The Doryman Pub & Grill

Saturday-afternoon ceilidh that's been packing them in for decades.

restaurant· Chéticamp, NS · $$ · ★ 4.20 (779 reviews)

Saturday afternoon ceilidh on the Chéticamp waterfront — a Cape Breton institution that's been packing the room with fiddlers, dancers, and out-of-towners for decades. If you're on the Cabot Trail on a Saturday, this is where to be at 2 p.m.

What to expect

  • Long pub room with a small stage and tight tables
  • Standing room by 1:30 p.m. on a summer Saturday
  • Top-tier Cape Breton fiddlers and accompanists rotating through the season
  • Step dancers in the aisles, sometimes the bar

Don't miss

  • The 2 p.m. Saturday matinee — the institution
  • A lobster roll and a cold beer between sets
  • Step-dance break during a hot reel

Good to know

  • Cover charge for the ceilidh; cash on the door
  • Get there early — seating is first come, first served
  • Pub menu all afternoon and evening
  • Family-friendly during the day

Pair it with

  • A morning whale watch out of Chéticamp
  • A hooked-rug stop at the Coopérative Artisanale
  • The Skyline Trail before the music starts
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The Doryman Pub & Grill | Cape Breton | Cape Breton First