It’s no surprise that Victoria is often praised for its beauty and charm, but it also happens to have a really incredible food scene. From breweries to burgers to bistros, Victoria is a bona fide foodie destination.
Here are some of the best, must-try food spots and experiences in BC’s capital city.
This burger and shake shop focuses on local and sustainable practices and has a few locations around the island. At this point, it’s a Victoria staple. Big Wheel offers beef, chicken, and plant-based burger options, with the patties made fresh every day. It also offers several options for French fries, including Parmesan fries with house-made rosemary oil, Cajun fries, all-dressed fries, and classic poutine.
Address: Multiple locations on Vancouver Island
Whistle Buoy Brewing is located inside Victoria’s Market Square, the historic shopping and dining hub just steps from Chinatown. Situated in the square’s lower courtyard area, this brewery has its own patio (which is dog-friendly) and a very stylish taproom with indoor seating. The tap list is constantly changing, so you have to check out the taproom to get an accurate list of current offerings, but Whistle Buoy is known for frequently collaborating with other local breweries, including Vancouver’s Superflux.
Address: Unit 63 – 560 Johnson Street, Victoria
Little Jumbo is a cozy brick-walled spot located in the heart of downtown. The menu here rotates depending on what’s in season, but expect to find small plates like grilled romaine wedges with Caesar dressing, tuna tartare, and crispy fried brie broquettes. It also has a fantastic cocktail program.
Address: Down the Hall, 506 Fort Street #102, Victoria
Phone: 778-433-5535
Set right on the water, this spot is not only pirate-themed – with fun names for its pies like the Maiden Voyage vegetarian and Blackbeard Greco – but it also has a floating patio, too. You can grab Pirate Pizza’s pies by the slice or by the whole pie in its classic offerings like Peg Leg Pepperoni and Yo-Ho-Ho Cheese or its artisan varieties (with names like Abandon Ship and Barnacle Boris’ BBQ Chicken).
Address: C1-1 Dallas Road, Fisherman’s Wharf, Victoria
Phone: 778-678-3965
Boomtown is a beer garden and burrito bar spot that happens to have a front patio as well as a huge three-tier beer garden out back. Known for its killer margaritas, this spot is a must-visit when you’re in Victoria. In addition to its famous margaritas – which are available in lime and hibiscus varieties – Boomtown also has a great happy hour with rotating feature cocktails. This spot is known for its beer and burritos, but definitely try out some of its great share plates, like the loaded tots with cheese, jalapeño, pickled onion, and boom sauce.
Address: 950 Yates Street, Victoria
Phone: 778-265-9150
Located at 718 Fort Street in Victoria, this family-owned bakery has been serving the community its pastries and diner eats since 1956. In addition to having a full bakery display case of all its special house-made goodies – think Nanaimo bars, lemon custard tarts, apple slices, and various savoury treats – The Dutch Bakery is also a full-service diner.
Address: 718 Fort Street, Victoria
Phone: 250-385-1012
Burger Crush moved to a storefront on Fort Street a few years ago, from its humble beginnings as a food truck on Cook Street, and it hasn’t looked back since (with a full-on expansion into Vancouver). In addition to a vegan burger that’s just as good as its carnivorous counterpart, Burger Crush also offers vegan nuggets made from tofu and served with your choice of dipping sauce. Plant-based folks will be happy to know that this spot also has a vegan milkshake option in addition to its dairy one, made from housemade coconut milk ice cream instead.
Address: 787 Fort Street, Victoria
Phone: 250-882.4598
This Japanese confectionary is located at 585 Johnson Street and offers a great selection of specialty snacks and over 13 varieties of onigiri made with sushi-flavoured rice. You can also get soft drinks and desserts like ice cream and freshly shaved kakigori.
Address: 585 Johnson Street, Victoria
Phone: 778-432-0664
In Victoria, the Off the Eaten Track tour is the city’s original food tour guide company, offering both guided and self-guided tours. There are several different tours offered through the company, including the Modern Chinatown Food and History tour. The locations that you’ll stop at on this tour depend on the day and which restaurants happen to be open, but you’re basically guaranteed to stop at the Victoria Public Market, a dessert shop of some kind, and a local brewery to top it all off.
With files from Hanna McLean