Nestled in the Northumberland Strait lies an island known by many names: Epikwitek by the Mi’kmaq people, who have lived here since time immemorial; Île Saint-Jean, when it belonged to French Acadia; home of Anne of Green Gables; the Garden of the Gulf; Canada’s Food Island; and Prince Edward Island, as it is most commonly known today.
Featuring stunning seascapes, abundant agriculture, and Canada’s longest bridge, Prince Edward Island – or PEI, for short – is the country’s smallest yet most densely populated province. The residents here are referred to as Islanders, and they have a fierce reputation for supporting and protecting all things local. This is evident everywhere you look, from the music and culture to the food and drink, and it has left an indelible mark on our craft beer scene.
Charlottetown, the island’s provincial capital, is a hub for history, the arts, entertainment, and numerous gastronomical delights. If you’re interested in experiencing the cities you visit through their local craft beer options, you’ll definitely want to check out as many of these spots as you can while you’re here.
This should also go without saying, but please do not drink and drive. If you’re planning on enjoying a few craft beers at a time while exploring Charlottetown make sure you have transportation arranged. We don’t have Uber or Lyft on the island, but we do have a local rideshare app called Kari – make sure to download their app, or look up bus routes or taxi numbers ahead of time.
#1 Founder’s Food Hall & Market
Founder’s Food Hall & Market is a must-go destination for anyone visiting the island, especially if you like to have options when it comes to your food. There are over 10 different food vendors residing in the market, ranging from French-Carribean flavours from the island of Guadalupe at Datcha (try one of their delicious bokits, trust me) and Japanese sushi at Hojo’s Sushi Burrito to more traditional fare like burgers at Big Burger and pizza at Ollies.
While some of the food vendors are licensed, Pretzel, Pint, and Pickle is the only vendor with a seatable bar area and they have the most varied tap list of local craft beer. Since the whole market is licensed, you can grab a pint (or a pretzel or pickle, too) and go for a quick wander around the market.
There are also many local artisans and merchants to check out while you enjoy your beer. If you’d rather sit down, grab food from any of the amazing food vendors and dine below art from local artists decorating the exposed brick walls or beneath the original steel girders above the hall’s open concept second floor.
Address: 6 Prince St, Charlottetown, PE C1A 4P5
Website: https://foundersfoodhall.com/
Contact: +1 (902) 367-3187
#2 Hopyard
A top spot I would recommend to any craft beer drinker heading to Charlottetown would be Hopyard. Located right in the heart of downtown, Hopyard’s tagline is “Beer – Food – Vinyl,” and they deliver all three in spades.
With eight taps, an ever-changing taplist, and a fully-stocked can fridge, Hopyard is the perfect place for even the most casual enjoyer of local craft beers. You’ll usually find at least five of those eight taps offering beer from any of the island’s breweries or cideries, but every now again there might be something fun from one of our neighbouring Atlantic provinces.
Their food menu changes every month as well, usually focusing on a specific theme of cuisine with numerous carnivorous, vegetarian, and vegan options. Throw in some incredible tunes and fun events like their Battle of the Breweries competition and tap takeovers from out of province breweries, and you won’t be disappointed by a visit to Hopyard.
Address: 151 Kent St, Charlottetown, PE C1A 1N5
Website: http://hopyard.ca/
Contact: +1 (902) 367-2599
#3 and #4 Lone Oak – North River Brewpub & Stratford Fox Meadows
Lone Oak originally opened their brewery and taproom doors in the area of Borden-Carleton, right off the Confederation Bridge, in 2019. Since then, they have expanded to an additional two permanent locations and one seasonal location, providing excellent craft beer and delicious food island-wide.
Their two new permanent locations are easily accessible from downtown Charlottetown. The North River Brewpub can be found at the Milky Way boardwalk with a gorgeous patio overlooking the scenic North River. If you’re a fan of golf, you’ll be excited to learn that the second location is at the Fox Meadows golf club in Stratford, just a few minutes drive east over the Hillsborough Bridge from the city centre. They even have a newly installed golf simulator, so you can hit the virtual links in the off season.
Lone Oak is known for their staple flagships like the Fixed Link Maritime Pilsner, Yankee Gale APA, and Hollywood IPA, but they are constantly experimenting with new styles in their seasonal brews such as their Homestead PEI Wild Ale. No beer on the island embodies the idea of keeping things local than Homestead – it was the first beer to be made with 100% local PEI ingredients and was my personal beer of the year for 2023. Their food menu also varies from location to location, but you can always expect quality, especially in their fries – they might just be some of my favourite on the island!
North River Brewpub
Address: 15 Milky Way, Charlottetown, PE C1E 2E2
Website: https://loneoakbrew.com/brewpub-restaurant/
Contact: +1 (902) 892-0600
Stratford Fox Meadows
Address: 167 Kinlock Rd, Stratford, PE C1B 2V6
Website: https://loneoakbrew.com/fox-meadow-restaurant/
Contact: +1 (902) 367-2100
#5 Modern Brewer’s Village Green
While technically not in Charlottetown, PEI’s newest craft beer location and only nano-brewery is just a short drive away from downtown, and easily accessible using public transportation. Modern Brewer’s Village Green is in the up-and-coming town of Cornwall, located just off the main intersection. Owner and brewer Bryan Carver has a long history of working in beer, having worked for the PEI Brewing Co. and traveled overseas to help establish breweries in India.
