Top 10 Most Iconic Dishes in Victoria
A Self-Guided Tour of Must-Try Food in Victoria
There are some dishes in Victoria that you absolutely HAVE to try when you are here. From local cult favorites to popular tourist landmarks, these dishes define the culinary scene of Victoria. Some of the dishes have been around for 30+ years and some are new, and some are a local invention. Here is our curated list of the Top 15 Most Iconic Dishes of Victoria.
PAGLIACCI’S: 1011 Broad St
MUST TRY DISH: Foccaccia Bread
WHY: a very popular restaurant that’s been in business since 1979. The focaccia bread is one of the most beloved dishes in town – a cult favorite among locals and free!
BEACON DRIVE INN: 126 Douglas St
MUST TRY: The soft serve ice cream
WHY: Voted best ice cream in the city for 28 years! This institution has been operating since 1958. Plus it’s close to Dallas Road and Beacon Hill park.
BARB’S FISH & CHIPS: 1 Dallas Rd
MUST TRY DISH: Fish & Chips
WHY: You can’t come to Victoria wihout ordering some classic fish and chips. An appropriate dish for seafood loving Islanders and a nod to our very British past (Victoria once called “more British than the British). Barb’s has been slinging F&C since the early 1980s and their tartar sauce is a beloved recipe.
THE TAPA BAR: 620 Trounce Alley
MUST TRY DISH: Mussels Cha Cha Cha
WHY: Another local cult favorite – this dish is a bowl full of local BC mussels served with a spicy garlic tomato sauce. Located in a beautiful alley that makes you feel like you’re tucked away in Spain.
LOY SING: 544 Fisgard Street
MUST TRY DISH: Roasted BBQ pork
WHY: This is the oldest Chinese owned business in North America and they specialize in Chinese BBQ dishes like pork and duck.
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THE BLUE FOX: 919 Fort Street
MUST TRY DISH: Morrocan chicken benny
WHY: Going for brunch is a sport in Victoria and this popular cafe will have a line-up around the corner. This is their most popular dish, a staple on the menu for over 15 years.
Jones Bar-B-Q: 1725 Cook Street
MUST TRY DISH: Brisket Sandwich
WHY: The best BBQ on the island using Southern techniques that owner Chris Jones learned from a master in Austin Texas. This huge sandwich will blow your socks off!
FINEST AT SEA: 27 Erie Street
MUST TRY DISH: Octopus taco
WHY: This is Victoria’s largest seafood fleet that sells their local catch out of a heritage house in James Bay. The food truck out front sells wam seafood dishes and the octopus taco is incredible: locally caught octopus grilled to perfection with homemade slaw on a flour tortilla.
Sticky Wicket: 919 Douglas Street
MUST TRY DISH: Shaft Cocktail
WHY: This cocktail is a Victoria invention (although Calgarians would disagree) consisting of cold brew coffee, vodka, kahlua and baileys. There are lot’s of places to get this drink in Victoria but there’s something fun about fending off the hoards of university students at this popular watering hole.
THE DUTCH BAKERY: 718 Fort Street
MUST TRY DISH: The Parliament
WHY: The Schaddelee family immigrated to Canada from Rotterdam in 1955 and opened this classic diner that still serves their family recipes. The Parliament is a pastry with 2 sugar cookies filled with mocha cream , nougat, and then dipped in chocolate and topped with their house made marzipan. They spray paint a chocolate image of the legislature building on top!
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