With a rich heritage as a multicultural town with strong Italian roots, Trail has a mix of really incredible restaurants. Both timeless favourites and hot🔥 newcomers are on our list. We’re finding tasty gems all the time, so if your favourite isn’t on the list, make sure to leave us some recommendations in the comments or on social media and we’ll check them out!
The Colander
Serving up the best comfort food in the Kootenays, The Colander never goes out of style. This might be the last bastion of all-you-can-eat food left in the region, and offers unparalleled value for the whole family.
Go for lunch. Their $13.00 Lunch Special is their pasta-of-the-day served with two meatballs, two pieces of roasted chicken, or one of each.
Go for dinner. The Colander Special: All you can eat spaghetti, two meatballs, chicken and potatoes, a locally made bun and their famous garden salad. It’s $21.75, and one of our absolute favourite things to eat in the Kootenays!
Finish it off with a scoop of traditional Spumoni ice cream and an Italian Soda for a perfect meal at this Trail tradition. May The Colander outlast us all🍝👍
Hours:
| Monday | Closed |
| Tuesday | 11:30 a.m.–2 p.m., 4:30–8 p.m. |
| Wednesday | 11:30 a.m.–2 p.m., 4:30–8 p.m. |
| Thursday | 11:30 a.m.–2 p.m., 4:30–8 p.m. |
| Friday | 11:30 a.m.–2 p.m., 4:30–8 p.m. |
| Saturday | 4:30–8 p.m. |
| Sunday | 4:30–8 p.m. |
Location
Kootenay Kabab
If you’ve never had an authentic kebab, you need to head over to Kootenay Kabab and fix that immediately. They’re skewers of various meats or veggies like you may have made at home, but these Persian-style kebabs are made up of ground meat – perfectly spiced and super tender, pressed into shape, and flame grilled. Served with your pick of sweet and savoury sauces, this is Middle Eastern cuisine at its best.🔥
As an appetizer, try the pita (classic soft, or as pita chips) and one of their amazing dips for $9, or sample all 5 for $25:
- Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
- Hummus – Chickpeas and tahini with garlic
- Tzatziki – Cucumbers and herbs with yogurt
- Borani – Roasted eggplant and garlic with yogurt
- Mosir – Shallots and yogurt
This family-run restaurant specializes in kebabs, of course – choose from chicken, beef, lamb, or even veggie options. They also have falafel, soups, salads, and more, with plenty of vegan options. Most of these are available as a pita wrap, or plated with saffron basmati rice and grilled tomatoes. They even deliver within Trail and nearby areas for a casual and tasty meal right to your door.
If you’re a caffeine fanatic, try the Turkish Coffee: Sweetened dark roasted coffee spiced with cardamom brewed in a traditional bronze pot. It’s a bit thicker than normal coffee, but quite tasty. Don’t drink the last 10%, that’s meant to stay in the pot.☕️😉
Hours:
| Monday | Closed |
| Tuesday | 11 a.m.–8 p.m. |
| Wednesday | 11 a.m.–8 p.m. |
| Thursday | 11 a.m.–8 p.m. |
| Friday | 11 a.m.–8 p.m. |
| Saturday | 11 a.m.–8 p.m. |
| Sunday | Closed |
Location
Rustic Crust
Serving up 9×12″ Roman style wood-fired pizzas that are as close to perfect as they come, the Rustic Crust is our pick for the best pizza in Trail.
They also serve up delicious authentic Italian-style gelato for just $4.25 a scoop, or $6 for a double.
It’s situated by Gyro Park in East Trail, right across the river. Grab a pizza and eat in or take it to go: walk along the Columbia River, or sit in the park and watch local kids tear up the skatepark.
The pizzas themselves are cooked in their semi-open kitchen in a custom wood fired oven. It only takes a few minutes to cook, and the results are amazing: piping hot, flavour-packed pizzas made with high quality ingredients. The crust is chewy but not at all soggy, making for one of the best crusts we’ve ever had.
