If there is one thing I know, it is that I love Victoria B.C. I have already written a few posts about it. You can check them out here:
– Winter Weekend Getaway to Victoria B.C.
– Outdoor Activities in Victoria B.C.
As Americans, traveling to Canada is in our favor at the moment and the best “bang for your buck” right now is food. Prices are about the same as they are in the States BEFORE the CAD to USD conversion. Which mean, you can enjoy a pricier meal and still not break the bank. I have compiled some of my favorite restaurants from all of my trips for the next time you are in Victoria!
The Dining Room – Butchart Gardens
If you are visiting Victoria, chances are you area also going to check out the Butchart Gardens. The grounds are beautiful any time you visit whether it be spring / summer for the flowers and plants or fall / winter for the thousands of Christmas lights.
On a trip to Victoria in the summer, we ate at The Dining Room at Butchart Gardens. Be sure to make reservations ahead of time. They can get pretty busy in the summer months. The food that was ordered was AMAZING! We all couldn’t stop raving and commenting as we took bites. We had:
– Gnocchi and Beef – Carved AAA tenderloin, artisanal gnocchi, morel mushrooms Heirloom zucchini, Manchego cheese
– Pacific Lincod Fillet: Caviar lentils, butter-poached clams, bush beans Confit tomatoes, radish sprouts.
– Wild B.C. salmon fillet: Smoked salmon hash, toasted almond beetroot salad Soft-poached egg, hollandaise.
The Tapa Bar
Okay this is my absolute favorite place to go when visiting Victoria. And this time, I got to experience it super late at night, which made it even more memorable. First, you have to know where this is because it’s unlikely that you will just stumble upon it. It’s down this cute little alley called Trounce Alley. And at night, it looks like this. As you walk a little way down the alley, on your left hand side you’ll see the Tapa Bar. The food is great, but the drinks are better. Try sharing a pitcher of sangria!
The Mint
Another unique place to visit is called The Mint. You will not stumble upon this one either and will want to look it up. You’ll actually have to go downstairs as it’s sort of underground. When we arrived there was a DJ with live music. It was definitely more of a hipster scene, but the drinks were good and we had fun! Try their Lychee drink, it is pretty unusual and pretty delicious. They also make a mean Manhattan.
Breakwater Cafe & Bistro
I had initially planned to go to the Breakwater (because I had saved Instagram photos of it, duh!). I had initially been scouting breakfast places on the way and got lucky with breakfast here. There was a cute little place called The Breakwater Cafe & Bistro. I was very impressed with the food! They have really great options for eggs benedict – and the coffee was good too! I loved the rustic feel and we even got to sit outside and enjoy the view before the rain came!
Nautical Nellies
My friends too us to this spot on our last visit to Victoria. They raved about the crab cakes so we knew we had to try them! If you love Caesar’s (one of my favorite drinks to get in Canada), this is the place to try them! They also make a mean Moscow Mule! An order of lobster tacos make this a great stop as well!
Willie’s Café and Bakery
On one of my stays in Victoria, we were staying a bit out of the inner harbor and were looking for recommendations on a good breakfast spot. Our shuttle driver ended up recommending this spot as more of a “locals” eatery. He said it would be less crowded than other spots but still have amazing food. He wasn’t wrong. I love to try eggs benedict wherever I go and this one did not disappoint.
Garrick’s Head Pub
Garrick’s Head Pub is a fun Irish bar to watch sports. I watched a Seahawks game here and it was fun to be able to cheer them on with a few others from Seattle who had also discovered this bar. When you visit Canada, two things you have to get are: Poutine and a Caesar. Poutine is cheese curds, fries and gravy and a Caesar is basically a Bloody Mary but made with Clamato juice. Both are delicious.
Are there any places in Victoria that are your absolute favorite places for a drink or to eat at? I would love to know in the comments!
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