ROAR is a live fire cooking restaurant inside Hotel Zed Tofino, with seafood, grilled meats, and vegetable dishes suited to both sharing and individual plates. The focus here is live fire cooking using wood and charcoal, with an open kitchen that puts the process in full view.
Starters range from small bites like Smoked Olives and Warm Spiced Nuts to composed dishes such as Calabrian Tuna Tartare, Beef Carpaccio, Calamari, and Baba Ghanoush, alongside salads like the Green Salad and Beet and Radicchio Salad with optional protein additions.
Mains feature charcoal grilled burgers including ROAR’s Dry Aged Burger and the Maitake Burger, plus seafood dishes such as Thai Style Mussels, Tempura Lingcod, and Tofino Chowder. Pasta options include Mushroom Stroganoff Pasta and Short Rib Bolognese Pasta, with Steak Frites and rotating cuts highlighting the grill.
For sharing, larger format plates include Cedar Planked Salmon and the 37 Day Dry Aged Long Bone Ribeye. Liquid desserts like Affogato and House Made Limoncello, along with optional sides such as Seared Scallops, Salmon Filet, and Fire Roasted Vegetables, round out the menu.
One of the dishes we tried was the Calabrian Tuna Tartare, made with BC albacore tuna dressed in a Calabrian chilli and citrus vinaigrette. Orange, capers, parsley, and chives added contrast, while charcoal potato chips brought crunch.
The Roar’s Dry Aged Burger is cooked over the charcoal grill and served with gruyere cheese, house aioli, dill pickle, greens, beefsteak tomato, onion jam, and a toasted potato roll. The burger was nicely flavoured and juicy while charcoal fries on the side were crisp.
We also ordered the Steak Frites, featuring a rotating cut served with demi glace, charcoal fries, and sprouts.
Fire Roasted Vegetables cooked over the grill with a light char, brought a simple, savoury side to the table.
For drinks, the Bibi Spritz, made with Bibi aperitivo soda, fresh orange, and tonic, was light and refreshing, working well alongside the grilled dishes.
The setting feels relaxed and casual, fitting naturally into Tofino’s laid-back dining scene and Hotel Zed’s playful atmosphere. Be sure to look around the restaurant for some quirky aesthetic elements!
ROAR’s focus on simple, fire-driven cooking in a casual setting makes it a solid dining option when staying at Hotel Zed Tofino or exploring the local food scene.
ROAR is located at 1258 Pacific Rim Hwy, Tofino, BC.
