of the village. Cumberland Village Bakery has been described as a long-lived fixture with loaves, pastries, doughnuts and croissants. It is a good first stop, and a bag of something warm is a fair start to a walk. Check hours and what has sold out.

What is a Cumberland pub like?

Old-fashioned and sociable. The village has pubs in historic buildings, with a bar, a stage and a menu of pub classics. Look for a hotel pub with a saloon feel, or one that serves house-made pies. Ask a local which they prefer, and rate your choice.

What about Cumberland mountain bike food?

Cumberland is a mountain bike town, with trail networks that start at the edge of the village. Riders refuel with burgers, burritos, pizza and beer. Many places have bike racks, and staff are used to muddy shoes. A taproom with a patio is the classic post-ride stop. The Comox Valley breweries guide describes the first craft brewery in the valley.

When is the village at its best?

Spring and autumn, when the trails are dry and the crowds are modest. Summer weekends are lively. Winter is quiet, with cosy rooms and the snow on the hills. A weekday visit is the calmest. The village has a farmers market on some Sundays in summer, according to one listing, but confirm the schedule.

How do you combine it with Courtenay?

Start with the market or a late breakfast in Courtenay, drive to Cumberland for a walk and lunch, and return for dinner downtown. The Courtenay restaurants guide describes the next stop. The drive takes about ten minutes, so the two fit in a day. Park once in the village and walk.

How do you rate a village stop?

Name the dish and the setting. "The cinnamon bun and a flat white, a Tuesday at ten, still warm, tiny room, friendly" is a rating that helps. Add Bakery, Coffee Shop, Taproom or Brewpub and Dog-Friendly tags where they fit. Rate the bakery and the pub separately. The tags come from raters, so they are a pointer and not a promise.

How can you keep your finds?

In the Mosey app, rate every stop and keep the favourites in a list named Cumberland day. Invite friends through a link, and tag the people you rode or walked with, so they can add their ratings. Rate five places with a tag such as Bakery and you may earn a badge.

What is the history behind the village?

Cumberland grew as a coal-mining town in the early twentieth century, with a large population and a famous Chinatown that has since vanished. Its heritage buildings give the main street its character, and a museum tells the story. A walk through the village is a walk through history, with a pastry in your hand. Read the plaques, and rate the places you eat as part of the story.

What should you bring?

A reusable bag for the bakery, a layer for the evening and a bike lock if you ride. The village is small, and parking is easy, but trails start close to the main street. Carry water for the climb. A pocket full of change helps at the market stalls. Good shoes make a village crawl a pleasure.

Is there parking? Street parking is easy on weekdays.

Is it good for children? Yes, with playgrounds and relaxed cafes.

For the province, start at the Food in British Columbia page, and see the Canadian food guides for other towns.

After a morning on Dunsmuir Avenue, download the Mosey app, rate the bun that made it and share the list with the friend who loves a small town.