Most of Prince Rupert’s larger motels have restaurants, but the place to head for substantial and inexpensive breakfasts is the Moby Dick Inn (935 2nd Ave. W, 250/624-6961). You can order anything from a bowl of fruit and a muffin ($4.50) to eggs, bacon, and toast ($6) or steak and eggs ($9.50). It’s always crowded, and service can be slow.

East of downtown is Cow Bay, originally a fishy-smelling, rough-and-tumble part of town home to a large fishing fleet. The boats are still there, moored in a marina, and a few old buildings still stand. But for the most part, the bay is a changed place.

Rowdy dives have been replaced by trendy art and crafts shops, restaurants, and two of the city’s best cafés. Cowpuccino’s (25 Cow Bay Rd., 250/627-1395, daily 7:30 a.m.–10 p.m., lunches $5–8.50) is a great little coffeehouse with freshly brewed coffee, magnificent muffins, delicious desserts, newspapers and magazines to read, and a laid-back atmosphere.

Across the way and right on the harbor is Cow Bay Cafe (205 Cow Bay Rd., 250/627-1212, Tues.–Sun. 11 a.m.–8 p.m., $8–21), where you can sit at an outside table and take in the smells of the ocean, or stay inside and enjoy the greenery. Good home-cooked meals, including vegetarian dishes, and daily specials start at $8.

Ask a local where to go for good seafood and the answer is invariably Smile’s Seafood Cafe (113 Cow Bay Rd., 250/624-3072, daily 9 a.m.–10 p.m. July–Aug., daily 11 a.m.–8 p.m. the rest of the year, $12.50–28). This diner-style café, decorated with black-and-white fishing photos and colored-glass floats, has been serving seafood since 1934. It’s always busy, mobbed by local fishermen, residents, and visitors no matter what time of day. The extensive menu includes seafood salads and sandwiches, burgers, fish-and-chips, shellfish, and seafood specialties.