COVID-19:
Our little community in Wells is greatly dependant on tourism
in order to keep our businesses running. During this unprecedented time,
we have decided to close the cafe and food truck until further notice.
With Barkerville closed until at least June 18th, provincial parks closed, and
people being told to stay home and shelter in place, it simply isn't feasible or
responsible to encourage tourists to come to our community.
We are hoping to be running in some aspect in June 2020, whatever that
may look like. Keep an eye on our Facebook page for updates!
In the meantime, you can support us by buying a gift card
and following/engaging with us on social media (links below)
We love you all, and thank you for your support during this time.
Much love, Jen and Amber
(250) 994-3538
location >
Email Amber or Jen
Located right on the main drag in historic Wells, BC, the iconic “forget-me-not” blue Bear’s Paw Cafe has been a culinary staple in the community for more than 20 years. In the mid-90s the business started only a stone's throw away; a tiny shop selling pizza, hot dogs, and hard ice cream. Within two years owners Cheryl and Dave had moved into the current location, and that is where the story began. The Bear’s Paw Cafe has held many titles: from bistro, to hot dog stand, to cafe, to full service restaurant. When it was time to pass on the cafe, they didn't have to look further than their daughter Amber, and niece Jennifer. As the new owners of the business, Amber and Jen are proud to be a part of the next chapter - returning the Bear's Paw building back to its cafe roots, and opening up a food truck on the patio!
The Bear’s Paw Cafe is a casual cafe, boasting freshly made foods, locally roasted espresso, and treats to die for. Right outside you will see our food truck, still proudly serving our favourite specials, homemade burgers, and hand cut fries. It’s a bit out of the box, but we love that our customers can enjoy the Bear’s Paw Cafe either way. We invite you to come enjoy our cozy patio, complete with a newly built covered pergola, and the only hard part will be choosing what to eat!
Amber and Jen welcome you to stop in and say hi, check out what's new, and help us break in our new food truck!
Fri-yay!
Come enjoy the newest addition to the Bear's Paw family. This little truck is cranking out hand-cut french fries, poutine, gourmet hand-pressed burgers, and loaded hot dogs. Check out our instagram to keep up on our daily specials, which will include our legendary barbeque ribs, buffalo cauliflower burgers, fish tacos, curry poutine, and pulled pork sandwiches.
The food truck is closed for the season, opening tentatively June 2020.
Rainy day?
Regardless of whether you choose to order from the food truck or cafe, you are welcome to eat inside the cafe, out on the patio, or take it to go! So don't let some inclement weather stop you - we promise you're welcome to enjoy your food wherever you prefer.
But first, coffee.
We are back to our cafe roots, serving up the best locally roasted coffee, baked treats, sandwiches, salads and soups. Everything is fresh, made daily in house, and served in a convenient counter service setting. Start your morning with a Moonshine Roast Americano, a breakfast wrap, and a hot-out-of-the-oven scone; come back later for a cold local beer and a panini. The only thing between would be to end your day with one of our signature cocktails and a slice of our world renowned Cranberry Carrot cake.
We don't have an online menu, as we change it everyday. However, we always aim to have an affordable selection of food that can cover a variety of dietary needs and preferences. But, if you can't find what you are looking for in our grab and go cooler, chances are you can find it outside at the food truck!
The Cafe is currently closed
due to Covid-19
The Bear’s Paw Cafe is open daily from 10am-8pm. Everything is fresh, made daily in house, and served in convenient counter service setting. Start your morning with a Moonshine roast Americano, a hot-out-of-the-oven scone; come back later for a cold local beer and a panini. The only thing between would be to end your way with one of our ingenious cocktails and a slice of our world renowned Cranberry Carrot cake.
The Bear’s Paw Cafe has been around for over twenty years, but the building itself has a long and colourful history that predates our business by nearly sixty years. In the 1930s the Bear’s Paw Cafe, at the time a meat shop, was dragged to its current location from the nearby Jack O’Clubs Lake waterfront. During summer months, blocks of ice would be stored inside what is our current day kitchen; with 18-inch thick walls, the room is ideal to keep the space cold. Next, the building would turn into a garage with large doors installed to accommodate the owner’s Volkswagen. In the 1970s, the building changed hands again to become “Marion’s Bakery” and remained so until becoming the Bear’s Paw Cafe two decades later.
When Cheryl and Dave took over they promptly sold the family home and moved upstairs. In the years since, there have been some large renovations, the construction of a large addition, and some serious wallpaper removal. Living in and operating business in a building from the 1930s is not without hard work, but we love the charm. Our floors aren’t level, our 18-inch thick walls keep the heat in as much as they keep it out, and there is only so much electricity to go around, but we love that we are a part of this building’s legacy. We hope that when you visit us, you feel as wrapped up in the history as we do.
