# Downtown Victoria Restaurant Recommendations Wanted



## JoeWilly (Sep 6, 2009)

Please help.  Going to Victoria (staying downtown, no car) with my mother.  Can you recommend a great place for fish & chips, nice place for Saturday night dinner (not fancy, reasonably priced w/good food, atmosphere not important) and a good place for breakfast/Sunday Brunch?  Mom likes plain, simple, no frills food.  

Also, what sites should we see?  We've already been to Buthchart Gardens.  
Thanks


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## Greg G (Sep 6, 2009)

JoeWilly

Lots of places to see, but as you don't have a car some you will need to go on a tour bus, public bus, or find some form of transportation.

Some we went to are as follows:

- Hatley Castle and gardens (30 minute drive outside Victoria)
- Royal BC Museum (downtown Victoria)
- Legislative buildings (downtown Victoria)
- Empress Fairmont Hotel (downtown Victoria) tour it or go for a high tea
- Victoria Inner Harbor -  Very scenic walking the inner harbor as well as browsing the vendors and entertainment down on the lower walk
- Beacon Hill Park (Victoria)- 

Simple no frills places to eat

- Barb’s Place – Fisherman’s Wharf  (Victoria) - picnic tables under an awning on the wharf.

- Six Mile Pub  (Outside of Victoria ) – Good pub food and atmosphere - 
We stopped here coming back from Hatley Castle.

For breakfast/Sunday Brunch there are several places that serve high tea which you might want to try out (I don't think they're necessarily frilly but others can chime in as we didn't get a chance to go to them)


Greg


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## Cathyb (Sep 6, 2009)

We did the Grayline On/Off bus and loved it.  One of its stops is the Empress Hotel -- a grand old lady with many room and flowers.  Re Fish and chips -- one of the On/Off bus stops is at Fisherman's Wharf with fresh fish and absolutely not fancy!!!  The fishermen bring their catches in and there are 2-3restaurants that serve that kind of food.  You eat on wooden tables and benches.


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## asp (Sep 6, 2009)

I think the Bengal Bar in the Empress is better value than the tea at the Empress - it has all the atsmosphere of the British Empire and India, without the price - my favourite bar, big comfy chairs, with a great Curry buffet lunch, that will do for your main meal -and it is on the Entertainment Card if you have one.  An expensive lunch otherwise, but compared to tea at the Empress, a bargain!

Good simple, quick lunch - the BC museum coffee shop - we often go there for a quick lunch when working.  sandwiches, soup, and a main entree you may or may not like.

Pubs - the Strathcona on Douglas, Bard & Banker on Governement.  No doubt locals can list many more, but these are close to downtown.

Nice food, some traditional, Murchies Tea & Coffee on Government.  basically a tea & coffee house plus!


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## Greg G (Sep 6, 2009)

asp

We happened to peer into the Bengal Bar while walking through the Empress one day and that did look pretty cool but were in a hurry that day and didn't get to stop in. Wish we had now.

Greg


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## JoeWilly (Sep 7, 2009)

Thanks everyone - Please keep the ideas coming.

Re:  curry buffet - that sounds excellent.  I love Thai curry however my mom doesn't.  Maybe I'll have to go back with someone else!


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## Canuck (Sep 7, 2009)

A great place for afternoon tea is the Dutch Baker at 718 Fort Street.  It isn't fancy but the prices are good and the food is basic but the sweets are out of this world!  It was my Grandma's favorite place to take us kids for tea and a "yummy".  I still love the place and get my kids b-day cakes from there now.  It hasn't changed a bit since it first opened in 1956.
There are some good restaurants along Wharf Street.  Chandlers is a seafood restaurant and it's pretty good.  Swans Pub is also just up from Wharf St at 506 Pandora Avenue and they have good food including Fish and Chips.  
One of the best places for good old fashion breakfast is John's Place (I think the owner is from California http://www.johnsplace.ca/  It also serves lunch and dinners, but I've only gone for the breakfast but I've heard all the meals are great.....the soup is suppose to be amazing....it's bottomless.
I could go on and on about all the great places to eat.  If you make it out to the Saanich Peninsula or Sidney there are some really special places;

The Roost   http://www.roostfarmcentre.com/

Blue Bayou Cafe    http://www.bluesbayoucafe.com/ this is really a unique place and BEAUTIFUL spot.

Haro's in Sideny (the village of Sideny is a place your mom may really enjoy strolling around)  http://www.sidneypier.com/haros/

Suisse Bistro in Sidney  http://www.bistrosuisse.com/  Just went here for dinner on Saturday night.  WOW....really amazing food.  The Chef is 70 something and is still going strong.  A really special place!

Okay, that's it for now....again I could keep them coming but I'm sure there are some great places I don't know about that Tuggers can fill me in on!


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## JoeWilly (Sep 9, 2009)

Thanks Canuck

The Dutch Baker sounds great - we'll have to have tea and sweets.  John's for bkfst sounds great--just what mom should like.  

Thanks again everyone


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## JoeWilly (Sep 14, 2009)

Thanks everyone

We had a great time in Victoria.  Tried to go to the Dutch Baker, but it's closed on Sunday and Monday.  Had dessert at Willie's--good, breakfast at John's Place--very good, fish & chips at Red Fish, Blue Fish--great, dinner at Harbour House, good (fairly close to our hotel and mom was tired).  Mom liked all the meals we ate.  Toured the city via bus, went to Craigdarouch castle, china town had a wonderful time.  The weather was perfect.


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