Porters Bistro

Porters is the old Murray’s Corners general store, and it still looks the part: worn floors, the original fixtures and long runs of wooden cabinetry, now holding teapots and mugs instead of flour and nails. A store opened on this corner in 1888. P.Y. Porter bought it in 1916, Eldon Porter took over in 1947, and in 1997 it became Porter’s Coffee & Tea House, with the post office closing the year after. The building got official heritage status in 2009. Today Bill and Karin Buurmeester run it as a daytime bistro and bakery.

What to order

• Cinnamon buns, the thing most people come for, along with scones and muffins baked on site
• Breakfast, open-faced sandwiches (the smoked salmon is a classic) and savoury pies
• House bread to take home, and coffee beans whole or ground
• A small shelf of cards, mugs, puzzles and glassware if you need a gift on the way out

What’s in the case depends on the day’s baking, so earlier is safer for the buns.

Thursday nights

Since 2015 the store has hosted Mic’d Up Murrayville, an open mic for local musicians of all ages and experience levels, with a featured-artist showcase added in 2023. Their own pages give a 6 pm and a 6:30 pm start, so check the live music page before you head out.

Before you go

Daytime hours are Monday to Saturday, 8 to 4. It’s closed Sundays and most statutory holidays. Call 604-530-5297 or email [email protected]. Tracycakes is across Five Corners if you’re making a morning of it, and more Murrayville spots are on our Shop Local list.