East coast-inspired restaurant Blowers & Grafton opening in Nanaimo this summer

The extremely popular east coast-inspired restaurant Blowers & Grafton will be opening its first BC location at The Village at stlilnup in Nanaimo. 

This new BC location of the restaurant comes following Blowers & Grafton’s rapid growth and success in Alberta. 

Blowers & Grafton was co-founded in 2017 by Halifax-born Josh Robinson. 

His goal with the endeavour was to bring the food, the flavours and the spirit of Halifax to western Canada. 

It all started with a 34-seat restaurant in Calgary, and has grown to 10 locations across Alberta. 

The menu will feature several east coast favourites like mini lobster rolls, but will also embrace  Coast Salish flavours. 

Another signature dish they are known for is their Pictou County pizza, which they source straight from Pictou County, Nova Scotia. 

And of course, there will be donairs. 

“We’re incredibly proud to bring Blowers & Grafton to British Columbia for the first time, and we couldn’t have imagined a more meaningful home for our first BC location,” said co-founder Josh Robinson. 

“We’re excited to do this alongside our friends at Snuneymuxw First Nation, and we can’t wait to share a little piece of the East Coast with this incredible West Coast community.”

The development where Blowers & Grafton will be built is operated by Snuneymuxw First Nation and Petroglyph Development Group (PDG), the economic development arm of the First Nation. 

The Village at stlilnup consists of shops and services located near the Departure Bay Ferry Terminal. 

It was built on part of the historic Snuneymuxw village of stlilnup

“Since the time of the first families, stlilnup has been a place of gathering and community for Snuneymuxw,” said Ian Simpson, Yaatqumtun, Chief Executive Officer of PDG. 

“Restoring Snunueymuxw presence here is part of our Nation’s work to rebuild our economy while honouring the places that have sustained our people, and all people who live within our shared communities.”

The restaurant is slated to open for business sometime this summer. 

PDG also recently announced that Vancouver-based brunch eatery Yolks would also be coming to The Village at stlilnup this summer.