If you live in Castlegar, Trail, or Fruitvale, make this your next stop when you need a pizza fix. They have the best pizza in the area, and it’s one of the best overall pizza places in the Kootenays!
Hours:
| Monday | Closed |
| Tuesday | Closed |
| Wednesday | 11:30 a.m.–6 p.m. |
| Thursday | 11:30 a.m.–6 p.m. |
| Friday | 11:30 a.m.–6 p.m. |
| Saturday | 11:30 a.m.–6 p.m. |
| Sunday | Closed |
Location
Trail Coffee Co
Trail Coffee Co. serves more than just coffee (which is excellent, but for another article).
Their menu revolves around gourmet sandwiches, and they’re some of the best you’ll ever have. Check this out: their breakfast sandwiches come on sourdough, multigrain, or on a croissant!🥐
The Sunshine Veggie, for example: garlic dill aioli, cheddar, 2x fried eggs, cucumbers, avocado, tomato, red onion, sprouts & mixed greens
Their lunch sandwiches are also amazing! They’re available on sourdough, multigrain, or as a wrap. You can also turn it into a salad🥗 or get it on focaccia bread!🥪 All of their bread products are fluffy and fresh, and they have gluten free options available too! Trail Coffee Co. has a sandwich for every mood:
Craving something classic? The Cali sandwich features chicken, cheddar, avocado, tomato, and a touch of garlic dill aioli for a refreshing twist.
Feeling adventurous? The 5 Alarm Fire packs a punch with cayenne aioli, chicken, bacon, cheddar, banana peppers, and cucumbers.
Vegetarian options are available too, like the Green Goddess brimming with pesto aioli, chicken, goat cheese, and a vibrant mix of veggies.
We really like the ROASTED RED – garlic dill aioli, chicken, cheddar, roasted red peppers, tomato, red onion, cucumbers, sprouts, greens & balsamic glaze
Hours:
| Monday | 8 a.m.–3 p.m. |
| Tuesday | 8 a.m.–3 p.m. |
| Wednesday | 8 a.m.–3 p.m. |
| Thursday | 8 a.m.–3 p.m. |
| Friday | 8 a.m.–3 p.m. |
| Saturday | Closed |
| Sunday | Closed |
Location
The Arlington
The Arlington Bar & Grill in Trail, BC is your classic pub experience with an absolutely huge menu.
The Arlington serves up classic pub fare at pretty reasonable prices: roast beef dinner with all the trimmings, beer battered fish & chips, and a steak dinner ($23, a rarity these days!). They also have quintessentail pub appies such as jalapeno poppers, potato skins, and nachos.
Their menu stretches on forever – burgers, sandwiches, salads, and mains all have long menu sections that give you an easy excuse to come back. We also have to give a shout out to their courtyard-style brick patio. It’s really the place to be in Trail on a sunny day with a classic cocktail in hand. They have a variety of events, including live music nights, paint nights, and karaoke, turning the pub into a lively spot for locals and visitors to unwind.
The Arlington isn’t trying to reinvent the wheel here (after all, they’ve been here since 1896!), but they have so much to offer, they almost certainly have a few of your favourite dishes! Affordable, delicious, and well-rounded, The Arlington is a certified crowd-pleaser.
Hours
| Monday | 8 a.m.–9 p.m. |
| Tuesday | 8 a.m.–9 p.m. |
| Wednesday | 8 a.m.–9 p.m. |
| Thursday | 8 a.m.–9 p.m. |
| Friday | 8 a.m.–11 p.m. |
| Saturday | 8 a.m.–11 p.m. |
| Sunday | 8 a.m.–9 p.m. |
Location
There’s always more to uncover as we explore the best restaurants in Trail. Let us know your favourites down below, and in the meantime check out Trail’s contribution to the craft brewery scene and these essential restaurants to visit on your first trip to Nelson!
