Where To Get Your PEI Potato Fix

When it comes to discovering Prince Edward Island, your best bet is to ask an Islander. Most Islanders will bend over backward to share their favourite beaches, restaurants, shops, and other spots with anyone who will listen!  So, when we wanted to put together a ‘cheat sheet’ of the best places on the Island to get your PEI potato fix, we put the call out to Islanders and PEI potato lovers from near and far.

Here’s where you told us you go for your #PEIPotatoFix:

The Classic Roadside Farmstand

They’re a fixture on many PEI roadsides and a nod to the longstanding tradition of buying directly from the farmer.  The classic roadside stand may be small and simple in design, but it serves up big-time smiles from those in search of fresh PEI produce, including our famous spuds.

Some people are happy to get their PEI potatoes from any roadside stand they happen upon, while other folks have a favourite stand they go to every harvest season for their new PEI spuds.

Melinda Fisher, for example, shared her ‘buy local’ philosophy: “We love getting our potatoes from any of the many little road side stands..buy local! support local!”  Mary Calder MacKenzie makes it a point to get her PEI potatoes when visiting the Island: “When we get the chance to cross the Confederation Bridge to visit PEI I find a roadside market/stand and purchase my potatoes there. We ❤️ PEI potatoes.”

Oma Wendy finds potato bliss on the South Shore: “I get the very best Irish Cobbler and yellow potatoes at the stand in Crapaud , grown by Victoria Potato Inc. Soooooo tasty.”  Meanwhile, Miranda Ballum-Ashley touts the fresh potatoes at Compton’s vegetable stand in Summerside, while Denise Jackson gets her PEI potato fix in Eastern PEI at Visser’s potato stand in Orwell Cove.

And some people are pretty confident they know where to get the best PEI potatoes, like Jenny Wood: “Webb’s Vegetables on the O’Leary corner has by far the best potatoes on PEI!”

The Country Store or Farm Market

You’ll find country stores and farm markets dotted across the Island, a friendly reminder that PEI is still very much rooted in rural life. These beloved stores and markets kee country-dwellers well supplied with the necessities including, of course, PEI potatoes.

Korey Millar’s favourite country store is a gem handily located on the Trans-Canada about 20 minutes west of Charlottetown:  “I love buying my new potatoes and potatoes in general from Gass Clover Farm Store in New Haven, PEI…great place for potatoes, veggies and fresh meat.” Daisy Brown likes to pick her PEI potatoes up at Nabuurs Garden Centre and Farm Market near Montague

When Gabrielle Richard is looking for her PEI potato fix, she knows where she’s headed: “I always go to Arlington Orchards and Fresh Markets for my #PEIPotatoFix! They have such great deals and amazing staff!”

Straight From the Source

Some folks are fortunate to live or work on a PEI potato farm, or have a potato farmer friend they can go to any time for their #PEIPotatoFix.

Cath Weir said she gets her potatoes from her employers, Nathan and Peter Ching of Blackpond Farms and loves working there.

Katherine Smith gets her PEI potatoes from her father, one of our Island’s amazing potato farmers!

Janet Ching said she’s “lucky enough to be able to grab them from the warehouse!”

Several Islanders expressed allegiance to specific farmers. Hayley Michelle said she gets her PEI potatoes from any place the carries McKenna Bros. potatoes, while Elayne McLaine said she loves Brent Craig’s spuds.

Farm Day in the City

And, of course, some people wait all year long (not really, though) to get their PEI Potato Fix at Farm Day in the City!

Gina Markov said Farm Day in the City has the “best baked potato by far”.

Danny McGladdery couldn’t contain his excitement for the Farm Day fries: “Best fries I had were from the fry truck by the Confed Centre at last year’s Farm Day! Scrumptious little guys!!!” That would be the fry truck run by the folks at Prince Edward Island Potatoes, they know what they’re doing!

A Restaurant or Food Truck

Across the Island, talented chefs, bakers, and cooks woo customers from near and far with scrumptious potato sides, mains and desserts (yes, potato dessert is a thing!).

For many Islanders and visitors, finding the perfect hand-cut PEI fries is akin to finding a gold mine. For Kris Peoples, Ken’s Fries in the Canadian Tire parking lot is a must, while Sonya D Pauley likes to head to The Chip Shack on the Charlottetown waterfront for “yummy poutine”, and Taryn Callaghan enjoys the hand cut fries with some vinegar drizzled on-top.

Gina Markov swears by the hand-cut fries serves up at Viva la Crepe across from Spinnakers Landing in Summerside, while several folks gave a shout-out to BOOMBurger, which has locations in Charlottetown and Cavendish.

Beyond the beloved french fry, there are plenty of other potato dishes that had folks raving. Morgan Aleasha loves the homemade potato salad at Lobster Barn Pub & Eatery and Sandra Gaudette enjoys the variety of potato sides served up at Mill River Resort.

Shannon Courtney heads to The PEI Preserve Company in New Glasgow for their spud-centric entree, the PEI Potato Pie.

Crystal Gallant Arsenault shared this gem of a suggestion: “I like going to the O’Leary Potato Museum Restaurant, they have so many ways to try PEI potatoes and they are all yummy.” Indeed, the Canadian Potato Museum (it’s official name) serves up a wide selection of potato dishes including potato soup, lobster-topped baked potatoes, and potato fudge!

The Farmers’ Market

It seems like almost every Island town, big or small, has at least one farmers’ market that serves as a treasured place for locals to shop and catch up with friends, and for visitors to discover the best and freshest PEI produce, including the beloved PEI potato.

Many folks, including Yanira Greener, do their weekly shop for farm-grown vegetables, including PEI potatoes, at the Charlottetown Farmers’ Market.  In Eastern PEI, Debi White sings the potato praises of Alan Glover at the Murray Harbour Farmers’ Market.

The Grocery Store

Plenty of folks pick up their potatoes during their grocery store visit. Sobeys proved to be a popular pick for many Islanders, including Sheena Ferns, Sandra Mandel and Douglas Mann. Other folks mentioned Atlantic Superstore, Thrifty Foods or their local Co-op.

Now that you have a lengthy list of places to get your #PEIPotatoFix, it’s time to make a plan to try them all! We humbly suggest you start with a visit to Farm Day in the City, taking place Oct 6, 2019 in downtown Charlottetown on Queen St., between Grafton and Water St. from 11am to 5pm.