Restaurants Near Sylvan Lake Beach: Where to Eat After a Day on the Water

You have been on the water since eleven. Everyone is hungry, someone is sunburnt, the dog has sand in places the dog does not appreciate, and nobody wants to get back in the car and drive somewhere.

That last part narrows it down fast. Here is what is actually within reach of the beach, and what each option is good for.

What to sort out before you pick a place

• Can you walk there? Sylvan Lake's lakefront parking is paid, run by the town, and moving your car in July means giving up your spot and paying again wherever you land. Walking somewhere is worth more than it sounds on a summer afternoon.
• Is the dog coming? Patio rules differ by venue. Call ahead if you are unsure. Nobody wants to arrive with a wet golden retriever and get turned around at the door.
• Are you eating, or snacking? Some places near the water do full meals. Some do shareable fried things and that is the whole menu. Both are fine. They are not the same thing when you have a table of six people who have not eaten since breakfast.
• How long until someone melts down? Time to food matters more than the menu when the table has kids at it. Ask about the wait before you sit.

2nd Wind Brewery & Eatery

Unit #170, 5003 Lakeshore Drive. Across from the waterfront, walkable from the beach. Call +1-825-900-9666.

We are one of the options, so read this knowing we run it. Here is what is factually true about us and useful to you.

• You can walk here from the beach. We are on Lakeshore Drive, across from the waterfront. Leave the car wherever it already is. We also have free on-site parking for guests if you are coming in from Red Deer or Lacombe rather than up from the water.
• It is a full kitchen, not bar snacks. Pub food, Canadian classics, burgers, and seafood, running the same hours as the taproom. A table of six can all order a real meal. That is the thing worth knowing if you have been on the water all day and a basket of fries is not going to cut it.
• The patio takes dogs. Sandy, tired, salt-crusted dogs included.
• Families eat here. Not a bar with a kids menu bolted on. Families are welcome inside and on the patio during regular hours, and the food is the kind everyone at the table can find something in.
• We brew our own. 12 house taps, pints generally $5 to $7. If you do not know where to start, The First Pour is $5 flat for four 4oz pours picked out with you by staff. If none of the four suit you, we comp a full pint of whatever you would rather have.

Best for: a group that wants to actually eat, a table with kids at it, anyone with a dog, and anyone who does not want to move the car.

Also in Sylvan Lake

Snake Lake Brewing Co. 26 Industrial Dr, Sylvan Lake.

The other brewery in town. It is in the industrial park rather than on the lakefront, so it is a drive from the beach rather than a walk. Worth knowing about if you are already headed that way or making a proper brewery stop of it.

Quick answers

Where can I eat within walking distance of Sylvan Lake beach?

Lakeshore Drive is the strip directly across from the waterfront and it is the walkable option from the beach. 2nd Wind Brewery & Eatery is at Unit #170, 5003 Lakeshore Drive with a full kitchen and free parking. Venues in the industrial park, including Snake Lake Brewing Co. on Industrial Drive, require a drive.

Which patios near Sylvan Lake beach allow dogs?

2nd Wind's patio is dog-friendly. Policies vary elsewhere and change season to season, so call ahead rather than assuming. On a hot afternoon, bring water for the dog regardless of where you land.

Where can I take kids to eat near the beach?

2nd Wind is family-friendly with a full food menu, walkable from the waterfront on Lakeshore Drive. Alberta liquor service rules apply at any licensed venue, so staff will let you know where minors can be seated.

Is there a brewery in Sylvan Lake?

Two. 2nd Wind Brewery & Eatery at Unit #170, 5003 Lakeshore Drive, across from the waterfront with a full kitchen, and Snake Lake Brewing Co. at 26 Industrial Dr in the industrial park.