Supported by locals is key

Lisa’s Lakeside Bistro has been a welcomed and welcoming place to stop for a delicious bite to eat in Christina Lake

1 of 2Lisa's Bistro's Thursday night burgers are a serious matter. — Photo courtesy Lisa Smith

2 of 2The Christina Living Arts Centre has been a great location for Lisa's Bistro. — Photo courtesy Lisa Smith

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Lisa Smith had never owned a restaurant before when she opened Lisa’s Lakeside Bistro in the Christina Lake Living Arts Centre.

“Nobody said that running a restaurant would be easy but the rewards are amazing,” said Smith. “What have I learned? Just that a little bit of love goes a long way. You’re not just serving people food—a lot of friendships have been made at the bistro and the whole building has become like a community hub. That’s the neatest thing, I think, that’s happened.”

Smith makes sure to keep the atmosphere of her restaurant fun and friendly. Every Thursday she hosts an open-mic and burger night. Lisa’s Lakeside Bistro is also no stranger to catering smaller events and holding fun events of its own.

The restaurant offers a type of cuisine that Smith likes to consider gourmet on the go. Using quality and often local ingredients she enjoys creating tasty homemade meals that customers can enjoy on their lunch break. There is no deep fryer to be found in the building. Smith can also proudly recount the experience of creating a meal for a climate change summit that was almost exclusively sourced locally.

As Christina Lake experiences a busy summer season, one might expect that Smith would find the seasonal nature of her business a bit challenging. Instead, she finds humour in the extremes, calling summertime boot camp and saying that winter allows the opportunity to cook and create and throw fabulous parties.

Smith seems to have found her niche, both business-wise, and within Christina Lake.

“There’s so much love here in this community,” she said. "And, you know, nature is our back door. It’s five minutes to everywhere and two minutes to nowhere. You can get away from it all and we just love that feeling of a small, close-knit, almost family—just supporting each other as best we can. That’s what I sure feel at the restaurant. Supported by our locals is key.”