The Turtle Restaurant
Clearwater's beloved local diner — all-day breakfast, house-made pies, BC salmon, and the best cinnamon buns on the Yellowhead. The essential stop before or after Wells Grey Provincial Park.
Clearwater's Kitchen Table
The Turtle Restaurant is one of those places that every small BC town needs and most are lucky to have — a proper, unpretentious diner where the food is made with care, the portions are generous, the coffee is hot and refillable, and the staff actually seem happy to see you. In Clearwater, it's an institution.
Clearwater sits at the gateway to Wells Grey Provincial Park — one of BC's most spectacular wilderness destinations, home to Helmcken Falls (taller than Niagara), the Clearwater River, and hundreds of kilometres of backcountry trails. Every summer, thousands of hikers, campers, and road-trippers pass through town on their way into the park. The Turtle is where many of them stop for breakfast before the trailhead, and where they come back to for a hot meal when they emerge from the wilderness.
The menu is exactly what you want from a place like this — all-day breakfast with proper eggs and hash browns, burgers made from real beef, fresh BC salmon done simply and well, house-made soups and chowder, and a dessert case that includes what locals will tell you are the best cinnamon buns and pies in the North Thompson Valley. The daily specials change with the seasons and whatever the kitchen feels like making — always worth asking.
This is not a place that needs a lot of explanation. It's a good, honest restaurant in a small BC town, run by people who care about feeding their community well. If you're passing through Clearwater — and if you're heading to Wells Grey, you will be — stop in.
What Makes the Turtle Special
Gateway to Wells Grey
The Turtle is the last proper sit-down meal before you head into Wells Grey Provincial Park — and the first one when you come out. After a day at Helmcken Falls or hiking the Clearwater River trail, a hot meal here hits differently.
Genuinely Local
This is not a chain, not a franchise, not a tourist trap. The Turtle has been feeding Clearwater locals and road-trippers for years. The staff know the regulars by name, and the food is made with real care.
Family Friendly
Kids' menu, high chairs, patient staff, and portions big enough to satisfy hungry hikers of all ages. Families heading to or from Wells Grey are a big part of the clientele.
All-Day Breakfast
One of the best things about the Turtle — breakfast is available all day. If you want eggs and hash browns at 2 PM after a morning on the trails, you can have them.
What to Order
The full menu covers all-day breakfast through dinner — these are the standouts.
Breakfast
Full Canadian Breakfast
Eggs your way, bacon or sausage, hash browns, toast — the real deal
Pancake Stack
Thick, fluffy pancakes with butter and maple syrup
Eggs Benedict
Classic hollandaise on a toasted English muffin
Omelettes
Made to order with your choice of fillings
Lunch & Burgers
The Turtle Burger
House-made patty, fresh toppings, served with fries — a local favourite
Clubhouse Sandwich
Triple-decker with turkey, bacon, lettuce, tomato
Fish & Chips
Beer-battered BC fish, crispy fries, house tartar sauce
Soups & Chowder
Made fresh daily — the chowder is worth the trip alone
Dinner
BC Salmon
Fresh Pacific salmon, simply prepared to let the fish shine
Steak & Potatoes
A proper cut with all the trimmings — hearty after a day on the trails
Pasta Dishes
Rotating daily specials using fresh local ingredients
Daily Specials
Ask your server — the kitchen does something different every day
Desserts & Baking
House-Made Pies
Seasonal fruit pies baked fresh — the apple pie is legendary locally
Cinnamon Buns
Warm, sticky, enormous — a Clearwater institution
Milkshakes
Thick, old-fashioned milkshakes in classic flavours
Ice Cream
Local BC ice cream, multiple flavours
Gateway to Wells Grey
Clearwater is the gateway community for Wells Grey Provincial Park — one of BC's largest and most spectacular parks, covering over 540,000 hectares of wilderness. The park is home to Helmcken Falls (the fourth-tallest waterfall in Canada), the Clearwater and Murtle Rivers, dozens of lakes, and hundreds of kilometres of hiking trails.
The Turtle Restaurant sits right on the route into the park. It's the last proper restaurant before the wilderness begins, and the first one when you come out. For many Wells Grey visitors, a meal at the Turtle bookends their park experience — breakfast before the trailhead, dinner after the hike.
Practical Information
Address
Clearwater, BC V0E 1N0
On the main road through Clearwater — easy to spot heading toward Wells Grey
Hours
Open daily — breakfast through dinner
Hours can vary seasonally; call ahead in shoulder season or check Facebook for current hours
Phone
Check Facebook page for current number
The Facebook page is the most up-to-date source for hours, specials, and contact info
Cuisine
Canadian comfort food — breakfast, burgers, seafood, daily specials
All-day breakfast available; daily specials change regularly
Good For
Families, road-trippers, hikers, locals, all ages
Kids menu available; large groups welcome
facebook.com/theturtlerestaurantclearwater
Best source for current hours, daily specials, and seasonal updates
Seasonal note: Hours and days of operation can vary between summer peak season and the quieter shoulder months. Always check the Facebook page for the most current hours before making a special trip.
Make the Most of Your Visit
Stop here before Wells Grey
If you're heading into Wells Grey Provincial Park for the day, fuel up at the Turtle first. The park has no restaurants — the Turtle is your last chance for a proper hot meal before the wilderness begins.
Don't skip dessert
The house-made pies and cinnamon buns are genuinely special. If you're there in the morning, the cinnamon buns sell out — arrive early or call ahead to reserve one.
All-day breakfast is real
Unlike most places, the Turtle actually serves breakfast all day. After a morning hike to Helmcken Falls, coming back for eggs and hash browns at noon is a legitimate option.
Check Facebook for specials
The kitchen does daily specials that aren't on the regular menu — often featuring local or seasonal ingredients. Check the Facebook page before you go to see what's on.
Easy parking
Clearwater is a small town and parking is never an issue. Pull up, walk in. No reservations needed for most visits, though calling ahead for large groups is appreciated.
Coffee is good here
The coffee is proper and the refills are generous — a rarity on the road. If you're doing a long drive day on the Yellowhead or heading north, this is a worthwhile stop just for the coffee and a cinnamon bun.
The Turtle & Clearwater
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