An insider's guide to Victoria since 1997.

Easily spotted by its retro, neon sign, everyone I know refers to this place as "Don Mee's" and it's easily my favourite place for dim sum (served every day over the lunch hour). A favourite haunt for visiting celebs, the waiting area walls are lined with signed photos. One word of warning: the restaurant is up a long flight of stairs; those with mobility issues will want to steer clear.

The first Floyd's was a tiny little cafe in Esquimalt -- I walked past it many times when meals out were not in my budget. They relocated to a spot downtown -- Yates and Quadra -- and became wildly popular, especially for their daily soup. When a diner in the Super8 Hotel on Douglas came available, Floyd's 2 was born. The menu and attitude are the same as the other Floyd's and the brightly painted walls are covered with cheap thriftstore art and guests' scribbles.

If you only have time for one great meal in the city and don't have minors along with you, I'd suggest checking out the Bard and Banker Pub. The "Bard" in the pub's name is poet Robert Service who worked at the bank that once operated in the building. The pub is part of the Victoria Pub Company group; all their pubs feel authentic but the over-the-top opulence of the Bard and Banker is worth the visit alone.

Did you know...?

• Fort Victoria was founded in 1843 by James Douglas of the Hudson's Bay Company but the first governor was Richard Blanshard.

Tourism is one of the main industries in Victoria, BC, so it is no surprise that we have our share of attractions -- world-class and otherwise. Unlike restaurants, there isn't a very high turnover of attractions in Victoria though some have disappeared over the years. The most short-lived that I can recall was the BC Experience, a very corporate-feeling exhibit centred around a giant topographic map of the province. The attraction was housed in the historic Crystal Pool building which had for many years been home to the Crystal Gardens.

The Blethering Place is a landmark in the heart of the "Oak Bay Village" -- an area of town that tries extra hard to be all things British. Outside, the building shows hints of faux Tudor cladding which unfortunately makes it fit right in to the rest of the village.

Victoria has a vibrant restaurant scene with a high turnover rate. My reviews are as objective as possible, but as service and food quality may vary from visit to visit, please consider these a guideline. Browse reviews below alphabetically or sort by price, rating, or cuisine type.

**Visitors should note that Provincial bylaws mandate that all restaurants are non-smoking.

Population of the City of Victoria: 78,000
Population of Greater Victoria: 330,000

Average rainfall (annual): 60.76 cm / 23.9 in -- rainiest months Nov-Jan
Average snowfall (annual): 26.3 cm / 10.4 in -- snowiest month Jan
Average hours of sunshine (annual): 2,223 -- sunniest months July-Aug

Average summer temperature (July/Aug): 11-20°C / 52-68°F
Average fall temperature (Oct/Nov): 6-11°C / 43-54°F
Average winter temperature (Jan/Feb): 3-8°C / 38-46°F
Average spring temperature (Apr/May): 7-14°C / 44-58°F