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Charlottetown is called charming far more often than “cosmopolitan” or “hip,” and yet the latter is how I’d describe P.E.I.’s capital after my most recent trips. The compact, easy-to-stroll city has become a superb destination for great food, shopping and entertainment, set around a pretty, lively harbour.

In the past few years, the stately Georgian-era homes and commercial buildings around Province House, the birthplace of Confederation, have been transformed. Savvy entrepreneurs have opened top-notch restaurants, cafes, boutiques and galleries in spaces previously occupied by stores and eateries that seemed caught back in time. Here are some of my favourite places to visit in the city.

For cocktails with an ocean breeze: Salt & Sol (2 Pownal St.)

Locals flock to this big oceanfront deck and bright, open dining room on the top floor of the Charlottetown Yacht Club for a fun menu featuring island oysters and mussels, bhaji sandwiches and Nashville hot chicken (the lone holdover from Salt & Sol’s origins as a food truck). Last month, the restaurant/lounge also held — and won — Charlottetown’s first Cocktail Showdown, so be sure to order the victorious Loco Coco, made with two kinds of tequila, mescal, lime, coconut cream, a local orange liqueur and tiki bitters (or try one of their equally delicious, alcohol-free drink options).

For modern Italian cuisine: Abbiocco (150 Kent St.)

With its peacock-blue velvet booths and open-concept design, the new restaurant Abbiocco is unlike anything P.E.I. has ever seen. Executive chef Alyssa Dignard’s menu of hearty, house-made pasta and pizza uses the bounty of local produce to create something special in every bite; dishes like fettuccine with wild mushrooms, sweet onion, pancetta and Italian sausage are so good, you’ll be wondering when you can eat here again. Also divine are the desserts, such as the vegan chocolate tart made with Ruffino Vin Santo and salted caramel.

For an entertaining night out: Trailside Music Hall (155 Kent St.)

Once housed in an old co-op store 30 kilometres outside the city, this popular live-music venue moved to smart, new — and much larger — digs at the back of the Arts Hotel in 2020. It still retains plenty of personality, and the vintage furnishings and artwork moved with the venue. Shows feature a mix of Maritime folk and troubadours from near and far. Before each show, you’re reminded that this is a listening room, so chatter is kept to a whisper and you can truly appreciate the music.

For pretty, handmade mementos: Garnish Jewellery (89 Water St.)

After studying metalsmithing at Toronto’s George Brown College, Stacey Leunes came home to Charlottetown to open this studio and boutique by the waterfront. She describes her pretty and easy-to-wear pieces in silver and gold as “simple with a twist,” and they often have leaf or flower motifs, with the occasional tasteful mounted gemstone. Also worth a look is the PEI Crafts Council store just across the street, and tiny boutiques like Green Eye Designs along quaint Victoria Row.

For your viewing pleasure: Confederation Centre Art Gallery (145 Richmond St.)

With a frequently refreshed program of exhibitions showcasing Canadian visual artists of all mediums, the spaces in and around this gallery (a part of the Confederation Centre of the Arts) often offer surprising works and fun nods to P.E.I.’s culture and history. “The Summer Trade,” for instance, is a new exhibition featuring images and travel memorabilia relating to 150 years of the province’s promotion as a tourism destination. Be sure to admire Paul Griffin’s “Leviathan” sculpture — a 110-year-old elm tree studded with 186,000 galvanized roofing nails — in the entrance gallery. Exit onto Victoria Row to check out more classic Canadian works at nearby Details Fine Art Gallery.

Writer Lola Augustine Brown travelled as a guest of Tourism PEI and Discover Charlottetown, which did not review or approve this article.

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