Cheryl's Unofficial Guide to Victoria

Welcome to my Unofficial Guide to Victoria!

Big Wheel Burger

big-wheelRight in the middle of the Cook Street Village neighbourhood, Big Wheel Burger offers "Real. Fast. Food." Their menu is small (as is the seating area) but they pride themselves on being fresh, local and sustainable. 

Sam's Deli

Sam's Deli is as close to an institution as you'll find in Victoria, located on Government Street, just steps from the Empress Hotel and the Tourism Info Centre at the Inner Harbour.  Sam's has been serving breakfast and homestyle deli fare since 1972. In the peak summer season it is always lined up out the door and seating can be cozy but you always have the option of a picnic to-go, just ask!

La Piola

La Piola is one of Victoria’s best kept secrets. Located on Quadra near Tolmie (on the Saanich-Victoria border), it opened in 2002 but I didn’t discover it until 2011. Now it’s one of my favourite places to grab a fast and ridiculously tasty lunch. 

Devour

Devour is small enough that I missed it the first time we drove by but others had recommended it and I was curious to try the food. One of a number of bistros in the city serving fresh local food with a menu that changes daily, Devour is small but constantly busy.

Noodle Box, The

The Noodle Box started as a street cart and still has that feel, though it has expanded, first into a small location at 626 Fisgard, then added a larger restaurant at 818 Douglas. Eventually they expanded further, adding a Langford location (my favourite), a Sidney location, one to come at Uptown and two in Vancouver. All of them are generally busy and crowded.

McRae's

McRae's is located in what was most recently a florist/nursery on the corner of Shelbourne Street and McRae Ave in Saanich. I watched the gradual transformation with some interest as I had wracked my brain about what business might best suit the location, just a couple of blocks from Hillside Mall and surrounded by residential neighbours.

Foo: Asian Street Food

fooTucked into a tiny building at the foot of a hotel parking lot, Foo doesn't have a lot of room (though they have added a patio for extra summer seating) but their primary trade is take-away. As fast food in boxes goes, this is my fave place in Victoria. 

Pink Bicycle

After listening to friends rave about the food here, we had to give it a shot. Rather than dine-in (the service reportedly varies from indifferent to rude -- and this from people who rave about the food) we opted to order our meals to go. 

Between us we decided to try the Pink Bike Cheese burger and the Blue Cheese Lamb burger, opting for the onion rings and truffle fries rather than the standard Kennebec fries. As soon as the staff handed us our order we were hit with a wall of truffle oil but reserved judgement until we'd tasted everything.

Swan's Brewpub

Located in a heritage building at the foot of Pandora and Wharf Streets, Swan's Brewpub may look out on a busy intersection but it feels like a retreat. We treated ourselves to breakfast here recently -- not a meal I generally associate with a brewpub, but one of Swan's best. 

The breakfast menu covers all the bases including four varieties of eggs Benedict -- we selected two of them: the Veggie Benedict and the Lox Benedict. 
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