Sitting in Village Green feels like being in a cozy UK pub, with colourful beer-themed pennants and rally towels lining the walls, books about brewing adorning a bookcase cubby, and bright green foliage atop each table. The brewing equipment used here was built specifically to take advantage of the small space, designed by Bryan himself on the back of a napkin.
Village Green consistently brews up the smallest, yet most diverse, batches of beer on the island, with most releases only being available until they’re sold out. Classic Village Green hits like the Sabro Pale Ale, Milk Stout, and Extra Special Bitter often make repeat visits, much to the delight of Islanders with a taste for craft beer. The best way to experience Village Green and their incredible beers is to visit the taproom for yourself.
Address: 30 Church St, Cornwall, PE C0A 1H4
Contact: +1 (902) 894-2700
#6 & #7 PEI Brewing Company & Gahan House
Gahan House is an Atlantic Canada-wide institution originally started right here on the island, and now there are locations in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland. The original location opened its doors in 2000 on historic Sydney Street in a building dating back to the 1880s!
Gahan House pairs traditional pub fare with a bevy of delicious beers under the Gahan Beer line, which is brewed on the island by the PEI Brewing Co., whose brewing roots go back to 1997. The first and largest craft brewery on the island, the brewery is well known for their flagship Gahan beers like the 1772 India Pale Ale, Island Red Ale, and Blueberry Wheat Ale, along with the Beach Chair Lager brand and Colliding Tides seltzer series.
Both locations are definitely worth a visit, with Gahan House being an excellent spot if you’re looking for something more low-key and intimate for dinner out and the PEI Brewing Co. taproom offering fun event options for the more socially inclined like trivia nights and live music.
PEI Brewing Company
Address: 96 Kensington Rd, Charlottetown, PE C1A 5J4
Website: https://peibrewingcompany.com/
Contact: +1 (902) 629-2739
Gahan House
Address: 126 Sydney St, Charlottetown, PE C1A 1G5
Website: https://charlottetown.gahan.ca/
Contact: +1 (902) 626-2337
#8 & #9 Upstreet & Craft Beer Corner
Upstreet is the second-longest running craft brewery here on the island, founded in 2015 with a focus on community and sustainability. Their opening provided islanders more choice when it came to locally-brewed craft beer, which was the greatest accelerator in growing the local scene. Upstreet is also the first business on PEI to become a certified B Corporation, which means that they work hard to ensure that while they brew good, they also do good, contributing to local social and environmental initiatives.
The brewery is well known for their flagship offerings like Do Gooder APA, Commons Czech Style Pilsner, and Rhuby Social Strawberry Rhubarb Witbier, but every now and again they will do some incredible collaborative beers with local organizations like their 2023 International Women’s Day and Fireworks series. The former was brewed with female engineers from the University of PEI using a method called “spaulding,” and the latter is done in collaboration with the Inn at the Bay of Fortune, owned by renowned Canadian restaurateur Chef Michael Smith, using local ingredients harvested directly from the Inn’s farms.
I’ll also mention that the incredible non-alcoholic beer brand Libra is part of the Upstreet family, so you’ll be certain to catch their brews available in these locations too.
In 2018, Upstreet converted an unused storefront in the heart of Charlottetown’s downtown into Craft Beer Corner, a taproom, bottle shop, and community hangout spot all rolled into one. While Upstreet owns Craft Beer Corner, you’ll often find a keg or two from other island breweries available, alongside cocktails and ciders. Some nights you might even be able to catch a set from a local DJ or musician. And whatever you do, be sure to press the mysterious button in the bathroom – it’ll be worth it.
Upstreet
Address: 41 Allen St, Charlottetown, PE C1A 2V6
Website: https://upstreet.ca/
Contact: +1 (902) 894-0543
Craft Beer Corner
Address: 156 Great George St, Charlottetown, PE C1A 4L2
Website: https://craftbeercorner.ca/
Contact: +1 (902) 894-5972
Can’t make it to any of the above spots but still want a taste of local craft beer? The provincial liquor stores have offerings available from most of the island breweries in most of their locations; you can find the one nearest you here. Looking for something other than craft beer, like a cider or a cocktail? Then check out any of these great spots: Slaymaker & Nichols, Abbiocco, Red Island Cider, or Deep Roots Distillery.
This is just a quick list of some of my favourite spots to enjoy an island craft beer in (and around) the city of Charlottetown. As I mentioned above, the island is fiercely supportive of all things local, so you can walk into any bar or restaurant on the island and have access to a locally crafted brew. The island is also home to amazing distilleries and cideries, so you’ll have a local option when it comes to whetting your whistle.
Whether it’s in a taproom surrounded by friends, in a restaurant paired with a delicious meal, or on a patio overlooking the ocean, there’s a certain magic to enjoying a craft beer brewed right here on this island – a magic that you’ll have to cross a bridge or ride a ferry to taste, but it’ll be worth it.
Dana Jones has called Epekwitek/Prince Edward Island home for almost two years. When he’s not enjoying an island craft beer or posting about them on Instagram, Dana enjoys spending time with his wife, two dogs, and numerous nieces and nephews.
@pintsofpei | pintsofpei@gmail.com
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