After a short, intense afternoon of stormy surf, the warm confines of Shelter Restaurant invite me in from the elements I’ve been weathering happily all day.

Housed within a rich wooden building, Shelter’s spacious heated patio, fine dining restaurant and comfy lounge are synonymous with the Tofino scene.

Shelter’s Past Lives

From the outside, the building is representative of the virtues that make it popular for both locals and tourists alike: humility, geniality and, above all, quality. Shelter truly provides what it promises in its name.

Originally built out of WWII-era airplane hanger timbers, the building has at different times acted as a home, a boarding house for Native American children, and a popular crab restaurant.

In 2003, owner Jay Gildenhuys purchased the property, gutted and refurbished it one section at a time before resurrecting it to its current state: a glowing dining area and adjacent lounge with an open kitchen providing a glimpse behind the scenes.

Even on a Wednesday evening, the restaurant vibrates with an energy fueled by the positive mood of its staff and clientele.

Vibe Matters

Atmosphere is paramount to the Shelter experience. Photographs by local artists adorn the walls. A fireplace keeps the warmth the beneath a slowly spinning oversized ceiling fan.

In the lounge area, exhausted but exuberant surfers relax in deep booths while television screens play surf movies in the background. A well-loved and well-used vintage surfboard hangs from the ceiling.

Upstairs offers a quiet area for reserved tables or large groups amongst wine racks and killer views of the harbour.

In the fine-dining area, I dig into Spring Salmon crab cakes and greedily take in an ice-cold craft brew from Vancouver Island-based Phillips Beer. This is kind of Shelter everyone should experience.

Fine Dining Fundamentals

Every inch of Shelter is a nod to its environment, and it’s clear that owner Jay Gildenhuys has an innate understanding of another two basic survival needs: food and drink.

Largely concocted from organic locally-sourced ingredients, including hand-picked herbs from the restaurant’s backyard garden, the menu includes such offerings as steamed local Dungeness crab, pan seared local wild salmon, and a delectable marinated double cut pork chop, with each entrée accompanied by a suggested wine pairing.

I elect for the grilled ribeye with yukon gold mashed potatoes, red wine demi-glace with a hearty garnish of onion rings. My dining partner chooses the roasted free run chicken breast. Neither of us is disappointed.

The food is simple but not plain, with a foundation of fresh flavors decorated by subtle seasonings.

The pleasant, friendly server playfully suggests a selection of rich desserts to further indulge the palette, including chocolate truffles hand rolled by the restaurant’s chefs. 

The Final Say

When combined with comforting food and calming drinks, the ambiance of Shelter is intriguing and effective.

It suggests a deep appreciation for the area’s often-unforgiving elements combined with relief that at any moment, we may find respite indoors. For me, there’s no better shelter from the storm.