Shopping & Dining
Shopping
Distinctive Rural Retail
The magic of retail in this isolated but thriving pocket in the Kootenays is far from what you’ll encounter in any urban centre.
Replace big box stores with heart-centred backcountry boutiques offering handmade clothing and goods. Replace outlet malls with family-run shops and steampunk thrift stores. Replace big grocers with small organic farm-supplied community hubs. Replace beauty stores with apothecaries and voila, welcome to the Slocan Valley shopping scene.
The Valley is filled with one-of-a-kind shops and the people behind these retail businesses put a lot of love into their niche offerings. And while the spirit of friendly competition exists, our shop owners love to support one another and keep the flavour of this special place alive.
From Crescent Valley to New Denver, the shops and galleries here truly offer an authentic and sincere shopping experience.
Food & Dining
Homegrown & Eclectic
The food and dining scene in the Slocan Valley is distinctive. Restaurants from Playmor Junction to New Denver feature menus with seasonal, farm-fresh local ingredients and cater to people’s allergies and food sensitivities like no other rural place.
Vegan and gluten-free options abound just like in a big city but our Valley restaurants step up their game even further by working directly with farmers and sourcing ethical products.
Far from fast food, the slower pace of life in the Valley translates to its restaurants as well. Your patience will pay off as our restaurant owners and staff truly take the time to pack your plate with delicious and fresh local ingredients.
Beyond the Valley’s eclectic restaurants, the food scene here is extraordinary. Historically, farming and agriculture have always been a part of Valley life. Today, all you need to do is take a Sunday stroll down the backroad to discover farm stands selling fresh eggs, flowers, honey, jams, pesto, scapes and more.
The farmers markets in New Denver and the Village of Slocan are quite popular and are a great place for locals and visitors to buy their food in the summer months. You can trust the food you buy is coming from a certified organic farm or an up-and-coming farm who is practicing organic and ethical techniques. There is a lot of food diversity in the Slocan Valley which enables our farmers to supply its residents and visitors with food that aims to nourish the body and soul.
Even our local food bank has hampers consisting of 70 percent organic food and local organizations like Kootenay Food and the West Kootenay Permaculture Co-op strive to connect eaters with growers in unique ways through programming and events.
