Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Although Victoria has traditionally been associated with quaint tea rooms dotted around
the suburbs, the dining scene today has evolved greatly. Like the rest of Vancouver
Island,chefsarebigonproduceorganicallygrownandsourcedfromislandfarms.Locally
sourced seafood—halibut, shrimp, mussels, crab, and salmon—also feature prominently
on most restaurant menus.
Although locals are often disdainful of the touristy restaurants clustered around the In-
nerHarbourandcomplainthatboththequalityoffoodandservicedon'tjustifytheprices,
these restaurants do have a couple of redeeming features—many have water views and
all are handy to downtown accommodations. Additionally, because of the thriving tour-
ist trade centered on the Inner Harbour, chances are you will find something to suit your
tastes and budget close at hand—seafood, Canadian, Asian, Italian, Mexican, Californian,
or even vegan cuisine.
UnlikeinmanycitiesandasidefromasmallChinatown,ethnicrestaurantsarenotcon-
finedtoparticularstreets.Ontheotherhand,FortStreeteastofDouglashasaproliferation
of restaurants that are as trendy as it gets on the island.
You will still find great interest in traditional English fare, including afternoon tea,
which is served everywhere from motherly corner cafés to the grand Fairmont Empress.
English cooking in general is much maligned but worth trying. For the full experience,
choose kippers and poached eggs for breakfast, a ploughman's lunch (crusty bread, a
chunk of cheese, pickled onions), and then roast beef with Yorkshire pudding (a crispy
pastry made with drippings and doused with gravy) in the evening.
While Victoria is generally associated with afternoon tea, there are some serious coffee
loversinthecapital.Agoodpercentageoftheseconsider
Moka House
(variouslocations,
including 345 Cook St., 250/388-7377, 6am-midnight daily) as pouring the best coffee.
As a bonus, bagels are excellent and wireless Internet is free. The focus at minimalist
Habit Coffee
(552 Pandora St., 250/294-1127, 7am-6pm Mon.-Fri., 8am-6pm Sat.-Sun.)
ismostdefinitely thecoffee,thoughitoffersaneclectic collection ofmagazines tobrowse
through. Also recommended by the caffeine crowd is
Serious Coffee
(1280 Broad St.,
250/380-0272, 6:30am-8pm Mon.-Fri., 8am-8pm Sat., 8am-6pm Sun.), also with free
wireless Internet and lots of comfortable seating.
