Bring clothes with a little give, with so many amazing eateries in Victoria you’ll need a little extra room! From fresh seafood, to traditional ethnic food to locally sourced and allergy-free, there’s something tasty for every foodie preference. With limited time we couldn’t get to every great restaurant, and being on a trip with kids meant we didn’t explore the awesome pubs, but this is a good start – here are some of our favorites:
www.shinecafe.ca
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, right? We had a delicious farm-style breakfast at Shine Cafe, with fresh-made bread, delicious gluten-free options and almond milk for my mocha, I was in heaven! The food that wasn’t allergy-free was incredible, too. The cafe has all indoor seating, it was a little tight, but they made sure that we were able to get my daughter’s wheelchair in without a problem. We left fueled up and ready for a day of exploring. Shine Cafe 1320 Blanshard St, Victoria, BC V8W 2J1, Canada
www.shinecafe.ca
Willie’s Bakery and Cafe has a lovely patio and a case full of baked goods that will make your mouth water. Deeelicious! My breakfast skillet was divine, my daughters loved their pancake breakfasts. I also had an almond milk mocha that made my day. The patio area was relaxing and wheelchair accessible. The service was just OK. My daughter asked for a substitution – corn bread instead of toast. The server went back to the kitchen and asked if that was alright and came back and said sternly, “We will make that substitution just this one time.” Weird, right? We were willing to pay extra for it, it was like they had to ration it and we shouldn’t have even asked. Willie’s Bakery and Cafe 537 Johnson Street Victoria, BC
We were told that Victoria Marriott Inner Harbour had amazing views and a wonderful breakfast buffet. We didn’t make it there during our trip, but it was worth listing. Victoria Marriott Inner Harbour 728 Humboldt St, Victoria, BC
The elegance and tradition of afternoon tea at the Fairmont Empress is something that has to be experienced on a trip to Victoria. They have fantastic locally sourced items, as well as platters for gluten-free allergies and diabetes. They made sure that we had a table that accommodated V’s wheelchair and were very conscientious of both our accessibility and dietary needs. Fairmont Empress 721 Government St, Victoria, BC
We asked locals for the best fish and chips and the answer was a resounding Red Fish Blue Fish. Don’t let the long line and walk up location deter you, the fish-n-chips, grilled tuna, and honestly everything else I saw was worth the wait. The ramp to get down to the dock is long and pretty steep, so make sure that someone can help you if you have a family member with accessibility issues. I pushed V’s chair down while hanging on tight, my mom and daughter walking right in front and alongside us. Red Fish Blue Fish 1006 Wharf St, Victoria, BC
Our favorite outdoor dining location was at The Local Kitchen. A-mazing burgers with fresh gluten-free buns, beautiful patio at the bottom of Bastion Square, with views of the harbor and lined with lovely hanging baskets. Wheelchair accessible and very relaxing. The Local Kitchen 1205 Wharf St, Victoria, BC
A decadent meal overlooking the inner harbor at sunset at Nautical Nellie’s was a really relaxing way to spend the evening on our last night in Victoria. Nautical Nellie’s 1001 Wharf St, Victoria, BC
We ordered in our first night and had fantastic Indian food delivered from Sizzling Tandoor 637 Johnson St, Victoria, BC.
Specialty chocolates at the famous Rogers’ Chocolates were the perfect stop and in the center of town, so you’ll probably make a couple of stops. Rogers’ Chocolates 913 Government St, Victoria, BC
Delectable pastries, coffees and teas can be found just down the street from Rogers’ Chocolates at Murchies 1110 Government St, Victoria, BC.
The not so good…
We were hungry, wanted outside dining and were on Douglas St. We passed by the Sticky Wicket Pub and saw their sign for the Rooftop Surfclub. Sounded good – and did I mention we were hungry? There were elevators inside the street level restaurant that took you up to the roof, and it was easily accessible for my daughter’s wheelchair. There wasn’t much for a view, but it was outside and the beach theme with sandy roof-top beach volleyball courts was fun. The food was just OK, nothing special at all, but the kicker was the price – a plate of uninspired nachos was $17.75 – you read that right – $17.75!! And we were charged extra for more salsa! Maybe that works when you are drunk, but that left a bad taste in my mouth.
My wife & I had a too-brief visit to Victoria while returning from Alaska via cruise ship. But in our few hours downtown we discovered Bard & Banker, an English pub inside the old Bank of BC building…great local beers & ciders! I personally recommend Dark Matter.
Thanks for the reco Marshall, I’m putting that on my list for next visit! The pubs looked awesome, unfortunately they don’t allow kids so they weren’t in the plans this trip – but next time for sure!