The Market on Yates (903 Yates) is a great new place (opened December 99) for groceries downtown. It has a deli takeout (barbecued chicken, sliced cheeses, salads, etc.), an in-store bakery, a drinks bar (smoothies, juices, and more) and a full line of groceries. It's open 7am to 10pm, 7 days a week.

Quick Eats
Downtown Victoria is replete with coffee stops and grab-a-quick-bite eateries. In warm weather most of them have one or more tables on the sidewalk, making for a lively street scene and a great way to people watch.

Murchie's
1110 Government St. across from the Eaton's Centre.
Cafeteria style with small selection of salads, soup, sandwiches and hot dishes, lots of coffees and teas to choose from and yummy fancy desserts. This place is a well-known specialty tea and coffee store, a favourite for tourists shopping for tea to take home.

Sam's Deli
805 Government St.
Popular with the tourists for its handy location near the Inner Harbour. Cafeteria style sandwiches, soups. Patio for sunny weather and people watching.

Zambri's
110-911 Yates St. on the edge of downtown next door to The Market on Yates.
It's authentic Italian casual style food. A few tables to eat in at lunch or take out. Lasagna, pasta, sandwiches, salads, soups, roasted veggies.

Daniel's
On Fort St. between Douglas and Blanshard. Open am till 5:30pm.
A secret local favourite, Daniel's has only 6 tables but you can take food out. Wonderful homemade soups, variety of muffins, croissants, biscotti, breads, quiches, chocolate and decadent baked goodies. Fresh, finest ingredients. Worth searching for.

Vegetarian
Reebar
50 Bastion Square.
One of the most popular spots in town, even for meat eaters. Fabulous homemade desserts, soups, hot dishes, smoothies, fruit and vegetable drinks, seasonal and regional cuisine. Daily fresh menu. Breakfast, lunch and dinner. Their weekend brunches are crowded-get there early.

Green Cuisine
560 Johnson St. in historic Market Square.
Cafeteria style. Traditional vegetarian fare.

Casual Dining
Villa Rosa Ristorante
1015 Fort St. Ph: 384-5337.
Lunch and dinner. Italian flavours. Soups, salads, pizzas, pastas. Daily fresh menu. Reservations recommended for dinner.

Dilettante's
787 Fort St. 381-3327.
Lunch and dinner. A busy restaurant with a friendly atmosphere. Dress as you please. $6 to $20 range. Fresh salads with good dressings, fresh mussels, untraditional pastas, local seafood, Spring Rolls, freshly made desserts. Reservations recommended for lunch and dinner (Thursday-Saturday for dinner).

Pagliacci's
1011 Broad St. 386-1662.
Italian pasta. $5-$12 range. Casual, with closely crowded together tables, this restaurant has been around for a long time and always has a line-up at the door.

The owner's penchant for the movie industry shows up in the menu, where item names have an entertainment slant. There's "Attack of the Killer Sundried Tomatoes", a pasta with artichoke hearts, sundried tomatoes, roasted garlic, parsley and white wine tossed with linguine and crowned with romano cheese. The "Last Chicken in Paris" boasts chicken in a marsala wine and cream sauce tossed with fettucine, peppers, mushrooms, artichoke hearts, onions, basil and parmesan cheese. Soup and sandwiches available at lunch. Open seven days a week, get there early to avoid line-ups.

Cafe Brio
944 Fort St. (250) 383-0009
Lunch and dinner. Cafe Brio is a bistro style restaurant that serves West Coast fare fresh from the sea and soil. More info...

Chateau Victoria Hotel Restaurants
40 Burdett Ave.
Phone: 250-382-4221 or Toll Free 1-800-663-5891.
Great views in Vista 18 or cozy comfortable dining at Victoria Jane's. More info...

Pubs and Pub Grub
Spinnaker's Brewpub and Guesthouse
308 Catherine St.
A relaxing and scenic 15 minute stroll from downtown on a waterfront path and over the Johnson St. Bridge. A real standout. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Spinnakers brews their own beers (try their Mitchell's ESB), makes their own breads and jams and smokes their own meat. They have two guesthouses with rooms. Room rates vary depending on style and season.
Toll free for reservations and general information: 1-877-838-2739
Email: spinnakers@spinnakers.com.

Swan's Suite Hotel and Brewpub
506 Pandora Ave.
Swan's brews their own hand-pulled ales and serves traditional pub food in a classy setting. Guesthouse suites above the pub.
Toll free for reservations and general information: 1-800-668-7926.
Email: swans@islandnet.com.

Hugo's Lounge
625 Courtney St.
Microbrewery and pub snacks, restaurant next door.
Phone: 250-920-4844. Fax: 250-929-4842

Harbour Canoe Club
450 Swift St. (on the edge of downtown past Chinatown)
Scenic waterfront setting with large patio. Pub snacks and restaurant.
Phone 250-361-1940. Fax: 250-361-1950

Splurges
The Pacific Restaurant and Terrace
Hotel restaurants are generally a place to go for convenience's sake rather than for outstanding cuisine. Not so at the Hotel Grand Pacific's new Pacific Restaurant and Terrace, where taste treats abound. More info...

Elegance at the Empress
If you've ever dreamed of enjoying good food in your own English country mansion while being waited on by a superb staff, then dream no more. More info...

Ocean Pointe Resort and Spa
The Restaurants

Kipling's Restaurant
Located on the lower floor of the Fairmont Empress Hotel at the Inner Harbour. This restaurant serves an a la carte breakfast, lunch and dinner, but don't bother. They're expensive for what you get.

Instead, for a little more — at this time $15.00 Canadian — opt for the buffet. It's unlimited goodies, hot and cold, a really fabulous spread. Stuff to your heart's content. There's even an afternoon dessert buffet where you can throw all caution to the winds and load up on calories enough to last a lifetime.

Questions?
If you want more information about this area you can email the author or check out our North America Insiders page.