VICTORIA AND VANCOUVER ISLAND - British Columbia: Including the Alaska Highway - page 222

gathering spot for coffee lovers. Up the hill slightly, Mon Petit Choux (120 Commer-
cial St., 250/753-6002, 8am-5pm Mon.-Sat., 9am-5pm Sun., lunches $6-8) seems to attract
a slightly older crowd for in-house-baking, such as delicious cheesecake brownie, while
nearby Perkins (234 Commercial St., 250/753-2582, 6:30am-5pm Mon.-Fri., 7am-5pm
Sat.) serves up coffee and muffins to all types. Tiny Tina's Diner (187 Commercial St.,
250/753-5333, 8:30am-3pm Wed.-Mon., lunches under $10) offers a cooked breakfast for
under $5 before 10am.
At Demeter's Coffee Vault (499 Wallace St., 250/591-0776, 7am-5pm Mon.-Wed.,
7am-11pm Thurs.-Fri., 9am-11pm Sat., 9:30am-5pm Sun.), across the highway from Com-
mercial Street, it's all about the coffee. Demeter's has a distinct European vibe within a his-
toric commercial building designed by Francis Rattenbury (of Empress Hotel fame).
Up Fitzwilliam Street from the center of town, in the Old Quarter, is a concentration
of quality eateries, including Bocca Cafe (427 Fitzwilliam St., 250/753-1797, 7am-6pm
Mon.-Fri., 8am-6pm Sat., 8am-5pm Sun., lunches $8-12), an inviting little space that is
a favorite with locals looking for a little style. From the delicious coffee and muffins in
the morning to freshly made sandwiches at lunch, everything is delightful. Tables lining a
covered walkway are especially popular.
Restaurants
Near the top end of Commercial Street, Modern Café (221 Commercial St., 250/754-5022,
11am-11pm daily, $12-23) has had a number of serious revamps since opening in 1946 that
have seen changes to both the menu and décor, while leaving the distinctive neon sign out
front in place.
For some of the best Mexican food on the island, head for Gina's Mexican Cafe (47
Skinner St., 250/753-5411, lunch and dinner daily, $11-19), behind the courthouse north of
the downtown precinct. Although it's on a back street, the building itself, a converted resid-
ence, is hard to miss—the exterior is painted shades of purple and decorated with a fusion
of Mexican and maritime memorabilia.
When I walked into brightly decorated Aladdin's (67 Victoria Cres., 250/716-1299,
11am-10pm Mon.-Sat., $14-18), across the highway from Commercial Street, right at clos-
ing time on a quiet weekday night, the staff were already closing for the night, and yet were
welcoming and happy to take my order. The menu combines Greek and Middle Eastern fa-
vorites, portions are huge, and prices are very reasonable. At lunch, you'll pay under $10
for wraps, donairs, and souvlaki. In the vicinity of Aladdin's, Pirate Chips (1 Commercial
St., 250/753-2447, 11:30am-9pm Mon.-Sat., noon-9pm Sun., $6-9) is a funky little takeout