Tease your tastebuds

Smokey Mountain Pasta Co. is located on Second Avenue in Fernie. —

photo courtesy James Wapple

There’s a new restaurant in Fernie where families can tour the Mediterranean with their tastebuds—Smokey Mountain Pasta Co. According to the owner and chef, James Wapple, the menu at Smokey Mountain Pasta includes specialty cuisines from Morocco, Spain, Italy, Greece and Turkey.

“We’ve tried to hit each region throughout the Mediterranean,” said Wapple.

The pasta at Smokey Mountain Pasta Co. is imported daily and some of it is handmade.

“We mill our own organic flour right on premise,” said Wapple, "and from that, we make pasta and flatbreads."

Originally from Saskatchewan, Wapple moved to Fernie three years ago and he worked as a sous chef for a restaurant at the Park Place Lodge before opening Smokey Mountain Pasta. He said there was a need for a family-friendly dining establishment in Fernie, " . . . where people can take the kids and have a reasonably priced meal."

His restaurant seats about 60 and it has a retail side as well.

“We sell musical instruments, gourmet food products and needful things—as we call it—(such as) collectible toys and antique kitchen products,” said Wapple.

Smokey Mountain Pasta is located on Second Avenue in Fernie and it is open from Tuesday to Sunday between 11 a.m. and 10 p.m. For more information, call 778-519-2296.