11 Of The Best Restaurants To Try In Victoria With Food That Gives Vancouver Some Competition
So many great places to try!
A group of friends enjoying their wine at Boom + Batten. Right: A seafood dish at Wind Cries Mary.
Whether you're craving fresh fish, sushi, steak or a great burger, there are a lot of amazing restaurants in Victoria that offer these dishes and more.
B.C.'s capital city has an amazing food scene and a lot of these restaurants don't just offer a great meal, but a beautiful view as well.
From hidden gems to amazing brunch spots, the small city on Canada's West Coast has so many great options for a night out that narrowing it down can be a tough choice.
We wanted to help so we checked out reviews on Reddit and Yelp to see which restaurants are highly recommended by locals and these 11 spots topped the list.
Brasserie L'Ecole
Price: 💸💸💸
Address: 1715 Government St
Why You Need To Go: This small French restaurant in Victoria is so popular that you need to get there before it opens to snag a table.
The French-country style menu changes based on the season and what ingredients are available locally.
The current menu includes items like stuffed Medjool dates, Salt Spring Island mussels and steak.
"Excellent French Cuisine. No reservations, so be sure to come early in order to get a spot," one person shared on Reddit.
"This place is amazing. The Steak Frites, burger, and French Onion soup are to die for," another person wrote.
Little Jumbo
Price: 💸💸💸
Address: Down the Hall, 506 Fort St #102
Why You Need To Go: This little restaurant is described as a "cozy, urban speakeasy" on its website.
The chef here works with local ingredients so the menu changes either daily or weekly. Some of the more recent menu items include Quadra Island clams, beef tenderloin, halibut and seared scallops.
One Yelp review calls it a "lively and spirited place" with a "delicious menu and sexy bar."
Side note: if you get confused by the address when you get there, you'll know you're in the right spot if you see a purple elephant out front.
Nowhere *A Restaurant
Price: 💸💸
Address: #G4 1001, Douglas St
Why You Need To Go: This restaurant showcases some of the "best ingredients in the world," according to its website.
Unfortunately you can't check out a menu online as it changes so often, so you'll have to trust the raving reviews online instead.
"Really cool, creative tasting menu that changes almost daily," one person wrote on a Reddit page.
"Fantastic planned 5-7 course meal using local and seasonal fair," another review reads.
Nubo Japanese Tapas
Price: 💸💸
Address: 739 Pandora Ave
Why You Should Go: This Japanese restaurant is another cozy spot in downtown Victoria that offers a "modern twist of Izakaya dining."
It's a great place to try a variety of food thanks to its small tapas dishes. The menu includes sashimi, a variety of sushi rolls and several don bowls.
One person on Yelp said the sushi, veggie tempura platter and house sake they had was "hot and yummy" and they would "go back in a minute."
Q at the Empress
Price: 💸💸💸
Address: 721 Government St
Why You Need To Go: The Fairmont Empress is an iconic hotel located by Victoria's Inner Harbour. It also has a restaurant inside that offers stunning views of the water and the beautiful legislature building.
The dining spot has a lot of great reviews on Google that highlight the "outstanding" appetizers and main courses.
The menu offers plenty of seafood dishes like oysters, Haida Gwaii halibut and sockeye salmon.
Hanks *A Restaurant
Price: 💸💸💸
Address: Unit G3, 1001 Douglas St
Why You Need To Go: Hanks *A Restaurant is the sister restaurant of Nowhere *A Restaurant and it's equally as loved online.
Every Reddit thread I stumbled upon mentioned this restaurant as a go-to spot for a divine meal.
"Gotta list Hanks. My favorite in town by a long shot," one person wrote to which a person responded, "Best spot in town 100 percent."
Another reviewer said the place is "well worth the price" and they are "constantly impressed by the flavours."
"Hank’s will always be on my top five. So good and always fun to eat there," another review reads.
Hanks A* Restaurant website
Boom + Batten Restaurant & Cafe
Price: 💸💸💸
Address: 2 Paul Kane Pl
Why You Need To Go: If you want a beautiful view of downtown Victoria while you eat, then Boom + Batten can offer you that from just about any seat.
It's also located along the waterfront so you can follow dinner up with a really nice walk.
The menu offers variety with seafood, meat and pizza dishes. The cocktails are also stunning and deserve some recognition.
"Great Harbour views and water front seating, romantic if you time the sunset," one person wrote on Reddit.
Boom + Batten menu
Wind Cries Mary
Price: 💸💸💸
Address: 45 Bastion Square, Victoria
Why You Need To Go: If you're going out with a bunch of friends then you may want to check out Wind Cries Mary.
The restaurant offers small plates that are meant to be shared and arrive as soon as they are ready.
From duck breast to fried chicken and bison tartare, there are lots of creative options to try. If you're indecisive then you can let the chef choose for you.
The restaurant has several mentions on different Reddit threads, including one review that praises the spot for its "fabulous cocktails and beautiful setting."
Vista 18 Restaurant + Lounge
Price: 💸💸💸
Address: 740 Burdett Ave
Why You Need To Go: Located on the 18th floor of a hotel, Vista 18 Restaurant is another Victoria restaurant that offers pretty city views while you eat.
The menu is curated seasonally and currently offers dishes like crispy tahini humboldt squid, kimchi fermented chicken wings, seared kutarra salmon and grilled lamb T-bone.
"They have spectacular views of the city, harbour and looking across the water to the mountains," one person shared on Reddit.
"It's a bit more upscale than most restaurants and the food is good, it's not exciting or innovative food but it's reliably good, quality food."
Il Covo
Price: 💸💸💸
Address: 106 Superior St
Why You Need To Go: If you're a fan of Italian food then Il Covo should be on your to-go list in Victoria.
The charming restaurant has vaulted ceilings and a garden patio. It serves rustic Italian dishes like lasagna, ravioli, spaghetti and gnocchi.
"The best (imo) italian spot in the city," one person wrote on Reddit.
"If you walk there you will get a good harbour side walk to and from your dining experience," another comment on Reddit reads.
Bao
Price: 💸💸
Address: 626 Fisgard St
Why You Need To Go: If you're into Asian cuisine then Bao is loaded with incredible Asian-fusion dishes that you should try on your next visit.
The menu has Tso chicken wings, buttermilk fried chicken and ramen. One of the dishes it's known for is its Bao, which are Taiwanese steam buns loaded with delicious fillings.
The place has great reviews on Yelp with people saying the food they had was "phenomenal, bursting with flavour and creativity."
"Two words.... SO DELICIOUS! Definitely stop by this gem when you are in Chinatown," another person wrote.
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