Victoria has a number of very good restaurants with varied menus. There are a number of pubs dotted around town, but certainly not as many as the UK. Don't forget you can't smoke in any bar or restaurant anywhere in Canada. Some (space permitting) will have an outdoor area.
Drinking booze on the street (ie, out of a bottle / tin) is extremely frowned upon here and is also illegal. Police WILL stop you, take the booze away and may fine you. Canadian cops also cary guns.
Most importantly, almost all Canadian provinces control liquor distribution. This means you can NOT buy beer, wine, spirits in a normal grocery store or corner shop. You must purchase it from a government liquor store.
The one in downtown Victoria is on the lower floor of the Bay Centre - the main shopping mall in the centre of town. (Don't let the URL for the Bay Centre fool you, it used to be called the Eaton Centre).
They are open Mon, Tues, Wed & Sat from 10-6, Thurs, Fri 10-9 and Sun 11-5. Most close on holidays, however the Bay Centre one is open on public holidays.
There are a few licensed 'cold beer & wine stores' dotted around downtown. Prices tend to be higher than the official liquor stores, but you're paying for the longer hours and convenience. Click here for a link to their locations (and reviews).
I can recommend a few good places to eat - these are all downtown.
Pagliaccis - A New York style Italian restaurant - all the food is excellent and they are known far and wide for their pasta and desserts. It's always busy and not the best place for an intimate meal. That being said it's a Victoria institution.
The Keg Steakhouse - It's a chain across Canada and parts of the US, but the food is excellent and fresh. The waiters are usually quite hunky too!
Camille's - Fantasic food - all locally sourced so the menu changes with the seasons. Very good wine list. Its not cheap, but well worth it.
The White Spot - BC Family restaurant - very good food, reasonable prices, their burgers and breakfasts are very very good. It's often said if you need to find a policeman, look in a Timmys.
Tim Hortons - Canadian favourite - shops all across Canada. Great donuts, soups and sandwhiches, very good coffee too.
Speaking of coffee, there are Starbucks all over the place, but try something different - Victoria folk are very serious about their coffee and 'coffee culture' abounds. There are lots of very good local coffee shops all over Victoria, so give the big chain a miss this time.
Murchie's is a very good coffee shop and sells lots of tea and coffee stuff - my sister used to work there! Fantastic sweets and cakes too. Speaking of cakes, try the Dutch Bakery on Fort Street.
For serious chocoholics, you MUST visit Rogers Chocolates on Government Street. You won't find a chocolate shop like it anywhere in the world - you'll be able to tell you're close to the shop because the tempting smell wafts out their door all day long!
more to come...
