Things to do in Victoria
-
A
Mint
This loungey late-night hang-out is popular with bar staff winding down after their shifts. But they don't just come to bitch about their non-tipping customers; Mint offers an eclectic, finger-licking menu of Nepalese, Tibetan and fusion delicacies that runs from spicy lamb cooked with apricots to almond-and-cashew pesto fettuccine. There's an equally diverse menu of regular DJ performances.
reviewed
-
B
Pagliacci’s
At Pagliacci’s, unlimited baskets of fresh focaccia bread are delivered to the marble-topped tables. Generous pasta servings from the cinema-themed menu almost defy devouring; try the Hemingway Short Story (beef-stuffed tortellini).
reviewed
-
Butchart Gardens
With all the rugged natural beauty in British Columbia, it’s a bit ironic that one of the province’s top tourism draws is the 20 hectares of elaborate manicured foliage at Butchart Gardens, 21km north of Victoria in Brentwood Bay. With its year-round kaleidoscope of colors, the grounds are divided into separate garden areas – the tranquil Japanese Garden is a favorite. Summer can be crowded but the Saturday-night fireworks display (July and August) makes it all worthwhile.
reviewed
-
C
Noodle Box
Southeast Asian cuisine with a strong Malaysian influence is the approach at this buzzing business that started out as a street vendor. A great place for takeout - served in those funky boxes - it's also a chatty eat-in spot. Popular stir-fries include Thai-style chow mein, and the Cambodian Jungle Curry is recommended for those who like their meals with a spicy kick.
reviewed
-
D
Lotus Pond
Behind the unassuming, almost shabby exterior of this downtown Chinese restaurant is an extensive, all-vegan menu of delights created using Buddhist principles. Even meat eaters have been known to swoon here, as they tuck into surprisingly tasty spring rolls, dim sum and pot stickers. Combo meals are the best option, as they offer an array of different flavors.
reviewed
-
E
ReBar
This place fuses colorful interiors with a clever, mostly vegetarian menu, but carnivores will be just as happy noshing here. It’s a good weekend brunch spot.
reviewed
-
F
Sticky Wicket
This cavernous complex is the place to head if you want a noisy night out with the locals. The Wicket's main bar serves popular (if slightly pricey) Irish beers, while its menu serves up heaping plates of pub grub, ranging from burgers all the way to chicken strips. Live sports are pumped through the TVs and there's a poolroom upstairs. The highlight bar is Big Bad John's, a tiny hillbilly nook with tree stump tables and a carpet of peanut shells.
reviewed
-
G
Floyd's Diner
A funky eatery with an ultrafriendly vibe, Floyd's combines a sun-drenched patio, warming blood-red interior and a menu of serious comfort food - it's the spot to recover from a throbbing hangover. Along with the all-day breakfast menu (try the 'Elton', a heaping bowl of fruit, yogurt and honey), there are some bulging burgers and sandwiches and a great lunch deal: an around C$6 bottomless bowl of soup.
reviewed
-
H
Royal BC Museum
The excellent Royal BC Museum is the best in the province and should be a highlight of any visit here. It’s an evocative introduction to the prehistoric and human history of the region – the old woolly mammoth diorama still packs a punch. Don’t miss the museum’s stirring First Nations gallery and pioneer town re-creation.
reviewed
-
I
Fort Café
Warm and welcoming subterranean hipster haunt with heaping fresh-made nosh – turkey avocado wraps and hot pepper beef sandwiches recommended – plus Salt Spring Brewing drafts. Check out the Atari game system at the back.
reviewed
Advertisement
-
J
John’s Place
A diner-esque legend with wood floors, high ceilings and funky memorabilia lining the walls. Weekend brunch is an institution, but the heaping comfort-food dinners are also great – don’t miss a giant slab o’ fruit pie.
reviewed
-
K
Legislative Dining Room
This is the Parliament Buildings’ subsidized restaurant, where anyone can drop by for dishes such as shrimp quesadillas and smoked tofu salad. Enter via the security desk at the building’s entrance.
reviewed
-
L
Belfry Theatre
The excellent Belfry Theatre is a showcase for contemporary, especially Canadian, plays and is one of the country's most respected independent theatre companies. It's housed in a converted 1890s Baptist church.
reviewed
-
M
Camille’s
A charming subterranean dining room with a lively, ever-changing menu reflecting great local ingredients. With its smashing wine list, this spot invites adventurous foodies.
reviewed
-
N
Cinecenta
UVic's Cinecenta is where old classics and curiosities rub shoulders on a nightly changing schedule.
reviewed
-
O
-
P
-
Q
Point Ellis House and Gardens
The colonial elite used to hobnob at the beautiful 1860s-era mansion that is Point Ellis House and Gardens, which now houses one of Canada's finest collections of trinkety Victoriana. The house has 5000 artefacts, ranging from flowery teapots to intricate needlepoint artworks. Fascinating photos show how the upper-echelon O'Reilly family adapted to life on the fringes of the far-flung British Empire - apparently Mrs O'Reilly had a couple of affairs to salve her homesickness. Tea and fresh-baked scones are served in the fragrant gardens. If you have a monocle, this is the time to wear it.
Ask staff about the mansion's ghost stories, and save time for the fragrant gardens.
reviewed
-
R
Fan Tan Alley
Small but perfectly formed, Fisgard St is the center of Victoria's compact Chinatown. One of Canada's oldest Asian districts, it's fronted by a towering red gate that looms over sprawling fruit and vegetable stores and the po-faced ancients meditating outside family-run restaurants. Twinkling neon signs add a dash of nighttime excitement, while Fan Tan Alley - a narrow passageway between Fisgard St and Pandora Ave - draws daytime explorers.
Once the best spot in town to pick up your opium supplies, the slender thoroughfare is a miniwarren of traditional and trendy stores hawking cheap and cheerful trinkets, cool used records and funky mod fashions.
reviewed
-
S
Dutch Bakery
If diners had been invented by little old ladies with purple hair, this is what they'd look like. This charming downtown institution has been packing them in for 50 years with its Formica countertops, chatty ambience and simple, old-school meals. Rub shoulders with the regulars and they'll recommend a beef pie with potato salad followed by a fruit pie chaser. After your meal, try to leave without buying from the Aladdin's cave of handmade candies at the front.
reviewed
Advertisement
-
T
Victoria Bug Zoo
The city's best attraction for kids, the Bug Zoo houses creepy-crawlies such as glow-in-the-dark scorpions and ultra-industrious leaf-cutter ants. Informative 'bug guides' wander around explaining how the insects eat, mate and give birth. Those who can't restrain themselves can handle a few critters, including an alarmingly large 400-leg millipede. Hit the gift shop on your way out to pick up a souvenir tarantula for your best friend back home.
reviewed
-
U
Thunderbird Park
On your way out from the Royal British Columbia Museum, visit Thunderbird Park, the museum's oft-photographed clutch of brightly painted totem poles, then duck into the adjacent pioneer buildings, including Helmcken House. One of BC's oldest structures, this tidy 1852 doctor's residence is lined with the minutiae of everyday family life. Refreshingly little is roped off and wandering guides provide the stories behind the displays.
reviewed
-
V
Temple
A soothingly trendy interior might indicate style over substance at this compact downtown restaurant but the opposite turns out to be the case. With a focus on Pacific Northwest cuisine, the menu is a taste-tripper's dream, with seafood particularly well represented: sample the Quadra Island mussels and you won't be disappointed. A Belgian beer focus at the bar means that you can try pairing food with an array of unusual ales.
reviewed
-
W
Smoking Lilly
Only a couple of people can fit in this tiny boutique at any given time - try something on and you'll be behind a curtain in the middle of the shop - but it's worth the squeeze to check out eclectic garments and accessories displaying an art school chic. Tops with insect prints and skirts displaying the Periodic Table are hot items, but there are also lots of cute handbags, socks and brooches to tempt your credit card.
reviewed
-
X
Demitasse
This art school-style hang-out is where local grunge geeks come to sup endless cups of coffee and compare their latest Value Village purchases. It's very laid-back, with high-ceilings and old wooden tables. The food is chunky, fresh and satisfying but never gets much further than great soups, wraps and sandwiches - simple, satisfying food done well: check out the banana bread French toast breakfast.
reviewed
